Diagnosis of Chronic Renal Failure

Some signs of chronic renal failure are more obvious than others. These are:

* increased urination, especially at night
* decreased urination
* blood in the urine (not a common symptom of chronic renal failure)

Other symptoms aren't as obvious, but are a direct result of the kidneys' inability to eliminate waste and excess fluid from the body:

* puffy eyes, hands, and feet (called edema)
* high blood pressure
* fatigue
* loss of appetite
* nausea and vomiting (this is a common symptom)
* thirst
* bad taste in the mouth or bad breath (ammonia)
* weight loss
* generalized, persistent itchy skin
* muscle twitching or cramping
* a yellowish-brown tint to the skin

As the kidney failure gets worse and the toxins continue to build up in the body, seizures and mental confusion can result.

Being diagnosed with chronic renal failure can be very frightening. The future of the condition, however, depends on the medical problem that caused the kidney failure, how much kidney damage has occurred, and what, if any, complications are present.

Some of these complications include:

* anemia
* increased risk of bleeding
* hypertension (high blood pressure)
* increased risk of infection
* dehydration
* seizures
* brittle bones
* malnutrition