To diagnose and treat kidney diseases, the patient must contact a highly specialized specialist – a nephrologist (the word “nephrology” comes from the Greek “Nephros” – “kidney” and “logos” – “to study”).
When should you contact a nephrologist?
A visit to a nephrologist is necessary if you are suffering from:
- swelling;
- pain in the lumbar region;
- pain in the iliac abdomen;
- pain in the suprapubic region;
- frequent or infrequent urination;
- cloudy urine;
- blood in urine;
- heat (fever);
- high blood pressure (hypertension).
What diseases might these symptoms indicate?
A decrease in the level of kidney function, disruption of their filtration functions, inflammatory, congestive processes, etc. may be evidence that a person may suffer from a number of serious diseases that a nephrologist specializes in:
- alcoholic nephropathy;
- glomerulonephritis;
- kidney development abnormalities;
- pyelonephritis;
- urolithiasis disease;
- kidney amyloidosis;
- polycystic kidney disease;
- kidney tumors;
- hydronephrosis;
- hereditary nephropathies;
- nephroptosis (prolapse of the kidneys);
- kidney tumors;
- acute renal failure;
- chronic kidney disease (chronic renal failure);
- kidney tuberculosis;
- ischemic nephropathy;
- renal colic;
- urate nephropathy;
- kidney damage due to systemic diseases;
- transplant rejection reaction;
- drug-induced kidney damage;
- kidney damage due to HIV;
- kidney damage due to malaria;
- paranephritis, etc.
What does a nephrologist do?
It is necessary to contact a nephrologist in case of primary pain and if disease is detected. The doctor diagnoses the disease, prescribes a course of treatment, and controls the diet. In addition, other specialists, such as urologists or internists, may consult a nephrologist if there is a suspicion of problems, or the patient needs to be prescribed medications that could hypothetically harm the kidneys. In this case, the nephrologist will adjust the dose of the drug based on the patient’s condition.
The nephrologist may order the following laboratory tests:
- general analysis of urine and blood;
- blood chemistry;
- cytological examination of urine;
- histological examination of suspicious tissues (biopsy);
- Zimnitsky test (the ability of the kidneys to concentrate and dilute urine);
- Rehberg test (determining the level of creatinine in the blood and in daily urine);
- Nechiporenko test (microscopic examination with quantitative counting of leukocytes, erythrocytes and casts in one milliliter of urine sediment), etc.
How often should you visit a nephrologist?
Preventing a disease is always better than treating it. Therefore, you need to check your kidneys regularly – at least once a year. Nephrologists recommend taking a general urine test, a biochemical blood test for creatinine and urea, as well as finding out hemoglobin and cholesterol levels. You can bring the tests to your doctor (general practitioner) or make an appointment directly with a nephrologist.
Let us remember that our health, well-being and performance depend on the functioning of the kidneys. They perform the following functions:
- form and remove urine from the body;
- remove toxic substances from the body;
- provide water-salt metabolism;
- stimulate the process of formation of red blood cells;
- regulate alkaline-acid balance, vascular tone, blood glucose levels, etc.
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