If you have received a diagnosis of a kidney infection, kidney failure, or chronic kidney disease or are at risk for developing any of these or other kidney diseases, you may need to see a nephrologist.
Nephrologists, otherwise known as kidney specialists, are medical doctors who practice nephrology (a specialty of internal medicine related to kidney care) and specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions affecting kidneys.
Let’s talk about the benefits of seeing a nephrologist and where you can go to see a highly trained and skilled nephrologist in Southeastern Massachusetts.
Specialized Care for Your Renal Health
Nephrologists are renal experts as they can diagnose, treat, and manage acute and chronic diseases that involve or impact the kidneys. Some common conditions of kidneys that nephrologists can diagnose and treat are as follows:
- Advanced or chronic kidney disease
- Glomerulonephritis
- Nephrotic syndrome
- Kidney infections
- Kidney stones
- Structure abnormalities of kidneys
- Kidney cancer
- Renal artery stenosis
- End-stage renal disease
- Kidney failure
Early Detection of Renal Problems Through Regular Testing
Most renal conditions don’t exhibit symptoms until they are at advanced stages, while others exhibit nonspecific symptoms like sleep problems, fatigue, and altered frequency of urination.
A nephrologist offers regular testing to monitor kidney functions, particularly for people at higher risk for kidney diseases due to genetics or health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Diagnosis And Treatment of Renal Issues
To diagnose kidney problems, a nephrologist performs various tests and procedures. Some common lab tests that nephrologists may order are blood tests like serum creatinine test, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and blood urea nitrogen and urine tests like urinalysis, creatinine clearance, and albumin/creatinine ratio.
In addition to reviewing and interpreting the results of the aforementioned lab tests, nephrologists can order imaging tests like X-rays, ultrasound, or CT scans and perform kidney biopsy (a process of taking a small thin sample of the kidney to assess kidney function and identify disease process.
Based on your test results and the diagnosis of your unique kidney problem, nephrologists may recommend treatments like medications, lifestyle modifications, dietary changes, maintaining a healthy weight, managing your underlying health condition, dialysis, and kidney transplant.
Management of Kidney Associated Health Problems
A nephrologist can also diagnose and treat health conditions that cause kidney disease or dysfunction and those that may result from a kidney disease or dysfunction.
Examples include high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases involving the kidneys, electrolyte imbalance, vasculitis (a group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels), and metabolic disease like diabetes.
Best Nephrologist in Southeastern Massachusetts
At Associates in Nephrology, we have a team of highly trained kidney specialists who are experts in diagnosing, treating, and managing all kinds of kidney problems and related disorders. Our nephrologists will also work with you to preserve kidney function and optimize renal health.
To keep your kidney healthy, make an appointment with us today by calling us at our location convenient to you or using our online contact form.
