Few people know what a nephrologist treats and what the specifics of his work consist of. This doctor has a very narrow specialization and focuses solely on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of renal disease.
Material Content:
What a nephrologist treats a doctor
The name "nephrologist" comes from the word "nephron" - it is a structural unit of the kidneys. A doctor of this profile must know everything about their structure and functioning, as well as be knowledgeable about the work of the renal tubules, calyx, pelvis, or connective tissue.
The list of diseases treated by a nephrologist is pretty decent:
- glomerulonephritis;
- polyuria or anuria;
- nephritis;
- urinary tract infections;
- renal colic;
- urolithiasis disease;
- cell carcinoma;
- polycystic kidney disease;
- renal failure;
- renal amyloidosis;
- pyelonephritis.
This doctor must be observed persons suffering from diabetes. Elevated blood sugar can cause a lot of complications.
Also, a nephrologist must observe people who have had a kidney transplant.
A pediatric nephrologist observes babies and schoolchildren in cases of renal pathology, which are accompanied by swelling, discomfort during urination, and a suspicious discoloration of the urine.
Children's diseases are quite specific:
- renal dysplasia;
- tubulopathy;
- urolithiasis;
- nephropathy;
- congenital pathologies and developmental abnormalities.
If the pathological condition is determined at the very beginning, it can be easily removed by conservative methods. Chronic diseases have been treated for years, and rarely vouch for the success of therapy.
Organs observed by the doctor
The nephrologist observes only the kidneys.This is one of the main filtration-excretory organs, on the normal functioning of which the human health and well-being largely depends. The specialist treats the discovered diseases exclusively with medication, when possible. If tumors or large stones are found in the kidneys, surgery is indispensable.
In which cases it is necessary to consult a doctor
Most kidney diseases are almost asymptomatic, so the patient may not suspect serious health problems for a long time. Therefore, even if nothing bothers, it is advisable to take a general urine test once a year. If there is a malfunction in the kidneys, this will be immediately visible in the test results.
Do not hesitate to visit a doctor in the presence of such symptoms:
- a change in the usual color and smell of urine;
- frequent or too rare urination;
- blood in the urine;
- lower back pain, burning when urinating.
If these symptoms are accompanied by high fever and high blood pressure, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Also, pregnant women with edema in the third trimester are often referred to a nephrologist.
How is a medical consultation
The patient rarely gets directly to the nephrologist. Most often, he comes to an appointment with a therapist or family doctor, and they already, on the basis of patient complaints, give him a referral to a specialist with a narrow profile.
Before a visit to a nephrologist, a person must prepare. It is advisable to exclude spicy foods from the menu 12 hours before admission, do not smoke, do not drink alcohol and potent medicines.
It will be good if the patient immediately provides the results of general blood and urine tests at the first dose.
Blood pressure and normal kidney function are closely related, therefore, information on blood pressure indicators will be very useful for a doctor. For this, 4-5 days before visiting the nephrologist, it is advisable to measure blood pressure several times a day and write the results in a notebook.
Nephrologist consultation consists of the following stages:
- Communication with the patient, the collection of oral information, an anamnesis.
- Palpation of the kidneys.
- Appointment of necessary analyzes and instrumental research methods.
At the next consultation, after passing the tests and passing the necessary studies, the doctor prescribes treatment and determines a schedule for monitoring the patient. Therapy, as a rule, is combined: it can be analgesics, antispasmodics, diuretics, antiseptics, and diuretics. It’s not worth composing drugs of different groups yourself, since some of them are simply not compatible with each other. The doctor advises to devote much attention to the lifestyle - do not overcool, dress warmer, treat infectious diseases in a timely manner.
Your doctor may also recommend a diet. With kidney diseases, this is especially true. Fatty types of meat and fish, legumes, mushrooms, spices, canned goods, smoked meats, confectionery sweets, fast food, coffee are excluded from the menu. From vegetables it is worth giving up radishes, spinach and celery. Eggs, sour cream and cream are allowed to be consumed in small quantities.
Diagnostic measures
If the picture of the disease is blurred, the doctor may require you to take several tests:
- general urine analysis;
- urine analysis according to Nichiporenko and Zimnitsky;
- urine culture;
- Reberg test;
- analysis of C-reactive protein;
- blood biochemistry.
If necessary, the patient is prescribed ultrasound, MRI or CT scan of the kidneys, angiography, biopsy, scintigraphy, urography.
What is the difference between a nephrologist and a urologist
There is an erroneous opinion that the nephrologist and the urologist are not much different. The whole truth is that these two medical specialties are related, but the work of each of the doctors is very different. A nephrologist specializes in conservative therapeutic treatment of the kidneys, and a urologist specializes in a wider profile with sufficient surgical training. The competence of the urologist includes the diagnosis, treatment, study and prevention of many diseases of the genitourinary system.Also, men with already encountered problems of the genitourinary system come to see him: infertility, prostatitis and other diseases.
Kidney diseases, both in acute and in chronic form, are quite dangerous and can even lead to death. Therefore, self-medication should be excluded. Only a doctor can figure out the causes of the disease and prescribe adequate treatment.
