How To Tell If Something Is Wrong With Your Kidneys

Kidney Stones Or Nephrolithiasis

Kidney stones are normally made up of hard collections of minerals which form in the renal system. These stones may stay in the kidneys for quite a while. They often become painful when they move out of the kidney into the ureter. The pain is often described as a strong colicky pain, usually felt in the ureter between the kidney and the bladder. Kidney stones can be extremely painful.

Colicky, strong to very strong pain coming in waves, is the most obvious symptoms of kidney stones. The location of the pain and where it spreads to gives clues as to where the stone is currently located in the urinary system. The pain of a kidney stone passing through the urinary system is felt suddenly and severely in the flank and spreads down the groin on the same side. Not all stones cause radiating pain. Some stones may not cause any pain.

Good to know: Pain from kidney stones is often described as excruciating. Kidney pain from kidney stones can come and go. It can occur in bouts lasting between 20 minutes and an hour. People with painful kidney stones often cannot keep still because of the discomfort. They are often pale and sweaty, with a painful, tender abdomen.

Other symptoms of kidney stones include:

• Nausea

Avoid Regular Nsaid Use

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a group of medications that are in common over-the-counter pain medications. Here are some common examples of drugs that contain NSAIDS:

• Aspirin
• Ibuprofen
• Naproxen

For most people, these medications taken for occasional aches and pains wont cause harm. But, NSAIDS could be harmful for people susceptible to kidney damage. In fact, people with chronic kidney disease are routinely told to avoid them.

Taking them regularly could cause kidney damage, even for people without kidney disease.

Ask your doctor which over-the-counter pain medication is best for you!

Signs Of Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease is generally without symptoms and painless in its early stages, except in situations where an underlying condition causes pain. Chronic kidney disease takes a long time to develop. If the affected personâs symptoms develop over a number of hours or a few days, it is more likely that the kidney problem they are experiencing is acute kidney injury .

Chronic kidney disease is a common disorder, with an estimated 1 in 10 people in the US having some degree of the disorder. Chronic kidney disease can occur at any age, but is more common in the elderly, and it is more common in women than in men. In the elderly, CKD is often a result of ageing rather than an underlying disorder.

A diagnosis of chronic kidney disease is often made only in the later stages of the disorder. In the early stages, the disorder may not cause disturbances that can be clinically measured. Symptoms only appear later, and once they do, the affected person will be tested by a physician to confirm that CKD is present.

Some conditions predispose people to chronic kidney disease. These include:

• Nosebleeds
• Rash

If these symptoms appear, seek medical assistance as soon as possible. Seek emergency help if you experience problems with breathing or pain in your chest area, canât stay awake despite trying or canât keep fluids down at all.

For more information on chronic kidney disease, read this resource on chronic renal failure.

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Shortness Of Breath After Very Little Effort

Why this happens:

Being short of breath can be related to the kidneys in two ways. First, extra fluid in the body can build up in the lungs. And second, anemia can leave your body oxygen-starved and short of breath.

What patients said:

At the times when I get the shortness of breath, it’s alarming to me. It just fears me. I think maybe I might fall or something so I usually go sit down for awhile.

I couldn’t sleep at night. I couldn’t catch my breath, like I was drowning or something. And, the bloating, can’t breathe, can’t walk anywhere. It was bad.

When Should I See My Doctor About Kidney Pain

You should see your doctor immediately if you are experiencing the following symptoms:

• Worsening, dull pain in one side of your back or flank
• Body aches, fatigue, fever
• Recent urinary tract infection

If you suddenly experience severe kidney pain, with or without blood in your urine, you should seek emergency medical care. Sudden, severe pain can often be a sign of a blood clot or hemorrhage, and you should be evaluated immediately.

Dr. Rondon says if you notice symptoms like a change in your urines color, a fever, or if your pain doesnt improve, seek a doctor. For emergency situations, you should go to the emergency department. For other situations, contact your primary care physician for a referral to a nephrologist or urologist.

For more information on kidney pain, talk to your doctor or visit the UPMC kidney disease webpage. Do you have flank pain? Check out our article on the 3 Common Causes of Flank Pain to learn more.

American Kidney Fund, Kidney Pain

Anton J. Bueschen, Clinical Methods: The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations, 3rd Edition, Flank Pain

National Kidney Foundation, 3 Early Signs of Kidney Disease

National Kidney Foundation, How Your Kidneys Work

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/8swollen Hands And Legs

If your feet and legs are often swollen, you should get your kidneys examined from a doctor. Disturbance in kidney function can lead to sodium retention in the body, which in general should have been passed out through the urinary tract. Sodium retention is responsible for swelling in your hands and legs.

