Frequent back pain, heavy fatigue, and easy dizziness? A doctor recently shared a list of the top 10 symptoms of kidney disease, pointing out that if ignored, it may lead to chronic kidney failure and require dialysis for the rest of life.
Went out to see the doctor for a cold, ended up needing lifelong dialysis
Nephrologist Hong Yongxiang stated that there was a case where the patient started dialysis on the first visit to the doctor. The patient couldn't believe it; before going out, he told his wife he was going to see the doctor for a cold, but ended up needing lifelong dialysis. The author noted that in Taiwan, over 20% of kidney patients who see a nephrologist for the first time need dialysis on the same day. In Taiwan, over 90% of dialysis cases are due to chronic kidney failure, which usually takes 20 to 30 years to progress from kidney damage to dialysis. Why do 20% of kidney patients see a nephrologist 20 to 30 years too late? What symptoms should you be cautious of?
Top 10 symptoms of chronic kidney failure
10th place: Lower back pain and Backache
The kidneys are located on both sides of the lower back. When there is a problem with the kidneys, it usually leads to symptoms of lower back pain. However, it is listed as the 10th most common symptom, indicating that it is not very common and is more likely to occur in conditions such as polycystic kidney disease, urinary tract infections, urinary tract stones, congenital kidney diseases leading to hydronephrosis, or autoimmune kidney diseases (such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, etc.).
9th place: Itchy and darkened skin
Kidney dysfunction can cause itchy and darkened skin. This symptom is usually due to the body's inability to properly excrete metabolic waste. It is a symptom often seen in the late stages of kidney failure and is common in cases of diabetes, high blood phosphate levels, hyperparathyroidism, or overconsumption of processed foods and heavy metals. Studies have shown that kidney function decline often leads to symptoms of itchy skin, particularly worsening at night. Sometimes, patients may experience intensely itchy uremic pruritus that feels like acne. This condition is known as 'penetrating folliculitis,' and common ointments do not help. Specialized kidney lotions or phototherapy may be required for long-term care. Generally, symptoms of uremic itching significantly decrease after starting dialysis.
8th place: Frequent urination at night
The definition of frequent urination at night refers to the time when you fall asleep and wake up to urinate. If you get up to urinate more than once during the night, it is considered frequent urination at night. Frequent urination at night in chronic renal failure usually occurs when the calf muscles are weak and combined with Lower limb edema, water usually accumulates in the lower body during the day. A large amount of water accumulated in the lower limbs returns to the body and enters the blood circulation while sleeping, just like drinking a lot of water before going to bed. Frequent urination at night will lead to poor sleep quality. If you don't sleep well, the secretion of antidiuretic hormone will decrease at night and the urine cannot be concentrated, which will worsen the frequent urination at night, thus entering a vicious cycle.
7th place: Shortness of breath and chest tightness
Kidney function decline can also cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest tightness. These symptoms are usually due to the body's inability to properly excrete fluid and uremic toxins, leading to cardiopulmonary function decline such as pleural effusion, pulmonary edema, heart failure, arrhythmia, and pericardial effusion, which in turn causes breathing difficulties.
6th place: Muscle cramps
Kidney function decline often leads to symptoms of muscle cramps. This situation is usually due to electrolyte imbalance in the body and dietary restrictions caused by kidney disease, resulting in nutrient deficiencies such as low blood calcium and low blood magnesium. Additionally, anemia can lead to insufficient oxygen supply to muscles, and uremic toxins can cause acidic blood, all of which can easily lead to cramping symptoms, especially in the elderly and diabetic kidney patients.
In the early stages of chronic kidney failure, there are almost no symptoms, or the symptoms may be easily overlooked. When the top ten symptoms of kidney disease begin to appear one by one, as if sprouting like bamboo shoots after the rain, dialysis may not be far off.
