Signs You May Have Chronic Kidney Disease

Socks leaving marks on your legs? Running to the bathroom more often? Don’t ignore it. You may have early-stage chronic kidney disease.

walking to the bathroom during the night

Updated November 22, 2024

By Brett Rosenthal, DO, Nephrologist — Virtua Nephrology

Is your blood pressure creeping up? Are your socks leaving marks on your legs—long after taking them off for the day? Do you have to run to the bathroom more than you used to?

These are not just signs of aging, or the victim of the heavy meal you just ate. You may be in the early stages of chronic kidney disease, or CKD.

Know the Symptoms of CKD

CKD is the gradual loss of kidney function. Because the damage may take years, your kidneys are able to cope without producing any noticeable effects. That makes it easy to attribute anything you do feel to another condition, or to simply ignore them.

Don’t let these symptoms go. Early signs of CKD may include:

Swelling, or edema, in your legs, feet, or ankles as the body is unable to get rid of extra fluid and salt
Higher blood pressure
Changes in urination habits, peeing more or less than normal
Higher protein levels in urine
Blood or excessive bubbles in urine
Urinary tract infections

Later on, you also may experience:

Fatigued
Dry or itchy skin
Muscle cramps
Lower back pain (usually as a result of a kidney infection)
Unexplained weight loss

What to Do if You Have Kidney Disease Symptoms

If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your health care provider. They will order an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) screening. This is a blood test that measures your creatinine levels and your kidneys’ ability to filter toxins and other wastes.

In adults, a normal eGFR is more than 90. An eGFR of at least 60 and a finding of protein in your urine could mean you have stage 1 or 2 kidney disease. An eGFR of lower than 60 indicates you have stages 3 to 5 kidney disease, and should be treated by a nephrologist.