Our team of board-certified nephrologists are experts in the care of your kidneys.

Symptoms of Kidney Disease

It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible when you exhibit symptoms of kidney disease. Left untreated, kidney disease can progress into chronic kidney disease, which will continue to disable kidney function until kidney failure occurs.

Patients with kidney failure will need continuous dialysis treatments for the rest of their lives or until they can receive a kidney transplant.

Symptoms of kidney disease often appear slowly and may include:

• More frequent urination (this is often the most noticeable early symptom)
• Loss of appetite
• Swelling in the feet or ankles
• Shortness of breath
• High blood pressure that is difficult to regulate
• Sleeping problems
• Nausea and vomiting

Many of these symptoms can be signs of unrelated medical problems, which makes kidney disease more difficult to diagnose in the early stages. However, in many cases, increased urination serves as the telltale sign of kidney disease. The average person urinates four to six times a day. If you regularly find yourself going above this number, you should discuss it with your primary care physician.