Haro on kidney disease, the number of new cases of which is increasing every year. According to current estimates, one in ten French people would be affected. The point on the clues that can put the chip in the ear.
Foam in the toilet
Foamy or frothy urine means it contains albumin, a protein normally present in the blood. This aspect suggests that the filters of the kidneys, the glomeruli, have let it through and are therefore not functioning properly. Its presence can thus mean that part of the small renal vessels is diseased, which is often a complication of diabetes or of a disease such as nephrotic syndrome. A urinalysis is required.
There is blood in my urine
It can come either from inside the kidneys (certain kidney diseases cause the abnormal passage of red blood cells from filtered blood to the urine), or from the urinary tract (cystitis, calculus, etc.). In all cases, the presence of blood in the urine is not normal and requires a consultation. Please note: the red or pink tint can also be linked to the consumption of certain foods such as beetroot or red fruits.
My legs are swollen
In the event of failure of their function, the kidneys no longer eliminate fluids sufficiently, which accumulate in the lower limbs. In some forms of kidney damage, the albumin level also drops in the blood, which increases the retention of water and salt. Another indicator to observe, an edema of renal origin takes the “godet”, that is to say that when you press hard on it with a finger and then remove it, the imprint remains for a few seconds before disappearing . Water retention can have multiple causes (venous, cardiac, hepatic), urine and blood tests will allow to look for a drop in albumin in the blood and its presence in the urine.
My bladder is not emptying well
Difficulty urinating, recurrent urinary infections, feeling that urination is incomplete after going to the toilet, frequent need to urinate…
Whatever the causes (prolapse, prostate damage, fibroids in the uterus, etc.), anything that hinders correct emptying of the bladder can have an impact on kidney function.
My blood creatinine level is not in the nails
Almost systematically requested during a blood test, the creatinine level is considered a marker of kidney function. Indeed, this waste resulting from muscle metabolism is normally eliminated through the urine. A high quantity in the blood (greater than 105 µmol/l) means that the kidneys have less ability to eliminate it. So their probable achievement.
The expert’s opinion: “The first symptoms of kidney damage only appear after several years”
Pre Corinne Isnard-Bagnis, head of outpatient nephrology at the Pitié-Salpêtrière and Tenon hospitals (AP-HP Sorbonne University).
Small and discreet, the kidneys perform vital functions such as maintaining a constant level of water in the body, and above all filtering the blood to retain and return to circulation the right amount of substances that the body needs, and evacuate in the urine what he needs to get rid of. Their involvement is unfortunately difficult to detect early, and the first symptoms only appear after several years, at an advanced stage. This is why you have to be attentive to certain clinical signs, especially when you suffer from hypertension and diabetes, which together cause 50% of kidney failure. Let’s focus on prevention by following a healthy lifestyle: maintaining a correct weight, regular physical activity, adopting a varied and balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and low in sugar. , salt and fats… Not to mention quitting smoking.
To read : Unable to urinate, Pre Corinne Isnard-Bagnis, Éditions du Rocher, 240 pages, €17.90.
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