Stage 1 kidney disease (CKD) involves mild damage with normal kidney function (GFR ≥90), meaning most people can live a full, normal lifespan by managing underlying causes and slowing progression through diet, exercise, and medication, as early detection allows for effective prevention of worsening, with life expectancy often comparable to the general population if well-managed, though age, other health issues (like diabetes, heart disease), and lifestyle significantly impact individual outcomes.
Along with other factors, life expectancy for kidney disease depends on the patient's age and sex. For someone around 60, stage 1 stage 2 kidney disease life expectancy will be approximately 15 years.
There's no cure for chronic kidney disease (CKD), but treatment can help relieve the symptoms and stop it getting worse. Your treatment will depend on the stage of your CKD. The main treatments are: lifestyle changes – to help you stay as healthy as possible.
People with certain kidney disorders (such as interstitial nephritis or kidney damage resulting from sickle cell anemia) may also urinate excessively because these disorders also decrease the amount of fluid reabsorbed by the kidneys. Rarely, urinary frequency is caused by spinal cord injury or disorder.
CKD can range from a mild condition with no or few symptoms, to a very serious condition where the kidneys stop working, sometimes called kidney failure. Most people with CKD will be able to control their condition with medicine and regular check-ups.
At stage 1 CKD, you may not notice any effects on your health. While the damage to your kidneys may not be reversible, there is a lot you can do at this stage to keep your kidneys working well for as long as possible.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the top culprits damaging kidneys most, as they harm the delicate filtering blood vessels, leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and failure; other major factors include smoking, obesity, dehydration, poor diet (high sugar/salt/red meat), certain medications (NSAIDs), lack of sleep, and genetic conditions. These factors create a cycle where damaged kidneys worsen blood pressure, further damaging them.
Symptoms of kidney disease
Symptoms of sleep disorders associated with kidney disease
Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia) Loud snoring, which is usually more prominent in obstructive sleep apnea.
You feel kidney pain near the middle of your back, just under your ribcage, on each side of your spine where your kidneys are. Your kidneys are part of the urinary tract, the organs that make and remove urine from the body. (pee). You may feel kidney pain on one or both sides of your back.
Stage 1 CKD means you have a normal eGFR of 90 or greater and mild damage to your kidneys. Your kidneys are still working well, so you may not have any symptoms. You may have other signs of kidney damage, such as protein in your urine, which can be detected by a uACR test.
Two easy tests help determine if you have kidney disease or not;
How to manage kidney disease by being active
stage 1 (G1) – a normal eGFR above 90ml/min, but other tests have detected signs of kidney damage. stage 2 (G2) – a slightly reduced eGFR of 60 to 89ml/min, with other signs of kidney damage. stage 3a (G3a) – an eGFR of 45 to 59ml/min.
The loss in kidney function is usually mild, and life span is not impacted. Most people with one kidney live healthy, normal lives with few problems. In other words, one healthy kidney can work as well as two.
Extreme, on-going tiredness, together with a lack of energy, is often called fatigue. There are lots of reasons why you may experience fatigue with CKD. If your kidneys are not working well, toxins (waste products) build up in your blood and this can make you feel tired and weak.
With chronic kidney disease, the damage tends to happen over the course of several years. High blood pressure (hypertension) and diabetes are the two most common causes of chronic kidney disease. Other causes and conditions that affect kidney function and can cause chronic kidney disease include: Glomerulonephritis.
You can check kidney function at home using at-home test kits for urine (detecting protein/albumin) or finger-prick blood tests (checking creatinine/eGFR), often with smartphone apps for analysis, or by monitoring symptoms like increased nighttime urination (nocturia), swelling, or changes in urine (blood, foam) and discussing results with a doctor, as home tests screen but don't replace professional diagnosis.
High levels of metabolic waste products in the blood can damage nerve cells in the brain, trunk, arms, and legs. Uric acid levels may increase, sometimes causing gout. Diseased kidneys cannot excrete excess salt and water. Salt and water retention can contribute to high blood pressure and heart failure.
Itching often happens on both sides of the body at the same time (for example, both arms or both legs). Itching is most common and severe in people with kidney failure,but those in the earlier stages of CKD may also notice milder itching.
Early signs of kidney disease often involve subtle changes like foamy urine, increased nighttime urination, swelling (puffy eyes, ankles), persistent fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, itching, and shortness of breath, though many symptoms only appear as kidney function declines. High blood pressure can also be both a cause and an early indicator, and some damage may only be detected through lab tests, even with no noticeable symptoms in the earliest stages (Stage 1).
Stress and uncontrolled reactions to stress can also lead to kidney damage. As the blood filtering units of your body, your kidneys are prone to problems with blood circulation and blood vessels. High blood pressure and high blood sugar can place an additional strain or burden on your kidneys.
10 Common Habits That May Harm Your Kidneys
End-stage Kidney Disease (ESKD)
Males are 1.6 times more likely to develop ESKD than females. Black people are more than 4 times more likely to develop ESKD. Hispanic people and Native American people are more than twice as likely to develop ESKD. Asian people are 1.6 times more likely to develop ESKD.
Establishing a Consistent Hydration Routine. Start your day with a glass of water and space your intake evenly. Contrary to popular belief, drinking water at night is bad for kidneys unless it leads to frequent nighttime urination that disrupts sleep.