Kidney failure is a significant issue that requires immediate medical intervention. Typically, this failure happens when your kidneys are unable to filter waste products out of your blood. There can be multiple causes for this.
There are also multiple signs of kidney failure. You mightn’t associate some of these symptoms with the overall disease, however. With how dangerous the condition can be, it’s vital that you’re able to spot the signs and symptoms of the illness early.
What should you look for, and what should you know? Kidney experts can point you in the right direction, although there are several things you’ll need to know first.
Common Signs Of Kidney Failure
You mightn’t be familiar with the signs of kidney failure, as you mightn’t expect to suffer from it at any point. The condition typically begins presenting itself in multiple ways. These include:
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Decreased urine output.
- Irregular heartbeat.
- Weakness.
- Chest pain.
- Seizures.
- Shortness of breath.
- Fluid retention in your feet, legs, or ankles.
Many of these signs, when taken alone, could be a sign of something else or nothing at all. When you couple several of them together, however, they could add up to the symptoms of kidney failure.
Should you notice them, especially over several days or weeks, you should speak to a medical professional. Kidney experts can point you in the right direction when it comes to your next steps.
Why Kidneys Fail
Kidneys can fail for multiple reasons. Some are much more common than others, however. Damage to the kidneys and alcohol abuse are the most significant reasons for this. It could also be caused by blood flow to your kidneys being restricted or cut off, however.
Blockages and similar conditions are also relatively common. There can be multiple reasons why these can occur, ranging from medications and certain diseases to dehydration and blood clots.
How You Can Prevent Kidney Failure
With how much of an impact kidney failure can have on your life, you’ll want to prevent it. There are several ways to do so. Some of the most notable include:
- Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, including avoiding alcohol abuse.
- Working with a medical professional to manage kidney and related issues.
- Paying attention to labels on over-the-counter pain medications to make sure that you only take them in the right dosage.
With these, you should reduce your risk of kidney failure.
Who To Talk To For Help
Kidney experts can point you in the right direction for your condition. If you believe that you’re showing the signs of kidney failure, then the first person you should speak to is your normal medical professional. They’ll perform an examination on you to determine if more attention is needed.
Should they believe that kidney failure is the culprit, then they’ll schedule you for several examinations. These typically take place at the hospital and under the supervision of multiple other medical professionals.
Several of these will be kidney experts that can accurately diagnose your condition. These kidney experts can point you in the right direction for changes to your lifestyle. They’ll also detail what kind of medications and treatments you’ll need going forward.
