4 Clear Signs of Kidney Damage Visible During Urination
The kidneys play a crucial role as the primary filtering organ, maintaining the balance of fluids, electrolytes, and chemicals within the body. Through its filtration function, this vital organ actively cleanses metabolic waste and toxins from the blood to be excreted via urine.
However, when the performance of this organ begins to decline, the kidneys are no longer able to filter toxins effectively. As a result, toxins continue to accumulate in the body, triggering life-threatening conditions.
In Indonesia, the trend of kidney disorder cases shows a worrying upward curve. Data from 2024 records that more than 1.5 million people suffered from kidney failure throughout 2023, with the national health financing burden reaching Rp2.92 trillion.
The good news is that impairments in kidney function can essentially be detected early through physical changes in the urine excreted. Normally, healthy urine colour ranges from pale yellow to dark yellow, depending on the level of body hydration.
Here are four signs in urine that should be watched as early indications of kidney problems:
Foamy Urine: Urine that appears foamy or bubbly—similar to the foam on beer—and does not disappear even after flushing, should be suspected as an indication of serious kidney impairment. Quoting the American Kidney Fund, this condition often signifies proteinuria, which is the leakage of protein into the urine. When the kidney’s filters (glomeruli) are damaged, protein that should be retained in the bloodstream instead escapes and leaks into the urinary tract.
Changes in Urine Colour: Urine colour that turns red, pink, or brownish often indicates haematuria, or the presence of blood in the urine. This condition usually signifies damage to the kidney’s filtering system or is triggered by kidney stones, infections, or chronic kidney disease. Additionally, cloudy urine can be a signal of infection, while very dark urine, resembling tea or strong coffee, indicates severe kidney dysfunction due to excessive waste accumulation.
Changes in Urination Frequency: One of the most common clinical symptoms found in acute kidney failure cases is a drastic decrease in urine volume (well below normal). This occurs because the kidneys lose the ability to filter and excrete fluids from the body. Furthermore, the habit of frequently waking up at night to urinate (nocturia) is also often an early sign of kidney damage. In advanced stages or total kidney failure, urine production may cease entirely (anuria).
Pungent Urine Odour: An odour that is very sharp, pungent, and unusual can occur when toxins have already accumulated in the body due to the failure of excretory functions. The medical condition of toxin accumulation in the blood is known as uremia.