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Since daily problems, like lack of sleep and excess stress, can make you feel a little off, you might not worry if you feel tired or mildly sick. Unfortunately, many serious illnesses have a long list of easy-to-ignore symptoms, including chronic kidney disease.

Here are three red flags of chronic kidney disease you should never ignore:

You Always Feel Itchy

The primary role of your kidneys is to filter and stabilize your blood, removing things like cellular waste and correcting electrolyte, potassium, and phosphate levels. Unfortunately, when the kidneys fail, your blood chemistry can be thrown out of whack, making your skin feel extremely itchy.

The itchiness is your body’s natural response to try to eliminate cells that aren’t supposed to be there, but because the problem is stemming from inside your skin, the itchiness isn’t helped by a little scratching. If you always feel itchy or you have noticed a strange yellow tinge to your skin, it could be a sign that your kidneys aren’t working correctly.

You Have Less Energy

Chronic Kidney DiseaseIn addition to filtering your blood, your kidneys also emit a hormone called EPO, which signals to the body that it needs to make more blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your body. Unfortunately, if the kidneys aren’t working properly, your body doesn’t make as many red blood cells, affecting the response time of tissues throughout your body and making you feel tired—all the time. Pay attention to how frequently you feel tired. If you seem to have a lot less energy than you used to, or you get tired quickly after waking up, have your kidney function checked.

You Are Genetically Predisposed 

When it comes to chronic kidney disease, some people are more likely to suffer from the condition than others. For example, if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or are of Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, or African American descent, you are more likely to be diagnosed with chronic kidney failure sometime during your life. If you have a family history of kidney disease or you have a combination of these risk factors, mention it to your doctor.

 

If you aren’t feeling well, and you suspect that it could be chronic kidney disease, don’t hesitate to reach out to the professionals at Mt Auburn Nephrology in Cincinnati, OH. By using simple blood and urine tests, these kidney specialists can determine how well your kidneys are cleaning your blood, helping you to seek the right treatments to soothe your symptoms. For more information about chronic kidney disease, visit their website or call (513) 841-0222.

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