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412-421-5202
May 2, 2019
The sooner your senior’s kidney issues are diagnosed, the better for her overall. Some kidney issues are only temporary, but leaving them to develop further can change that status to permanent.
She’s Urinating More than Usual
If your elderly family member is visiting the bathroom more often than usual, especially at night, her kidneys may not be working the way that they have in the past. Your elderly family member might not notice more output of urine than usual, but she may feel as if she needs to go more often.
She’s Retaining Fluid
Fluid retention, also known as edema, is something that can be a result of circulatory issues or of kidney problems. The swelling can be a sign that your elderly family member’s kidneys are working slowly or not at all. This might be something that only happens later in the day or after your senior has been more active.
She’s Feeling Weak, Confused, or Depressed
There are some vague symptoms that can accompany kidney problems, too. Your senior might mention that she’s tired more often than usual or that she feels weaker. She might appear confused when she’s normally sharp as a tack. She could also show signs of depression, either because of how she’s feeling or due to reasons she doesn’t fully understand. These feelings of being “not normal” can be enough to contact her doctor about.
Her Back or Side Hurt
Something that isn’t vague at all is a pain in your senior’s back or side. The kidneys are located in this area and feeling pain there can be an indication that there’s something wrong. Your senior might be dealing with kidney stones or there may be a bigger problem brewing. Regardless, pain is very often an indication that more information is needed.
She’s Had Blood in Her Urine
One of the most urgent signs that your senior has something going on with either her kidneys or her bladder is blood in her urine. Very often people think that blood in urine is very red or obvious. But in reality, the urine may only be slightly tinged a shade of pink due to dilution. Regardless of how much blood you think is present, talk to your senior’s doctor right away.
Your senior’s doctor can run tests on her kidney function at any time but knowing that you’ve seen some of these symptoms can help, too. It’s tough to keep up with all of this one your own, though. Senior care providers can help you to watch for signs of trouble as well as signs that your senior’s plan is helping her to feel better.