8 Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore That Tells Your Kidney Isn’t Healthy

It’s likely you haven’t put a lot of thought into caring for your body, especially your kidneys. In fact, you are ruining it through unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, drunkenness, and so on, and you didn’t even know it.

Kidney is an important organ in our body, undertaking the task of metabolism, blood purification and filtering out toxins from our body. It works 24/7, to keep you healthy. Isn't it significant that we make sure this major organ is healthy? Your kidneys may be at risk and may be trying to tell you this with some subtle cues. Are you listening to them? Millions of people suffer from various types of kidney disease, and they may not feel anything until it worsens. This is why kidney disease is often referred to as the "silent killer." It’s not uncommon for people to have lost up to 90% of their kidney function before experiencing symptoms of kidney disease. Here are 8 signs that your kidneys are not doing well. Keep an eye out for any of these symptoms, and if you have any concerns, see your doctor.

1.Swollen legs

If you notice that your legs and ankles are swollen, this could be a sign that you have an unhealthy kidney. When your kidneys are unable to do its job of removing excessive fluid from your body properly, it’s possible that fluid are retained in the body, which leads to swelling in various areas, including your legs and ankles. Consult your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.

2.You have puffy face

Another sign signifying you kidney may have troubles is on your face. Due to fluid and sodium retention in the body and disturbed kidney functions, you can experience a puffy face, especially puffiness under eyes.

3.You look pale

When your kidney works disorderly, your skin may looks pale and have a yellowish tint to it, you could also be experiencing anemia. Anemia is a condition in which your red blood cells are below the normal level, meaning that your body has less oxygen and fewer nutrients than it needs. Kidney problems can interfere with the production of erythropoietin, lowering your red blood cell count and minimizing the flow of oxygen throughout your body.

4.You are more tired than normal

Despite eating well and sleeping well, you still experience extreme fatigue and lethargic. Not only is fatigue persistent and disruptive, it can intensify with time. This means you may have some kidney problems. When your kidneys are unable to properly filter your blood, you may also experience confusion, headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, trouble concentrating, and blurred vision.

5.You can’t sleep

Chronic kidney diseases can contribute to your sleep problems such as fragmented sleep and even worse, insomnia. Sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing becomes interrupted during your sleep due to an obstruction in your throat. If your kidneys are unable to properly filter your blood, you may also experience confusion, headaches, dizziness, trouble concentrating, and blurred vision.

6.You don’t want to eat

If you are not feeling hungry and have lost your appetite, this could be a sign that you have some kidney problems. When excessive toxins are retained in the body, it will cause nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, resulting in a decreased appetite and weight loss. Worse still, chronic kidney diseases will lead to a condition called uremia.

7.Your back hurts for no reason

You may also experience a noticeable lower back pain that spans from the ribs to the thighs when you have an unhealthy kidney. It may be the symptom of kidney stone. Kidney stone will cause blockage and infection. If you have any kind of sudden, persistent pain lasting more than a few days, consult your doctor.

8.Unexpected weight loss

You may suddenly see a weight loss for unknown reasons even if you’re not trying to lose weight. If you see abnormal in your weight or just not interest in eating, consult your doctor.