• Healthy kidneys are integral to human health.human image by Byron Moore from Fotolia.com
  
  When there are problems with a person's kidneys, there are certain signs and symptoms that will present themselves. With men, these symptoms are denoted by pain in different areas of the body and often urinary tract infections. These symptoms, often in conjunction with each other, are the first signs of kidney problems.
  
  

Urinary Tract Infections

• While urinary tract infections are rare in men, they are quite serious when they do occur and are usually the sign of bigger kidney problems. These infections begin when bacteria make it into the urethra. If not treated quickly or if a man is in poor health, the infection can make its way to the kidneys, causing a serious infection. A kidney infection is called pyelonephritis, and usually only occurs when the kidneys are not working properly in conjunction with the prostate not working properly, which usually creates secretions to slow bacteria growth.
  
  

Body Changes

• The male body also changes drastically when a man has kidney problems. Men often gain large amounts of weight very quickly and have facial or body hair in strange places. Breath and body odor often become a problem, as do problems with their complexion.
  
  

Flank Pain

• Shooting pain in the small of the back, or the flank of the body, is another sign and symptom of possible kidney problems. If this pain happens regularly, then there is probably something wrong with your kidney or kidneys. It could be a kidney stone, which is incredibly painful to pass. Or it could be a large number of other problems, which can cause worse symptoms, like nausea and vomiting, which is a result of severe kidney pain. This pain will often radiate to the center of the abdomen, as the kidneys swell inside the body. This should be checked out immediately by a doctor.
  
  

Sexual Problems

• A whole host of sexual problems may be due to a possible kidney disease or problems. This includes fatigue, making a man too tired for sex, along with low sex drive in general, meaning there may be something wrong with the endocrine system, which is directly affected by the kidneys. Erectile dysfunction can also be a result of kidney problems, which may be caused as result of high blood pressure or the onset of diabetes.
  
  

Lethargy

• Kidney problems can lead to a build-up of acid in the body and urea in the bloodstream, which can lead to general weakness and lethargy, another sign of kidney failure. There will be a loss of appetite and breathing will become more difficult as the lungs try to buffer the acidity in the body by blowing off carbon dioxide more quickly. Blood pressure will also begin to increase, putting strain on the heart and circulatory system. This will progress to the point where mental functions will slow down considerably, ultimately making the patient fall into a coma.