What does a nephrologist do?
Nephrology is a discipline of internal medicine dealing with kidney disease. Many rare diseases affecting only the kidneys are known, which require a trained specialist.
In case of what problems should we consult a nephrologist?
Patients usually come to kidney disease specialists for examination and care. It is important to prevent the development of further serious diseases with timely treatment. A significant proportion of renal insufficiency develops in hypertension and / or diabetes mellitus, so regular monitoring of renal function is very important in these patients.
With recurrent lower urinary tract infections, both a urologist and a nephrologist can be consulted.
Symptoms of kidney failure may include:
- too much or just too little urine
- low back pain
- feverish condition
- foamy urine
- bloody urine
- weight loss, loss of appetite
- nausea, vomiting
- anaemia
- oedema (oedema all over the body)
- hypertension
Symptoms of kidney disease may include abnormal tiredness, hair loss, nausea, and weakness. In renal function laboratory test abnormal GFR, urea, or creatinine may also require testing.
Kidney stones rarely lead to chronic kidney disease, but neglect of kidney stones, recurrent urinary tract infections can cause progressive kidney damage. In addition, nephrological specialist examination may be required for the examination and treatment of kidney stones due to the underlying endocrinological reasons.
Where can I get this medical specialty?
Common nephrological examinations
After recording the medical history, if necessary, a general urine and blood test is performed. As a result, abnormalities such as abnormal levels of sugar can be detected, which may indicate diabetes. This is important because diabetes can significantly damage the kidneys. Blood tests show kidney status from urea, creatinine and GFR values. Microscopic examination of the urinary sediment reveals, for example, blood, pus cells and various crystals.
Abdominal ultrasound provides information on the structure of the kidneys.
In some cases, histological examination of a kidney sample (biopsy) may be necessary
What can we do for healthy kidney function?
In addition to screening tests, we can do a lot with our lifestyle and diet to preserve our kidney function. Maybe you’ve already heard a lot, and “it is all over the news”, but consuming the right amount of fluid daily is essential. However, this should not be overdone, an average of 1.5-2 liters of fluid shall be consumed. In warmer weather we can drink 3 liters, or in extreme heat we may need more than that, but in this case we must also ensure adequate ion replacement. The food industry uses excessive amounts of salt, which helps maintain the quality of food, but regular, high intake of salt is harmful to our body. Paying attention to your salt intake will reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure and your chances of getting kidney damage. In addition to proper nutrition, regular exercise also contributes to maintaining our health and the healthy functioning of our kidneys.
