The headline “23 strange signs your kidneys might be in trouble” can be useful as awareness, but it can also be misleading. Kidney disease often develops silently, and many of these symptoms have much more common causes.
Possible signs associated with kidney problems
Some symptoms that can occur with kidney disease include:
- Swelling around the ankles, feet, legs, hands, or around the eyes
- Changes in how often you urinate
- Urinating much more or less than usual
- Foamy or unusually bubbly urine
- Blood in the urine
- Dark or unusually cloudy urine
- Needing to urinate frequently at night
- Persistent fatigue or weakness
- Difficulty concentrating or feeling unusually sleepy
- Nausea or vomiting
- Reduced appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- Persistent itching
- Dry skin
- Muscle cramps
- Muscle weakness
- Headaches
- Sleep problems
- Shortness of breath, particularly with significant fluid buildup
- High blood pressure that’s difficult to control
- Metallic taste or an unusual taste in the mouth
- Bad breath
- Confusion in advanced kidney disease
- Anemia or unexplained low blood counts
None of these symptoms alone proves kidney disease. For example, frequent urination can result from diabetes or urinary problems, while swelling can have heart, liver, vein, or medication-related causes.
How kidney health is actually checked
Blood and urine tests are much more useful than symptoms alone. Doctors commonly assess serum creatinine/eGFR and check urine for albumin/protein and blood.
People with diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or a family history of kidney disease may need periodic kidney testing even when they feel perfectly well.
🚨 Get medical attention promptly
Seek urgent care forkidney detox” drinks or herbal cleanses to protect your very little or no urine, severe shortness of breath, significant blood in the urine, severe flank/back pain with fever, or sudden confusion.
And don’t rely on “kidney detox” drinks or herbal cleanses to protect your kidneys—some supplements can actually damage them.
