Chronic Kidney Disease: Symptoms, Causes, and Complications

We don’t think about chronic kidney disease until someone we know develops the disorder. Healthy kidneys filter waste from your blood and produce hormones that control several body functions, including blood pressure. They also regulate your body’s water, mineral, salt, and acid levels.   

Kidney disease develops slowly, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) might only be detected when kidney function is low. Knowledge about your kidney health is essential when you want to limit or manage chronic kidney disease, and ultrasounds are one of the diagnostic tests used to assess the kidneys.

In this article, we discuss chronic kidney disease, its symptoms, and its primary causes. We also share which complications to watch for when you have CKD. 

What Is Chronic Kidney Disease and How Does It Impact Our Health?

The Kidney Foundation of Canada defines chronic kidney disease as “the presence of kidney damage, or a decreased level of kidney function, for a period of three months or more.” If CKD is diagnosed early enough and people take action to preserve their remaining kidney function, it generally does not lead to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).

Waste builds up in your blood when kidneys are damaged, and you develop blood, brain, and heart complications. You struggle to maintain healthy bones and experience infertility and malnutrition. When your doctor needs to review your bone density and the size and structure of your kidneys, visit WELL Health Diagnostic Centre. We provide bone and muscle health services as well as diagnostic ultrasounds in Ontario to give you the information you need.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease

There are five stages of chronic kidney disease: normal, mild, moderate, severe, and kidney failure. Each stage relates to the level of kidney function, symptoms experienced, and treatment options. What are the symptoms of chronic kidney disease you should be aware of?   

• High blood pressure
• Puffy feet, hands, and eyes
• Appetite or weight loss
• Difficulty concentrating
• Darkening of your skin
• Frequent night-time passing of urine
• Difficulty passing urine
• Passing less urine
• Bloody, cloudy, or tea-colored urine
• Excessive foaming of urine.

It can take years for the symptoms to appear. Blood, urine, and diagnostic tests are used to diagnose kidney disease. Urine tests look for albumin and blood in your urine, while blood tests investigate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and serum creatinine level. Kidney ultrasound images assess the size, shape, and location of the kidneys and the blood flow to the kidneys.

What Are the Main Causes of Chronic Kidney Disease?

There is no cure for chronic kidney disease. You can only slow it down or prevent it. Kidney disease is associated with medical conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, with the latter two being the leading causes of kidney failure. Some people are born with the disease, while others develop it in their later years. What are the other causes of kidney disease besides the three already mentioned? 

• Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic disorder that causes multiple fluid-filled cysts to grow in the kidneys.
• Glomerulonephritis involves damage to the kidney’s filtering units or glomeruli. 
• Recurrent kidney stones that cause scarring of the kidneys.
• Obstructions of the urinary tract from kidney stones, an enlarged prostate, or cancer.

Complications of Chronic Kidney Disease: What to Watch For

The Kidney Foundation of Canada indicates that indigenous groups such as the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis are three times more likely to have kidney failure. Complications of chronic kidney disease you need to watch for are:

• Fluid retention, leading to swelling in feet, ankles, and hands
• High blood pressure
• Blood vessel disease that increases the risk of heart attack and stroke
• Weak and brittle bones
• Pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs)
• Hyperkalemia: Sudden rise in potassium levels, which could impair the heart’s function
• Metabolic acidosis: An acid-base chemical imbalance in the blood.

WELL Health Diagnostic Centres are present in more than forty accredited locations in Ontario. Our services require a signed requisition from a certified Ontario healthcare provider, such as a family doctor, walk-in clinic, or community health center. Contact us to book diagnostic tests and services related to chronic kidney disease.