Symptoms of Glomerulonephritis
In many people, glomerulonephritis does not cause any symptoms. It may be diagnosed after blood or urine tests are carried out for some other reason. However, in others, glomerulonephritis can cause symptoms that you may notice. These symptoms can develop slowly, or more quickly in acute glomerulonephritis.

Glomerulonephritis can lead to two main clinical syndromes (sets of symptoms and signs that occur together). These are nephrotic syndrome and nephritic syndrome. The type of glomerulonephritis that is seen when a sample of kidney tissue is examined under a microscope can often have little bearing on the symptoms of glomerulonephritis that can develop.

1. Nephrotic syndrome
The main feature of nephrotic syndrome is that the kidneys leak a lot of protein because of damage to the glomeruli. This leads to proteinuria - the name given to an excess of protein in the urine. Excess protein in the urine can only be detected when the urine is tested using a urine testing strip dipped into the urine or by measuring the exact amount of protein in the urine in the laboratory. Also, urine may sometimes appear frothy when you go to the toilet if there is excess protein.

As protein is lost in the urine, this leads to low levels of protein in the blood. Protein and other chemicals in the blood exert an osmotic pressure which tends to pull fluid into the blood vessels. If the concentration of protein in the blood reduces, the osmotic pressure reduces and fluid leaks out from the blood vessels into the tissues. This leads to fluid retention (oedema) which is the main symptom of nephrotic syndrome. When fluid leaks out of blood vessels into the body tissues, this causes swelling and puffiness of the affected tissues. The face, especially around the eyes, usually becomes puffy first. The ankles can also become puffy and swollen and as oedema becomes worse, the calves, then the thighs, may become swollen. In severe cases, fluid (ascites) can accumulate in the tummy (abdominal) cavity or in the chest between the lungs and the chest wall (pleural effusion). Ascites can cause abdominal pain and discomfort due to bloating (distension). Pleural effusions may cause chest pain and breathlessness.

2. Nephritic syndrome
Blood in the urine (haematuria) - damage to the glomeruli can cause blood to pass into the urine. The blood may be obvious to the naked eye. However, in some people, there may only be very small amounts of blood present that can only be detected when the urine is examined under a microscope, or when a urine testing strip is dipped into the urine to detect blood.

Protein in the urine (proteinuria) - damage to the glomeruli can also cause protein to leak into the urine. High levels of protein in the urine can make it frothy. However, most of the time, protein in the urine is only detected when the urine is tested using a urine testing strip dipped into the urine. (There will, however, be less protein than in nephrotic syndrome.)

Passing less urine than usual. Urine may also be darker in colour.

Oedema - puffy eyes and puffy face; puffy ankles and legs.