Although many kidney problem symptoms share a variety of similarities, there are still variations depending on exactly which kidney problem you're experiencing.

In certain instances, kidney problems symptoms can be "silent." An individual may never know a kidney problem is developing until a significant amount of kidney damage has occurred. This is not unusual in cases of chronic kidney failure.

However, kidney problems such as acute kidney failure or kidney stones can begin with a quick onset of symptoms, which may include intense pain.

This article is intended to give you a short description of kidney problems symptoms for the most common kidney conditions and disorders. If you start to experience any of the symptoms for kidney problems described below, it's important for you to discuss them with your doctor. Quick action may be important where certain kidney disorders and conditions are concerned.

Kidney disease is a generic name for any condition that causes damage to the nephrons, which are the tiny filters that remove waste and toxins from the blood. A typical symptom of kidney disease is painful urination. It's also common for urine to be tinged with blood or dark and cloudy. Individuals afflicted with forms of kidney disease usually feel the need to urinate often, but their trips to the bathroom are frequently non-productive. When you have kidney disease your likely to experience a feeling of fatigue and muscle weakness. Higher blood pressure is also typical.

Another type of kidney problem is a kidney condition, which may occur in one of two forms: chronic or acute. Kidney infections begin when germs enter the urinary tract and start multiplying. In chronic cases, years may pass before any symptoms appear. But acute infection symptoms can come on quickly and cause intense discomfort. When you have an acute kidney infection, you're likely to have cloudy, discolored urine that carries an unpleasant odor. Back pain, chills, fever, fatigue and muscle weakness are also typical.

Kidney failure is the life-threatening result of untreated kidney disease or a kidney infection. The kidneys stop filtering the blood, removing toxins and wastes that can be harmful to your metabolism. As fluids begin to accumulate, someone with kidney failure will notice generalized swelling. Shortness of breath is common, as is fatigue, lethargy and overall weakness. As more and more fluids accumulate, symptoms become more prominent. The feeling of lethargy grows deeper, the patient has even less appetite, and cognitive abilities like memory and judgment erode. When you have complete kidney failure, there are only two ways you can survive: kidney transplantation or kidney dialysis.

A kidney stone is called a stone because that's exactly what it looks like - a pebble-like mass that forms in the kidneys from solid crystals. These crystals separate from your urine and form structures that can be as small as a grain of sand or as big as a golf ball. Kidney stones may or may not cause discomfort. But when they do, the pain can be agonizing. Anyone who has ever had severe kidney stone pain does not forget what it feels like. The pain is generally felt in the back, but it can also circle around the front to the abdomen and the genital area. As with other symptoms of kidney problems, you feel the frequent need to urinate, even though there's little urine to pass. Urine is frequently cloudy or tinged with blood. When you have kidney stones, nausea and vomiting are also typical.

Kidney cancer symptoms don't vary much from some of the other kidney problems symptoms that have already been described above. Kidney cancer patients often lose weight for unexplained reasons and suffer anemia. Night sweats and hypertension (high blood pressure) are also common.

Kidney cysts are abnormal growths that sometimes form on the kidneys. They consist of air, fluid or calcium. Calcium cysts can cause considerable pain. Often, you don't even know your have them until symptoms appear (which may be years after they actually start to form). Discolored urine is one of the primary symptoms of this condition. When pain occurs, it usually happens in the abdomen or back. Sometimes, this kidney problem doesn't cause symptoms of any kind.

Kidney damage that occurs as a result of some type of physical trauma can be as dangerous as kidney disease. Typically, a kidney can become damaged during sports competition or as the result of an auto accident. Symptoms for kidney problems caused by tissue damage include abdomen and back pain, abdominal swelling and dark or reddish urine. Someone with kidney damage is also likely to experience an increased heart rate, pale skin, nausea, vomiting and cognitive impairment.

Kidney problem symptoms can be signs of serious health threats and should not be taken lightly. If you experience any or some of the symptoms of kidney problems mentioned above, get medical attention as soon as you can.