Leg swelling, high blood pressure and protein in the urine are a few symptoms of kidney disaese.
Kidney Disease Symptoms
Kidney disease develops over time and typically has no symptoms until it has progressed. Common symptoms include fatigue, dry, itchy skin, headaches, protein in the urine, nausea, weight loss and high blood pressure.
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See All 3 AnswersCysts in the kidneys are commonly detected using ultrasound, CT or MRI. Since 20 to 30 percent of adults can have kidney cysts, this is a common and important question to ask.
Kidney cysts can be classified as class 1, 2, 3 or 4. Radiologists and urologists have determined that the complexity of the cyst can be classified into one of the above categories, and then assigned a risk of it being cancer. Class 1 cysts are simple cysts with zero percent chance of cancer. Class 4 cysts are very complex appearing cysts with approximately 90 percent chance of cancer. Class 2 and 3 cysts lie somewhere in between, and urologic consultation is recommended to determine your cyst's complexity.
There are some people with genetic conditions such as adult polycystic kidney disease and others with the childhood onset variant, characterized by dozens of cysts in both kidneys, and also in the liver. These diseases are far more serious and warrant close medical attention.
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Sigma Nursing answeredSee All 2 AnswersKidney disease is common in the United States. Chronic kidney disease is more common than acute kidney disease. More than 1 in 10 Americans 20 and older are estimated to have chronic kidney disease, which is about 26 million adults in the United States. This number may be even higher because many cases are undiagnosed. Even among the estimated 26 million people, a majority of them are unaware that they have the disease. Kidney disease is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States.
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National Kidney Foundation answeredSee All 2 Answers
Unfortunately, kidney disease often has no symptoms. When they do show, they include weakness, difficulty with urination, foamy urine, dark urine and puffiness around the face and eyes. Learn more in this video from the National Kidney Foundation.
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National Kidney Foundation answeredIf your eyes are consistently swollen, especially in the morning, take note. This has been linked with kidney and heart disease. Because puffy eyes are linked with many other conditions, often kidney disease and heart disease are overlooked, so be sure to ask your doctor if these are possibilities.
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National Kidney Foundation answeredSee All 2 AnswersAlbumin is a protein. Albuminuria is having too much protein in the urine. This is sometimes referred to as microalbuminuria, which indicates a slightly high level of protein in the urine (i.e. excretion of 30 to 300 mg of albumin per 24 hours). Overt proteinuria, or macroalbuminuria, indicates more than 300mg of albumin in the urine per day. Persistent albuminuria means that the kidneys have been damaged and are starting to spill some albumin into the urine.
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National Kidney Foundation answeredTogether with other tests, imaging tests show how well the kidneys are doing their job of removing wastes and excess fluid from the blood.
- Ultrasound: This test uses sound waves to get a picture of the kidney. It may be used to look for abnormalities in size or position of the kidneys or for obstructions such as stones or tumors.
- Computed tomography (CT) scan: This imaging technique uses contrast dye to picture the kidneys. It may also be used to look for structural abnormalities and the presence of obstructions.
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National Kidney Foundation answeredSome urine tests to measure kidney function require only a couple of tablespoonfuls of urine, while some tests require collection of all urine produced over a 24-hour period. A 24-hour urine test shows how much urine your kidneys produce in one day. The test also can give a more exact measurement of how much protein leaks from the kidney into the urine in one day.
Here are some of the urine tests used to measure kidney function:
Urinalysis: Includes microscopic examination of a urine sample as well as a dipstick test. The dipstick is a chemically treated strip, which is dipped into a urine sample. The strip changes color in the presence of abnormalities such as an excess amount of protein, blood, pus, bacteria and sugar. A urinalysis can help to detect a variety of kidney and urinary tract disorders, including chronic kidney disease, diabetes, bladder infections and kidney stones.
Urine protein: This may be done as part of a urinalysis or by a separate dipstick test, to look for an excess amount of protein in the urine (proteinuria). A positive dipstick test (1+ or greater) should be confirmed using a more specific dipstick test (an albumin-specific dipstick) or by a quantitative measurement, such as albumin-to-creatinine ratio.
Microalbuminuria: This is a more sensitive dipstick test, which can detect a tiny amount of protein called albumin in the urine. People who have an increased risk of developing kidney disease, such as those with diabetes or high blood pressure, should have this test even if their standard dipstick test for proteinuria is negative.
Creatinine clearance: A creatinine clearance test compares the creatinine in a 24-hour sample of urine to the creatinine level in your blood to show what volume of blood the kidneys are filtering out each minute.