Symptoms of Kidney Failure

Kidney failure symptoms develop in people who have dysfunctional kidneys. Not all people with kidney failure will develop symptoms, it depends on the degree of kidney dysfunction. Some people can have mild kidney failure which is only diagnosed with blood testing.

Kidney failure symptoms can be seen in patients with acute renal failure or people with chronic renal failure. Kidney failure symptoms can depend on the amount of urine made by the kidneys. Sometimes people with severe kidney failure can still make normal amounts of urine. This is called non-oliguric renal failure. Others, however can have decreased urine production and develop kidney failure symptoms which include volume overload and generalized swelling.

Other kidney failure symptoms include elevated blood pressure, pale skin, fatigue, shortness of breath, back pain, weakness, nausea, decreased appetite, muscle cramps. If the renal failure is severe enough, uremia will develop.

Chemotherapy can lead to kidney failure secondary to decreased production because of bone marrow damage.

Symptoms of kidney failure often do not lead directly to the underlying diagnosis and many symptoms can be misleading. Please review all concerns and information found on this website with your health care provider.