What is kidney failure?
Kidneys are paired organs of the body located in the lower abdomen and toward your lower back. Each side of your spine has one kidney, and both are connected through the ureters. They remove toxins and harmful substances from your body and filter your blood. The kidneys filter toxic substances and send them to your bladder, which are further excreted during urination.
Kidney failure is a life-threatening condition that occurs when one or both kidneys lose the ability to filter waste from your blood optimally. Several factors can interfere with the health and proper functioning of your kidney. These may include;
- Certain acute and chronic kidney diseases
- Toxic exposure to certain medications, toxins, radiations, and other environmental pollutants
- Kidney trauma
- Severe dehydration
If your kidneys can’t do their job, your body becomes overloaded with toxins and leads to kidney failure – which, if left untreated, is often life-threatening.
Symptoms of kidney failure
Usually, people with acute or chronic kidney failure will have specific symptoms of the disease. However, some people may experience no symptoms at all until the last stages of the disease. Possible symptoms include:
- A burning urination
- A reduced amount of urine
- Swelling of your body (especially legs, ankles, and feet) due to retention of fluids
- Excessive drowsiness or fatigue
- Unexplained shortness of breath
- Persistent nausea
- Pain or pressure in your chest
- Seizures
- Confusion
- Coma
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