Your kidney is an essential organ in the body, performing several functions. For instance, it facilitates excess and waste removal from blood and discharges hormones with roles like managing blood pressure. However, the organ is also prone to several diseases that can deteriorate your well-being. Due to increased kidney disease cases, many people choose nephrologists like Ghayyath Sultan, M.D., to address their concerns early before they worsen. As a result, there are various signs you should be aware of and notify your kidney doctor immediately. The following are warning signs you should report to a nephrologist.
You Have a Severe Kidney Infection
Kidney disease is a common form of urinary tract contamination. These infections mainly result from viruses or bacteria. Meanwhile, you can treat these diseases by visiting your main care specialist or a health facility. Nevertheless, you should interact with a nephrologist if the condition deteriorates or the infection does not disappear. These complications can sometimes interrupt your health and affect your quality of life. The advantage of experiencing these difficulties is that your nephrologist can develop a care regime for you to handle the problem.
You See Blood in the Urine
Your kidneys are essential in keeping your body’s blood cells while filtering waste. However, there are situations where you may notice blood while urinating. Urinating blood when urinating occurs when your kidney’s filters are destroyed.
On the other hand, blood in the urine can be a warning sign of an infection, tumor, or kidney stone. If you notice this problem is persistent, you should consult your nephrologist immediately. Ignoring these signs can cause the underlying concern to worsen.
You Have High Blood Pressure
When you have high blood pressure, it can lead to the destruction or even failure of the kidneys. The kidney is important in filtering additional fluids and waste from the body. Therefore, they require lots of blood vessels to perform that task effectively. When your blood vessels are damaged, nephrons responsible for filtering blood cannot receive nutrients and the oxygen necessary to function well. Thus, high blood pressure is a common cause that can lead to kidney failure. Therefore, if you experience high blood pressure, you should refer to a nephrologist.
You are Diabetic
Diabetes is the main hazard for kidney problems and the leading factor causing kidney failures. When your body has high blood sugar due to diabetes, it damages the kidneys, reducing their capability to filter the fluids and new substances out of your blood. These factors have been vital in causing kidney disease. As a result, the kidney cannot perform its functions effectively. Thus, if you have diabetes, you should eat well, become active and follow medications regularly.
You Have Dry and Itchy Skin
Having healthy kidneys plays several important roles in your body. These jobs include making red blood cells, removing excess fluid and waste from your body, ensuring bones are strong, and regulating the correct amount of minerals in your blood. Skin being itchy and dry is one symptom of bone and mineral infections. These diseases often lead to progressive kidney disease when the kidneys cannot keep the correct balance of nutrients and minerals in the blood.
Kidneys prove to be essential in the overall wellness of your health. Therefore, when one or both kidneys have a problem, you will experience a toll on your welfare. You should consult your nephrologist if you have severe infections, see blood in the urine, have diabetes, have high blood pressure, and dry, itchy skin. Your nephrologist can effectively perform testing to detect the cause of your kidney difficulty. Afterward, your provider will determine the most treatment from physical therapy, medication, and surgery, depending on the severity of the disease.
