Renal impairment may be influenced by lifestyle or pre-existing comorbidities. This condition can happen to anyone regardless of age group. However, women have up to a 14% higher risk of experiencing it compared to men at only 12%. Therefore, do not underestimate the signs of kidney problems in women.
Mentioned by World Kidney Day, chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects an estimated 195 million women worldwide and is the eighth leading cause of death in women with 600,000 deaths each year. Their damage carries a risk of morbidity and over time can lead to kidney failure. If so, the patient must receive intensive care, such as dialysis (flushing of the kidneys) or a kidney transplant.
It doesn’t end there, all kinds of kidney diseases have a negative effect on pregnancy to the point of threatening the health of the mother and fetus. Therefore, prenatal care is very important for all women.
Signs of kidney damage rarely cause specific symptoms. This is why sufferers often seek the services of the doctor when their condition is serious or even triggers complications.
Signs of kidney problems in women
As quoted by Women’s Health, kidney damage that goes untreated can develop into septic shock, which is a dangerous condition characterized by impaired blood flow due to an infection. As an early diagnosis, pay attention to the following signs:
1. Frequent urination
Failure of the kidneys to balance minerals in the body causes an increased urge to urinate. As a result, women often go back and forth to the bathroom, especially at night.
This is also related to increased urination frequency. A healthy bladder can generally hold a lot of urine. However, if there is irritation due to a kidney infection, urine will come out little by little. This symptom obviously should not be ignored because it indicates a dangerous disease.
2. Dry itchy skin
When the kidneys are unable to maintain the balance of minerals and nutrients in the blood, the skin feels drier and itchy. The condition can be temporarily managed by using a moisturizing lotion. However, if a red rash appears, report it to your doctor right away. Fortunately, these symptoms often appear at an early stage, making early diagnosis easier.
3. I dream
Pain and burning when urinating or the medical term is called dysuria is caused by inflammation of the lining of the urethra (urinary tract). This is common with vaginal yeast infections because women are basically more susceptible to urinary tract disorders.
4. Pain in the back and waist
The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located behind the lower abdomen. That’s why if someone has kidney damage, the most common symptom they experience is back pain. Over time, this condition can spread to both sides of the waist and groin.
5. Bloody urine
The main job of the kidneys is to filter toxins from the blood. If the task isn’t going well, blood cells that have been filtered out can “leak” and mix with the urine. As a result, the urine appears brown or reddish from the normal pale yellow color. Blood in the urine can also indicate a tumor, kidney stones, or a serious kidney infection.
6. Cloudy and smelly urine
Distinguish between vaginal discharge problems and kidney infections. This is because kidney infections usually do not cause abnormal discharge from the vagina. However, bacteria that builds up in the bladder can make urine cloudy and have a strong odor.
7. Fever
Fever is a very common sign of inflammation. This means that the immune system is doing its job as a protector. Keep in mind that the fever exceeds 37.5 degrees and more than two days should inform the doctor.
8. Nausea and vomiting
Fever and chills due to kidney damage can later cause systemic symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting. If you have this, most women feel no appetite and weakness.
9. Swollen feet
Excessive levels of sodium that can’t be processed by the kidneys will build up and cause swelling, especially in the ankles. These symptoms can also increase your risk of heart disease, liver problems, and chronic blood vessel problems.
10. Sleep disturbances
Kidney problems also affect sleep schedules. Difficulty sleeping occurs because the kidney’s filtering process doesn’t work properly and toxins tend to stay in the blood. This sign tends to be experienced by obese women.
Most signs of kidney problems in women are often misunderstood as urinary tract infections (UTIs). Then, report any complaints to your doctor to get a proper diagnosis and treatment. Also, the key to keeping your kidneys healthy is getting enough sleep, drinking at least two liters of water, and consuming kidney-friendly foods.
Watch a video “Sad stories from parents of victims of acute kidney failure“
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