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Nephrology is a science devoted to the study of the natural functions and diseases of the kidneys and the broadly understood care of the kidneys – from diet, through various therapies, to dialysis and transplantation. Contrary to science itself, the name nephrology was created relatively recently, in the XNUMXs; previously various descriptive terms were used, e.g. kidney medicine. Nephrology also deals with all diseases that affect the kidneys but are not de facto diseases of the organ, such as diabetes, and diseases resulting from kidney disease, such as renal osteodystrophy (also called renal rickets) or arterial hypertension. Specializations in nephrology include onconephrology (the study of kidney cancer), procedural nephrology, chronic disease nephrology, kidney transplantation, and dialysis.
When should I see a nephrologist?
Most often a referral to nephrologist is obtained, of course, in the case of disturbing urine test results. However, there are also quite distinctive ones symptoms, which are a signal that you should make an appointment with nephrologist. There is a lot to testify about kidney disease symptomsand not everyone can be easily associated with them. Day and night pollakiuria, dark or even red urine (possibly meaning haematuria), cloudy urine with an ammonia-like smell, burning and pain when urinating are symptomsthat connect with the kidneys in a more intuitive way and may be evidence of their disease. In turn, to the less “obvious” symptoms diseases nephrological these include constant pain around the ribs that does not increase with movement, swelling around the eyes, and high blood pressure. Sometimes, however, kidney disease develops almost asymptomatically, and the patient is then only chronically tired and suffers from nocturnal pollakiuria.
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Diagnostic methods used by nephrology. Nephrology and urology
In diagnostics, it uses general urine tests, blood tests (morphology), glucose level, ionogram, ultrasound (USG) of the kidneys and the concentration of certain substances, including creatinine and urea. The mentioned tests constitute the diagnostic basis; depending on the patient’s condition, further, more specialized, both nephro- and urological tests may be performed.
Nephrology and urology often cooperate, especially in diseases and ailments of the urinary system; the key difference in the therapeutic approach of these sciences is that, like urology, to the extent heals surgically, Nephrology It works mainly pharmacologically, non-surgically, and also through dietary recommendations. This does not mean, of course Nephrology does not use surgery – the simplest example is kidney transplantation. In therapy Nephrology also uses dialysis and plasmapheresis (purification of plasma from large particles).
Treatment of nephrological diseases
Treatment of kidney disease therefore, it is based primarily on the above methods, and the choice of a particular one depends on the type of disease. In some cases, such as in the case of diabetes, which is often the cause of kidney disease, the diet must also be significantly changed. Treatment of nephrological diseases in general, it aims not only to act temporarily, but also to prevent possible development of the disease in the future.
Nephritis (including those caused by transplant rejection by the body) and autoimmune diseases are treated with immunosuppressants, i.e. by administering drugs whose task is to inhibit the processes of creating antibodies and cells of the immune system.
In the most serious diseases nephrologicalwhen acute kidney failure is diagnosed, dialysis is performed, which is a procedure where the blood is passed through a machine that replaces the function of the kidneys and thus cleans the blood of harmful substances. Often, in serious cases, kidney transplantation is performed – this is a very effective method, the main danger of which lies in the possible rejection of the new organ by the body, which can be a real threat to the health and life of the patient. Although modern medicine offers many possibilities treating kidney disease and these methods are often very effective, however, it should not be forgotten that they are for the most part nephrological diseases are chronic diseases and treatment can take years.