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Four million Poles with kidney disease will die prematurely, most often before diagnosis, the most prominent Polish nephrologists are alerting. Chronic kidney disease can take 4-20 years to develop without any symptoms. It is said that when your kidneys start to hurt, something really serious happens. Indeed, pain does not appear until the advanced stage of their disease. However, there are a number of symptoms of the early stage of the disease, if they are not overlooked, we can start treatment faster. What should prompt you to see a nephrologist?
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1/ 9 The kidneys
Over 20 patients in Poland live thanks to dialysis. 10 function with a transplanted kidney. About 4,5 million Poles have kidney problems, but the vast majority of them do not know about it. The most important problems of kidney patients in Poland are: late detection of the disease, lack of coordinated nephrological care and insufficient access to modern therapies. – As much as 95 percent kidney patients will die before diagnosis. Most often, the direct cause of their death will be heart attacks, strokes, cancer or acute infections. However, it is often responsible for sick kidneys that have destroyed other organs and poisoned the entire body. It’s time to change these terrifying statistics – says Dr. Dariusz Aksamit, president of NEFRON of the Nephrology Section of the Polish Medicine Chamber of Commerce, which brings together most of Polish dialysis centers, nephrology clinics and departments.
2/ 9 Changes in the frequency of urine excretion and its form
If you drink less fluids a day, you will obviously pass less urine and the urine will be more cloudy. However, if the changes occur regardless of the amount of fluid you have drunk, you should be concerned about this. It can be both increasing and decreasing the frequency of urination. You should also pay attention to what the urine looks like. If it has any unusual color or blood in it, see your nephrologist immediately.
3/ 9 Edema
Sick kidneys usually do not filter properly, which can cause the body to retain water. This condition results in swelling, especially around the feet, ankles, hands and face.
4/ 9 Fatigue
The kidneys and liver are the organs that produce erythropoietin. It is a substance that stimulates the body to produce red blood cells. When the kidneys have problems, the levels of the kidneys drop, the blood cells in the body are reduced and the kidneys are not oxygenated. This, in turn, results in constant fatigue.
5/ 9 Breathing problems
The reduced amount of red blood cells and hypoxia also make the body “ventilate” the lungs more greedily. Conversely, water retention in the body can cause fluid to build up in the lungs. All of this translates into problems with catching the breath.
6/ 9 Problems with concentration
Another effect of hypoxia is difficulty concentrating. The brain is especially sensitive to hypoxia. In addition to memory problems, dizziness may also occur.
7/ 9 Rash
Elevated levels of toxic substances in the body that are not properly filtered can cause rashes, redness and itching. Many patients with diseased kidneys constantly scratch their skin.
8/ 9 A metallic taste in the mouth
Increased levels of urea in the body can change your food preferences. A metallic aftertaste may also appear in the mouth. Often, ammonia is felt in the breath of people with diseased kidneys.
9/ 9 Nausea and vomiting
Uremia, or elevated levels of toxic substances in the body, can also make you feel sick. When uremia is at a dangerously high level, vomiting occurs. The symptoms of developing kidney disease can be overwhelming. In addition, they are not unambiguous, because rash, fatigue or problems with concentration also accompany other diseases. Fortunately, there is a simple test that tells you about the health of your kidneys. This is a blood creatinine test, but few people take it. It is worth asking your primary care physician for a referral or possibly doing it privately.