How Is Kidney Failure Treated

Kidney failure treatment is determined by the cause and extent of the problem. Treating your chronic medical condition can delay the progression of kidney disease. If your kidneys start losing their function gradually, your doctor may use one or more methods to track your health. By watching you closely, your doctor can help you maintain your kidneys function as long as possible.

Your doctor may gauge your kidney function with:

• Routine blood tests
• Blood pressure checks
• Medication

Because the kidneys serve such an important purpose, people in kidney failure need treatment to keep them alive. The main treatments for kidney failure are:

• Dialysis: This treatment helps the body filter the blood .
• In hemodialysis, a machine regularly cleans your blood for you. People often receive this kidney failure treatment at a hospital or dialysis clinic, 3 or 4 days each week.
• Peritoneal dialysis cleans the blood in a slightly different way using a dialysis solution and a catheter. Sometimes, people can do their treatment at home.

Kidney transplant: In kidney transplant surgery, doctors place a healthy kidney in your body to take over the job of your damaged organs. This healthy kidney, called a donor organ, may come from a deceased donor or a living donor, who may be a friend or family member. People can live well with one healthy kidney.

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Warning Signs That Something Is Wrong With Your Liver

Jan 24, 2016Carly FraserSave For Later

The liver is constantly bombarded by outside influences, whether it be your poor eating habits, smoking, toxic environment or stressful living conditions. Removing these toxins via means of natural methods is important if you wish to restore the proper function of your bodys organs.

The liver is the main organ that retains these toxins. Although the liver will filter out a large majority of toxins, over a long period of time, it will cause chronic disease and illness in the body as a result of impaired liver function.

Next Is Another Change In The Color In Your Urine But A Little Less Worrisome

What if your urine is a little darker than usual? Think back on your fluid intake today, because the most common cause of such a change is dehydration. Time to start drinking more water. Not just any fluids will do. Coffee and soft drinks can negatively impact your hydration levels, so if youre seeing darker urine, stay away from those. The eight glasses of water thing isnt right for everyone, but its a good rule to start with if youre looking to increase your water intake generally. This kind of problem is also usually associated with less trips to the bathroom. That makes sense, because you dont have as much fluid to get rid of. But, if you see a sudden increase in trips to the bathroom when you suddenly start to increase the amount of water youre drinking. Take note, but dont worry. The two are obviously connected.

However, an unreasonable increase in the number of trips to the bathroom and an increase in the times that youre feeling some pressure in your bladder is a potential sign that maybe things are going awry in there.

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Risk Factors And Medical History

Your risk of kidney disease increases as you age. Having or also raises your risk. So does having close relatives who’ve had .

Other conditions that could affect your kidneys include:

• Diseases that cause inflammation or damage to the kidneys, such as

• Inherited diseases, such as , which causes large cysts to form in the kidneys

• Diseases that affect the immune system, such as

• Conditions that cause blockages in the urinary tract, such as , tumors or an gland

If you have any of these risk factors, your doctor may routinely screen you for kidney disease. That lets your doctor find it as early as possible and slow down its progress.

Visit Your Doctor Regularly

Unfortunately, kidney disease often goes unnoticed. In fact, nearly 90% of people with kidney disease do not know they have it!

Kidney disease usually does not have symptoms until the very late stages. So, people with kidney disease usually feel fine and have no reason to suspect something is wrong.

A blood test is the only way to know how well your kidneys are doing. Your primary care doctor likely checks the level of creatinine in your blood at your annual check up. Ask your doctor about your creatinine level and how your kidneys are doing!

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How Do You Know If Theres Something Wrong With Your Kidneys

I do something called reflexology, where you can actually see in the face when theres something going wrong in a different part of the body. There are reflex signs.

For example, the chin is the reproductive system, the cheeks are the stomach, and just around the eyes is where it shows us the state of our kidneys. So if somebody has bags around their eyes, really deep cut lines or they have a lot of darkness all the way around the eyes, thats typically showing that theres something going wrong with the kidneys.

So Now Is The Time To Pamper Your Kidneys

If youre experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should see your health practitioner and have a check-up, including tests to assess your kidney function.

And you should also make sure youre helping your kidneys stay in top shape by doing a thorough cleanse.

Even if you dont have any of these signs, a systemic cleanse is like a spa day for your kidneys. It helps them get in top shape and avoid damage and disease. This is why OsteoCleanse, The 7 Day Bone Building Accelerator was developed in conjunction with the Osteoporosis Reversal Program.

OsteoCleanse is not just about alkalizing your body, feeling younger and more energized, and removing osteoporosis drugs from your system. It does all of these things in just seven days, but at the heart of OsteoCleanses effectiveness are its kidney-boosting, liver-cleansing effects so youll strengthen and build your bones faster.

