Kidney failure – The kidneys are vital organs that perform certain key functions without which it becomes practically impossible for the body to thrive. Some of the fundamental roles the kidneys play involve excretion of nitrogenous waste products and toxins from the body system; maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance; synthesis of erythropoietin to drive red blood cell production and regulation of Blood Pressure.
From the aforementioned, it is obvious that failure of both kidneys has grave implications for the affected individual. But do the kidneys have to fail before medical help and intervention is sought? The answer is NO.
Discussed below are some of the warning or alarm signs that may point to failing kidneys, necessitating an urgent visit to your doctor for proper evaluation and management:
Discussed below are some of the warning or alarm signs that may point to failing kidneys, necessitating an urgent visit to your doctor for proper evaluation and management:
10. Pain in the loins/flanks
The kidneys are situated in the loins. Hence, the recurrent or persistent flank pain may be a pointer to kidney diseases due to stones (nephrolithiasis), infection (pyelonephritis) or cysts (polycystic kidney disease). Obviously, persistent loin pain warrants further evaluation in a hospital.
9. Nausea/Vomiting
Some patients with kidney failure complain of persistent nausea and a tendency to throw up all the time. Again, this is likely due to waste products of metabolism, especially urea that has accumulated in the body due to renal disease.
8. Shortness of breath
Based on the fact that the kidneys are responsible for maintaining body fluid balance, when the kidneys fail, accumulation of fluids in both lungs may result and this interferes with gaseous exchange in the lung alveoli thereby making breathing difficult if not impossible.
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