Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease

In its early phases, chronic kidney disease usually doesn’t cause symptoms. However, as the condition progresses to the end-stage renal disease stage, it can cause a number of symptoms, including:

Feeling weak or tired
Trouble sleeping
Swelling of feet and ankles
Poor appetite
Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
Muscle cramping at night
Nausea
Itching
Shortness of breath
Metallic taste in mouth
Chest pain
Altered mental state
Hiccups
Irritability
Problem with concentration
Reduced libido
Menstrual irregularities
Numbness and tingling in hands and feet

References

Are you at increased risk for chronic kidney disease? National Kidney Foundation website. Available at: http://www.kidney.org/atoz/pdf/11-10-1814.pdf . Accessed September 10, 2011.

Chronic kidney disease: patient information handout. American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/kidney/832.html . Accessed September 10, 2011.

National Kidney Foundation. Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (K/DOQI) clinical practice guidelines for chronic kidney disease: evaluation, classification, and stratification. Am J Kidney Dis. 2002;39:S1-266.

Snyder S, Pendergraph B. Detection and evaluation of chronic kidney disease. Am Fam Physicians. 2005;72:723-732.

Revision Information

Reviewer: Adrienne Carmack, MD
Review Date: 09/2012
Update Date: 00/93/2012

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.