Its always a good idea to heed early warning signs and treat your kidneys to a cleanse before damage occurs, and its particularly important to offset the effects of aging on your renal system.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Hydronephrosis

Normally, urine flows through the urinary tract with minimal pressure. Pressure can build up if theres an obstruction in the urinary tract. After urine builds up for an extended period, your kidney can enlarge.

Your kidney may become so engorged with urine that it starts to press on nearby organs. If its left untreated for too long, this pressure can cause your kidneys to lose function permanently.

Mild symptoms of hydronephrosis include urinating more frequently and an increased urge to urinate. Other potentially severe symptoms you may experience are:

• pain in the abdomen or flank

• a fever
• chills

If you see signs of hydronephrosis, schedule an appointment with your doctor to talk about your symptoms. Untreated UTIs may lead to more serious conditions such as pyelonephritis, an infection of the kidney, and , an infection in the bloodstream or blood poisoning.

Signs Of Nephrotic Syndrome

Nephrotic syndrome is a syndrome that indicates that there is a problem with the kidneys which leads to the person losing substantial amounts of protein via their urine.It can affect people of any age, but is most often the source of kidney problems in toddlers, children and teenagers. A syndrome is a group of symptoms that often occur together and develop as a result of another condition.

In children, this kidney problem is usually caused by a kidney disorder known as minimal change disease. More boys than girls are affected, and most children will experience the condition between the ages of 18 months and four years.

In adults, nephrotic syndrome is often caused by 2 kidney conditions that are associated with e.g. diabetes, autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus, or infections such as Hepatitis B or C, or HIV infection. Furthermore, severe preeclampsia is a cause of nephrotic syndrome in pregnant women.

Symptoms of nephrotic syndrome include:

• Loss of appetite
• Hypoalbuminemia, low levels of the protein albumin in the blood
• Albuminuria, high levels of albumin in the urine

Proteinuria and edema are the two most distinctive symptoms of nephrotic disorder. Edema, particularly around the eyes, is one of the first visible signs of nephrotic syndrome.

For more information, consult this resource on nephrotic syndrome. Worried that you may have nephrotic syndrome? Ada is ready to start your symptom assessment.

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What Things Can Interfere With The Proper Functioning Of Your Kidneys

There are a variety of factors that can mess up your kidney function and health. Below are some examples:

• Being afflicted by certain chronic and acute diseases
• Suffering from kidney trauma
• Prolonged exposure to toxic compounds, such as those found in certain medications and environmental pollutants
• Suffering from severe dehydration

Feeling Faint Dizzy Or Weak

Why this happens:

Anemia related to kidney failure means that your brain is not getting enough oxygen. This can lead to feeling faint, dizzy, or weak.

What patients said:

I was always tired and dizzy.

It got to the point, like, I used to be at work, and all of the sudden I’d start getting dizzy. So I was thinking maybe it was my blood pressure or else diabetes was going bad. That’s what was on my mind.

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Swelling In Hands Or Feet

Why this happens:

Failing kidneys don’t remove extra fluid, which builds up in your body causing swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, and/or hands.

What patients said:

I remember a lot of swelling in my ankles. My ankles were so big I couldn’t get my shoes on.

Going to work one morning, my left ankle was swollen, real swollen, and I was very exhausted just walking to the bus stop. And I knew then that I had to see a doctor.

Your Face Is Covered With Signs Heres How To Tell Whats Wrong With Your Kidneys Hormones And Liver

Clear skin shows that your health is in a good condition, and a fresh and glowing face indicates the health of the entire body.

Therefore, skin issues are a clear sign that you suffer from some kind of health issues. The face mapping actually indicates a real insight of the overall health.

Face Mapping is actually based on the ancient Ayurveda and Chinese medicine philosophies and relates the skin changes to the health of the body. In this way, it helps you to diagnose the reason for them and provides symptoms of more serious health problems.

This is how to so recognize the signs of your face and address other internal issues:

Area: Forehead

Related to: Liver, gallbladder

Explanation: The forehead is linked to the activity of the nervous system and digestion. Thus, your skin issues may be a result of stress and a sluggish digestive system.

Treatment: You should avoid fatty, sugary, and processed foods and eat lots of fruits rich in fiber and vegetables in order to stimulate digestion. You should also try some stress-management methods, like yoga, visualization, meditation, exercise, music. You can also treat this issues and cleanse your liver by drinking some dandelion tea or fresh lemon juice in warm water.

Area: The left side of the area between your eyebrows

Related to: Stored emotions in the spleen

Explanation: Lines in this area show that you have some unexpressed emotions which have, in turn, been stored in the spleen.

Related to: Stored emotions in the liver

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