5th place: Lower limb edema and foamy urine
Lower limb edema combined with foamy urine is most likely to occur in patients with various severe acute and chronic glomerulonephritis. Long-term glomerular inflammation leads to proteinuria loss, which not only causes foamy urine but also lowers blood albumin levels. Even if the glomerular filtration rate score is still high, severe lower limb edema may occur early. Of course, there is another type of patient without glomerulonephritis, such as those with kidney disease caused by diabetes, hypertension, or gout. When the glomerular filtration rate falls below 30, and many glomeruli are damaged, foamy urine and edema occur.
4th place: Hypertension
Hypertension is a very common symptom of chronic kidney failure, sometimes even occurring as early as stage 3. The kidneys are one of the key organs in regulating blood pressure, and they can control blood pressure through the regulation of fluid, electrolytes, and the renin-angiotensin system. When kidney function is impaired, it affects the body's ability to regulate blood pressure, leading to renal hypertension. Hypertension is one of the common symptoms of kidney dysfunction and is also one of the main factors that further exacerbate kidney disease.
3rd place: Anemia, dizziness, and weakness
Anemia, dizziness, and weakness are symptoms that almost every chronic kidney failure patient experiences. The kidneys secrete erythropoietin to stimulate hematopoiesis in the bone marrow, making them one of the key organs in producing red blood cells. When kidney function declines, the concentration of erythropoietin in the body decreases, reducing the bone marrow's ability to produce red blood cells. Additionally, uremic toxins in the blood can destroy mature red blood cells and shorten their lifespan, leading to renal anemia. Typically, women may experience symptoms earlier, starting in stage 3, while men usually start experiencing symptoms in stage 4. Supplementing with iron or B vitamins is often ineffective, so erythropoietin injections are required to effectively correct renal anemia.
2nd place: Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are uremic symptoms that often occur in the advanced stages of kidney disease. This is also one of the reasons why many kidney patients who do not want dialysis ultimately have to undergo dialysis. Without dialysis to remove uremic toxins, nausea and vomiting may persist, eventually making it impossible to eat any food. Uremic toxins in the blood are a result of the metabolism of food consumed. When the body cannot properly excrete metabolic waste, it will prevent you from continuing to eat. In general, severe anemia, diabetes, and pre-existing gastrointestinal diseases can cause nausea and vomiting symptoms to appear earlier.
1st place: Severe fatigue
Due to the continuous accumulation of uremic toxins, anemia, acidosis, and electrolyte imbalances, the body is in a state of severe fatigue. This fatigue cannot be alleviated by rest and feels similar to being constantly in a state of severe cold. Symptoms include heavy head, dizziness, brain fog, and in severe cases, drowsiness and coma. The level of fatigue is proportional to the severity of kidney function impairment. It tends to occur in kidney patients with severe anemia, diabetes, advanced age, and poor brain activity. As uremic toxins increase, the fatigue becomes even more intense.
Having one or two symptoms does not necessarily mean you have kidney disease, but further examination by a doctor is needed. If you experience three or more symptoms simultaneously, the probability of kidney disease significantly increases. If you have five or more symptoms, the day of starting dialysis may not be far away.
(Reference source: Dr. Yong-Xiang Hong, attending physician at the Department of Nephrology, Tri-Service General Hospital, the article is reprinted from the “health.tvbs.com.tw” website【A 45-year-old man went to the hospital for a cold and ended up needing kidney dialysis for the rest of his life! 5 of the top 10 symptoms of kidney disease are not far away from dialysis】, the image and text have been edited and the subtitles have been added).
Mitochondrial regeneration therapy reverses kidney disease-related indicators
Mitochondrial regeneration therapy, which has been developed at an accelerated pace in recent years, is a medical technology that has attracted much attention and attention, and it has also opened a new milestone in the application of mitochondrial medicine. Many cutting-edge medical teams have discovered that directly delivering healthy mitochondria to the kidneys of patients with chronic renal failure can prevent the occurrence of urinary protein by providing renal tubular epithelial cells with protection against damage while allowing damaged cells to recover. Healthy mitochondria improve damaged tissue until organs resume function.
