Detecting chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be tricky because the signs and symptoms of kidney disease occur late, after the condition has progressed and kidney damage has occurred. In fact, CKD is sometimes known as a “silent” condition because it’s hard to detect—and most people with early stage CKD are completely unaware of it.

Common risk factors for chronic kidney disease include diabetes, hypertension, family history of kidney disease, age over 60, and certain ethnicities (such as African American, Hispanic, Native American). Other factors include smoking, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

Some symptoms are:

Changes in urination
Healthy kidneys help filter blood to create urine. When the kidneys don’t function well, urination issues may occur such as needing to urinate more often or seeing blood in your urine. You may also experience urine that’s foamy or bubbly—which could be an early sign that protein is getting into your urine due to damaged kidneys.

Swelling in your hands, legs, or feet
When your kidneys aren’t removing excess fluid and sodium from your body, swelling (also known as edema) may occur in your feet or other lower extremities.

Shortness of breath
Extra fluid can build up in your lungs when your kidneys aren’t removing enough fluid, which may cause you to beshort of breath. CKD-induced anemia, which is a shortage of oxygen carrying red blood cells, may also cause breathlessness.

If chronic kidney disease (CKD) progresses to kidney failure, also known as end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the kidneys can no longer function adequately. This requires advanced medical intervention, such as dialysis or kidney transplantation, to sustain life. ESRD significantly impacts quality of life and necessitates ongoing medical care. Early detection and management of CKD are essential to slow its progression and reduce the risk of reaching this advanced stage.

Mine wasn’t diagnosed early so I ended up with a kidney transplant.

Don’t let that happen to you!

Talk to your doctor now to find out if you are at risk or have it!