Kidney disease symptoms

Impaired kidney function leads to a buildup of toxins in your body. When the toxins that should have been flushed through your urine accumulate in your body, this condition is called uraemia. It causes side effects such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, an odd taste in your mouth, and even bad breath. 

The build-up of toxins in the body can lead to fatigue. As the kidney function gets worse you can also develop anaemia (a lack of red blood cells which carry oxygen) which can make you feel weak and tired.

As well as removing toxins, your kidneys also control the amount of salt and water in your body. As kidney function decreases it can lead to retention of both salt and water which causes fluid buildup. Leakage of protein into the urine can also cause fluid to move into the tissues resulting in swollen eyes or limbs. 

If there is fluid retention in the body due to impaired kidney function, there could be fluid buildup in your lungs putting pressure on your airways and making it difficult for you to breathe. 

The kidneys' primary function is to flush out toxins and waste from the blood and maintain fluid balance in the body. The excess fluid and flushed-out toxins form urine, which moves down to the bladder. Any dysfunction in the kidneys can impact urination frequency. 

The appearance of urine can change as the kidney function declines. The increased concentration of toxins, including blood, can make urine dark-coloured. Impaired kidney function also leads to too much protein leaking into the urine, making it foamy. 

Cognitive issues, such as reasoning, memory, and concentration, may be associated with CKD, due to anaemia and buildup of toxins. 

Damaged kidneys retain toxins and fluids in the body and can affect the normal functioning of other organs, including the nervous system. And any change in the nervous system can in turn affect sleep patterns. Breathlessness at night may also result from fluid buildup in the lungs when you lie down. 

A decline in kidney function leads to an imbalance of minerals in your body along with a buildup of toxins. Elevated levels of calcium, phosphorus and other minerals can lead to issues with your skin and nails. Dry and itchy skin is common in CKD stage 5.

Loss of kidney function can cause an imbalance in fluids and electrolytes in the body which can lead to cramping of muscles, especially in the legs. 

The early stages of CKD rarely have any symptoms. Therefore, diagnosis is usually done through health screenings: a urine test to measure the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) or protein-creatinine ratio (PCR) and a blood test to determine the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). 

When kidneys become damaged they leak protein into the urine. Albumin-to-creatinine ratio, or ACR, is a test for detecting albumin (a type of protein) in the urine, an indication of CKD for patients with diabetes.

Protein-creatinine ratio, or PCR, is a test that measures elevated protein levels in the urine, a common sign of kidney damage. 

The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is an indication of kidney function and is obtained through a blood test. eGFR below 60 ml/min indicates the onset of chronic kidney disease. An eGFR of less than 15 ml/min indicates stage 5 of chronic kidney disease, also commonly known as end-stage kidney disease or kidney failure. 

The prognosis depends on what stage your CKD is detected at and the cause of the CKD. Not all CKD leads to end-stage kidney disease or kidney failure. The progression of CKD can be slowed with careful monitoring and management. And if kidney function continues to decline, treatment options for end-stage kidney disease need to be considered.