Protein in the urine (Proteinuria)
Proteinuria is a when a large amount of circulating protein (protein that should remain in the blood) is found in the urine. Under normal circumstances there should be no or very tiny amount of protein in the urine. When protein is found in the urine this suggests that there is some underlying damage in the kidney causing protein to “spill” into the urine. Another term to describe unusually high levels of protein in the urine is albuminuria.
The two most common health conditions that damage the kidneys and are associated with proteinuria are high blood pressure and diabetes. However there are multiple other health conditions that can cause proteinuria that your kidney doctor may need to rule out.
Some common symptoms when patient have very large amounts of protein in their urine include swelling of the body especially around the feet, hands, and face. Some patient may notice foamy or bubbly urine. However you may still have protein in your urine without these symptoms.
If the kidney disease that is causing the proteinuria is left untreated there is a high risk that the kidney disease could continue to progress end-stage kidney disease.