You can check your kidneys at home by using an at home urine test kit.
You can buy at home urine test kits online and then take a test of your urine at home to detect protein in the urine or other problems with your kidneys.
Many of the tests used by Walk-In-Lab's home kidney testing kits use either a blood or urine sample collected at home.
Your collection kit will include the supplies you need and instructions for collection.
Blood spot tests require only a fingerstick with a lancet.
Although you should still see a doctor if you think something is wrong with your kidneys as kidney problems can be bad and if your kidneys are failing then you need dialysis or you can die.
The signs that something is wrong with your kidneys include swollen ankles, swollen feet protein in your urine, puffy hands, feet, ankles, legs, or a puffy face.
Some warning signs of kidney disease and kidney failure include.
You're more tired, have less energy or are having trouble concentrating.
You're having trouble sleeping.
You have dry and itchy skin.
You feel the need to urinate more often.
You see blood in your urine.
Your urine is foamy.
You're experiencing persistent puffiness around your eyes.
And even a change in the color of your urine.
When your kidneys are failing the color of your urine can be the colors of either purple, red or brown in color.
Your kidneys are responsible for making urine and filtering out waste and when your kidneys are failing your urine can change in color and you may urinate less often, or in smaller amounts than usual, with dark-colored urine.
Your urine may contain blood.
The 5 stages of kidney failure include.
Stage 1 with normal or high GFR (GFR > 90 mL/min)
Stage 2 Mild CKD (GFR = 60-89 mL/min)
Stage 3A Moderate CKD (GFR = 45-59 mL/min)
Stage 3B Moderate CKD (GFR = 30-44 mL/min)
Stage 4 Severe CKD (GFR = 15-29 mL/min)
Stage 5 End Stage CKD (GFR <15 mL/min)
Signs of stage 5 kidney failure include.
Uremia (waste buildup in your blood) Fatigue—possibly caused by anemia. Shortness of breath. Nausea or vomiting.
Kidney failure is when your kidneys have stopped working well enough for you to survive without dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Your kidneys have lost their ability to filter waste from your blood.
Kidney failure is also called end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) or end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
Other than having a kidney transplant there is no cure for kidney failure, but it is possible to live a long life with treatment.
Having kidney failure is not a death sentence, and people with kidney failure live active lives and continue to do the things they love.
Signs and symptoms of kidney failure include.
Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
An upset stomach or vomiting.
Confusion or trouble concentrating.
Swelling, especially around your hands or ankles.
More frequent bathroom trips.
Muscle spasms (muscle cramps)
Dry or itchy skin.
It was thought that kidney cells didn't reproduce much once the organ was fully formed, but new research shows that the kidneys are regenerating and repairing themselves throughout life.
If you notice any of the following severe kidney infection symptoms, head to your nearest emergency room immediately: Pain in your back, side, or groin. Nausea or vomiting. High fever.
A natural death from kidney failure does not hurt.
As toxins build up in your blood, you will start to feel sleepy.
Water building up in your blood can make it hard to breathe.
You may want to have treatments that remove water but not toxins, to make you comfortable.