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What is a nephrologist?
Anephrologistis a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect your kidney. Nephrologists are experts in kidney function who also study how kidney disease can harm other areas of your body.
Your kidneys are involved in several important bodily functions, including:
- high-blood pressure management through the release of certain hormones
- waste and excess fluid removal from your blood
- mineral, water, and electrolyte balancing
Nephrologists diagnose and treat several conditions that affect your kidneys. They also get involved when other health factors contribute to kidney disease and dysfunction, such as:
- autoimmune diseases: a group of diseases where your immune system attacks your body
- blood in urine: an indication that you may have an infection, kidney disease, or cancer
- chronic kidney disease: the gradual and irreversible damage to your kidneys
- diabetes: a disease that can damage your kidneys, nerves, and other organs
- glomerulonephritis: a life threatening inflammation of your kidneys’ internal structures
- heart disease: a group of serious diseases that includes hardening or clogged arteries, weakened muscles, and more
- high blood pressure (HBP): blood pressure that increases to unhealthy levels and can cause damage to your kidneys and other organs
- kidney cancer: a type of cancer that originates in or spreads to your kidneys
- kidney failure: loss of kidney functionality, which allows toxins to build up in your blood
- kidney stones: solid masses made of crystals form inside your kidneys and urinary tract
- polycystic kidney disease: an inherited disorder that causes fluid-filled cysts to develop in your kidneys
- renal artery stenosis: a narrowing of the arteries that provide blood to your kidneys
- nephrotic syndrome: excess protein in the urine due to kidney damage
Nephrologists will perform different procedures depending on the reason for your visit. For initial visits, your nephrologist may perform diagnostic tests, such asblood testsandurinalysis. Depending on your lab results, a nephrologist may also perform the following procedures:
- imaging tests of your kidneys, including ultrasounds and X-rays
- dialysis, which involves a machine that’s used to filter and purify your blood
- renal biopsies, in which kidney tissue samples are taken for lab analysis
- kidney transplant, which is a procedure that replaces failing kidneys with healthy ones
Usually, your primary care physician will refer you to a nephrologist when they suspect you have kidney-related symptoms that a specialist knows how to treat. Some of the most common reasons for a visit to a nephrologist include chronic urinary tract infections or recurring kidney stones. However, you may need to visit a nephrologist more often if you have:
- a family history of kidney disease
- chronic kidney disease
- diabetes
- heart disease
- high blood pressure