What are the symptoms of kidney disease?
Most people don't have any symptoms early in the disease. Once the disease progresses, the symptoms can include the following:
- Feeling tired
- Feeling weak
- Loss of appetite
- Not sleeping
- Not thinking clearly
- Swelling of the feet and ankles
What is chronic kidney disease (CKD)?
Healthy kidneys remove waste from your blood. The waste then leaves your body in your urine. The kidneys also help control blood pressure and make red blood cells.
When the kidneys are damaged, they cannot remove waste from the blood as well as they should. This is called chronic kidney disease. Almost 20 million people in the United States have this disease.
The most common causes of CKD are high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. CKD can lead to kidney failure, but early treatment can slow or prevent this. Chronic kidney disease can also be caused by infections or urinary blockages.
You may be at risk if someone in your family has CKD or if you have diabetes or if you have high blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about your risk factors. It is important to diagnose CKD early.
Check out these other links for more helpful information:
Kidney Function Tests
Diet for Kidney Disease |
