Your kidneys are essential in giving dynamics to your body. It acts as a silent janitor, cleanser, or garbage police.
They make sure that you are 100% healthy by removing foreign and harmful toxins that endanger your entire health.
These pairs of organs worked nonstop to maintain not just better health, but also a tidy environment for your bodily fluids.
Despite their cleaning role, they too can become vulnerable to bad lifestyle choices. Making them malfunction over time due to illness, impairment, and other health risks.
If the kidneys start to struggle in keeping up with their role, it will signal a message to your body. Informing you to do something while it’s early.
You must pay attention to these messages as they are clear signs that your kidneys are in trouble. Perhaps, it might be in great trouble.
Knowing these signs can tell you about the conditions of your kidneys. They can also affect your overall health in the long run.
But don’t worry. The great news is that there are tips on how to protect your kidneys while it’s still early.
Here are the 10 clear signs that you should know when your kidneys are already in big trouble:
1. Swelling of Feet or Ankles
If your feet or ankles are at times swelling during the night or at the end of your day, this means that the kidneys failed to filter out the fluids entirely.
Your legs have experienced swelling because there is a fluid buildup happening. This feeling makes you experience periodic discomfort and heaviness.
To avoid leg, ankle, or foot pain, you can prop up your legs for a few minutes to improve your blood circulation.
Another long-term solution to reduce the swelling is to stay active by engaging in exercise or stretching, or by reducing the salt in your diet.
2. Bubble or Foamy Urine
Consistent foamy urine is a big deal, as it tells you much about your kidneys’ condition.
This is a sign that excess protein is included in your urine, signifying that the kidneys have trouble filtering out your body fluids.
This can be resolved by getting your body hydrated. If the presence of foams or bubbles in your urine is consistent, it is recommended that you schedule a check-up with your doctor for urine testing.
3. Swollen or Puffy Eyes
Getting swollen or puffy eyes when you wake up in the morning? This also means that your kidneys are in trouble.
It means that some proteins escape through the tissues of your body, while the fluids are retained.
Always stay hydrated and get a quality sleep. Monitor if the puffiness slowly decreases day by day.
If the puffiness remains the same, allow your healthcare professional to conduct a checkup on your condition.
4. Bad Breath or Weird Taste Buds
Since the kidneys are in deep trouble, toxins stay and pile up in your blood.
The toxin buildup can cause bad breath or give you weird taste buds, as if there’s a metallic taste in your mouth.
You won’t enjoy your food much because the buildup of toxins negatively contributes to this weird taste.
To resolve this problem, eat more fresh foods and reduce dependence on processed foods. Stay hydrated. If your taste buds remain the same weirdness, consult your condition to a healthcare professional.
5. Consistent Weakness or Body Fatigue
Body fatigue can also be a sign that your kidneys are not functioning properly. You see, the kidneys support the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen.
If the kidneys are not healthy, they will not function well. Leaving your body to feel weak, tired, and having lower energy the whole day.
To reduce frequent body fatigue or having a tired body, eat iron-rich foods and get a sufficient amount of sleep.
If body fatigue persists, consider a doctor’s checkup for a comprehensive health review.
6. Urinary Pattern Changes
If you happen to experience any changes in your urinary pattern, it can be a sign that your kidneys are in big trouble.
Changes such as having a dark or cloudy urinary color, difficulty, or frequent nighttime urination. These are symptoms of a kidney issue.
Blood found in urine is also a sign of a much serious kidney complication. This should not be ignored as well.
Should these changes happen in your urinary episodes, a doctor’s consultation is much needed.
7. Side or Lower Back Pain
If you experience some pain in your side, lower back, or just below the ribs, this is an example of kidney pain.
The kidney pain is often characterized as sharp, persistent, and dull. This happened because the kidney is infected, or there are stones forming around your kidneys.
Another way to confirm if it’s kidney pain is that you may feel the need to vomit or have a fever.
8. Vomiting or Nausea
Frequent vomiting or nausea means that the toxins are building up within your body, which upsets your stomach.
This is caused by the ineffectiveness of your kidneys to remove or filter out the body’s toxins.
If it has happened recently, you may avoid eating processed or oily foods. A doctor’s consultation is vital if nauseating sessions continue.
9. Dry or Itchy Skin
Aside from filtering out the toxins in the body fluids, the kidneys are also helpful in balancing the minerals in the body, such as phosphorus and calcium.
If your kidneys do not function properly, it makes your skin uncomfortable, itchy, and dry.
To prevent this, always drink more water and use moisturizers to hydrate your skin. Avoid bathing under a long but hot shower.
10. Losing Focus or Experiencing Dizziness
The abnormalities in the kidneys may cause oxygen deficiency or lower oxygen amounts reaching your brain.
This can cause brain fog, trouble focusing, or feeling dizzy.
The sign can be reduced through exercise and eating a well-balanced meal. If the dizziness continues, seek a healthcare professional’s help.
How to Keep Your Kidneys Healthy?
Keeping your kidneys healthy is not something to look forward to. But something to act immediately.
Make these small changes into daily habits to ensure that your kidneys don’t have to ask for help in the future.
Here are the things you can do to keep your kidneys functioning and healthy:
- Keep yourself hydrated. Water doesn’t just keep your body stable, but also helps in flushing out body toxins.
- Eat healthily by slowly removing processed foods from your daily diet. Eat foods without pouring salt in excessive amounts.
- Stay active by exercising, dancing, or brisk walking. Don’t allow your day to pass without any body movements.
- You can also remove excessive intake of sodas and other sugary drinks from your diet. Aside from too much salt, too much sugar can also harm your kidneys.
- Stop abusing painkillers. Painkillers are medications meant to remove or relieve short-term pain. It was not made for you to be dependent or to remove long-term pain.
- Get an appointment with a doctor and check your blood pressure and sugar levels. This can help determine whether you are at risk of high blood pressure or diabetes.
Rescue Your Kidneys from Trouble
Your kidneys work silently, nonstop, and effectively. But that doesn’t mean they’re silent means they’re doing well.
Rescue your kidneys from trouble by checking on them, paying attention to the body’s messages, and treating them better by making healthy lifestyle choices.
If you notice some changes, such as having foamy urine, body fatigue, or swelling, these symptoms indicate the condition of your kidneys.
Provide attention to your kidneys before it’s too late. Protect its health by giving self-care, balanced nutrition, and proper hydration.
Don’t allow your kidneys to work nonstop without giving them proper care. Without your kidneys, your body will confuse toxins as nutrients.