Glomerulonephritis may not cause any obvious symptoms. If your glomeruli (the tiny filters in your kidneys) have been damaged, small amounts of blood or protein may be present in your urine. This may only become apparent after a sample of your urine has been tested.
In severe cases of glomerulonephritis, more blood may be lost through the glomeruli, causing your urine to turn red. This is known as haematuria. If a large amount of protein is lost through the glomeruli, your urine may also be frothy.
Urinating
Glomerulonephritis rarely causes noticeable changes in your urine. However, see your GP immediately if you suddenly pass much less urine than normal and it is not due to dehydration.
Kidney damage
Damage to the kidneys may not be obvious at first. The symptoms of kidney damage can either come on suddenly or gradually, over weeks or months. There are often no symptoms at all and the condition is picked up when a blood or urine test is carried out for other reasons.
As a result of kidney damage, glomerulonephritis may cause:
- a puffy face, swollen ankles or breathing problems - this is due to a build-up of fluid in the body (see nephrotic syndrome, below)
- pale skin - this is due to the lack of red blood cells that can occur with some kidney conditions
- loss of appetite
- vomiting
Nephrotic syndrome
If a lot of protein is leaking into your urine, fluid can build up in your body. A build-up of fluid will often develop in your legs and lower back, although it can also sometimes affect your abdomen, face, hands or lungs.
The build-up of fluid occurs because proteins in your blood normally help keep fluid in the blood vessels. However, if a lot of protein leaks into your urine, there will be low protein levels in the blood. This is called nephrotic syndrome.
Other symptoms
Depending on the type of glomerulonephritis you have, you may also develop other symptoms such as:
- rashes
- joint pains
- breathing problems
Kidney pain
It is very rare to get kidney pain with glomerulonephritis. If you have pain on the left or right side of your back, it may have another cause, such as:
- a kidney infection - this usually occurs when a bacterial infection moves from your bladder into one of your kidneys
- kidney stones - stone-like lumps that can develop in one or both of your kidneys
There are many other causes of back pain that are not due to kidney disease. As back or kidney pain can have several causes, it is important to see your GP for the correct diagnosis.
