Renal Specialists Near Me

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FAQs:

What is a Renal Specialist?

Renal specialists are doctors in renal medicine who diagnose and treat diseases of the kidneys.

This could include inherited conditions like polycystic kidney disease (where cysts grow in both kidneys), auto-immune disorders (where the body attacks its tissues), and kidney tumors.

What is a Renal Specialist Called?

A nephrologist is a medical doctor who specializes in kidney care and treating diseases of the kidneys. The term nephrologist comes from the Greek word “nephros”, which means kidney or renal, and “ologist” refers to someone who studies. Nephrologists are also called kidney doctors. Nephrologists are educated in internal medicine and then undergo more training to specialize in treating patients with kidney diseases. They commonly treat chronic kidney disease (CKD), polycystic kidney disease (PKD), acute renal failure, kidney stones, and high blood pressure, and are educated on all aspects of kidney transplantation and dialysis.

What is the Difference Between a Nephrologist and a Urologist?

The differences between a nephrologist and a urologist may be confusing because their areas of expertise overlap a little.

Nephrologists specialize in conditions that affect your kidneys. A nephrologist is the best doctor to treat you if you have a condition that affects your kidneys or kidney function.

A urologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect your urinary system. Your urinary system includes your bladder, urethra, ureters, and kidneys. They also specialize in conditions, symptoms, and treatments that affect the male and female reproductive systems. A urologist is the best doctor to treat you if you have a condition affecting your urinary system or reproductive system.

Another key difference between a nephrologist and a urologist is that urologists have surgical training. Urologists only take care of kidney diseases that may require an intervention, like kidney cancer or kidney stones. Nephrologists don’t do surgery.

What is Kidney Disease?

Kidney disease means your kidneys aren’t working properly and are beginning to lose their function. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) worsens over time. High blood pressure and diabetes are two common causes of CKD. There’s no cure for CKD, but you can take steps to preserve function for as long as possible. Late-stage kidney disease requires dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Kidney disease is called “chronic” because kidney function slowly decreases over time. CKD can lead to kidney failure, which is also called end-stage kidney disease. Not everyone with CKD will develop kidney failure, but the disease will often worsen without treatment. There’s no cure for chronic kidney disease. But there are steps you can take to slow kidney damage. Treatments like dialysis and transplantation are options for kidney failure (end-stage kidney disease).

Is Kidney Disease Hereditary?

Some people may have a family history of kidney disease, where an inherited form of the disease can run in families or be passed down through one or more generations. These inherited conditions are usually caused by a harmful fault (also known as a mutation) in one of our genes. Our genetic information is stored in our genes in a code on DNA. A mutation occurs when there is a harmful fault in the code. Our genes are located within chromosomes which are found in an area in the center of cells called the nucleus.

A person usually inherits a mutation from their parents. This can happen in one of three patterns:

1. Dominant inheritance – where you get a faulty gene from one parent

2. Autosomal recessive inheritance – is where you get a faulty gene from both parents

3. Sex-linked inheritance – is where a faulty gene on the X chromosome is more likely to be harmful if it is passed down to a male child. Our biological sex is determined by a pair of sex chromosomes (XY in males and XX in females) and so a male child can inherit a condition if they have the faulty gene on their X chromosome while a female child would only inherit the condition if they had the faulty gene on both X chromosomes.

However, sometimes a fault in a gene can occur for the first time in the affected person. Having a family history of kidney disease doesn’t automatically mean that you will develop kidney disease but it may increase your risk of having kidney problems or possibly passing that risk on to your children.

How Long Can You Live with Kidney Failure?

Without dialysis or a kidney transplant, kidney failure is fatal. You may survive a few days or weeks without treatment. If you’re on dialysis, the average life expectancy is five to 10 years. Some people can live up to 30 years on dialysis. If you have a kidney transplant, the average life expectancy if you receive a kidney from a living donor is 12 to 20 years. The average life expectancy if you receive a kidney from a deceased donor is eight to 12 years.

How Common is Kidney Disease?

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 1 in 7 U.S. adults—an estimated 37 million Americans. For Americans with diabetes or high blood pressure—the two most common causes of kidney disease—the risk for CKD is even greater. Nearly 1 in 3 people with diabetes and 1 in 5 people with high blood pressure have kidney disease. Other risk factors for developing kidney disease include heart disease and a family history of kidney failure.

Despite the prevalence of kidney disease in the United States, as many as 9 in 10 adults who have CKD are not aware they have the disease. Early-stage kidney disease usually has no symptoms, and many people don’t know they have CKD until it is very advanced. Kidney disease often gets worse over time and may lead to kidney failure and other health problems, such as stroke or heart attack. Approximately 2 in 1,000 Americans are living with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD)—kidney failure that is treated with a kidney transplant or dialysis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States, 2021 (PDF, 412 KB) report

- CKD is slightly more common in women (14%) than in men (12%).

- About 16% of non-Hispanic Black adults have CKD.

- Approximately 13% of non-Hispanic White adults have CKD.

- About 13% of non-Hispanic Asian adults have CKD.

- Approximately 14% of Hispanic adults have CKD.

- CKD is most common among people ages 65 or older (38%), followed by people ages 45 to 64 (12%), and people ages 18 to 44 (6%).

What Types of Tests and Procedures Does a Renal Specialist Perform?

Common tests and procedures that nephrologists perform include:

1. Imaging tests. Kidney imaging tests may include X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds.

2. Kidney function tests. Kidney function tests determine how well your kidneys are working. These tests include blood tests and urine tests.

3. Dialysis. If your kidneys don’t work properly, dialysis performs the functions of your kidney. During dialysis, a machine removes your blood, filters out waste products and excess fluid, and returns your blood to your body.

4. Kidney biopsy. Your nephrologist will take a small tissue sample from your kidneys to help diagnose a kidney condition.

5. Kidney transplant care. During a kidney transplant, your transplant surgeon inserts a healthy kidney from a donor into a space in your pelvis. Your kidneys almost always remain with you even after they fail. Your nephrologist will work with your transplant surgeon to help prepare you for the procedure and help with follow-up care and recovery.

Basic Facts about Kidney Disease

Here are some basic facts about kidney disease that you should know:

1. Kidney disease is the fastest-growing noncommunicable disease in the U.S.

2. Kidney disease is a silent killer, usually with no signs or symptoms until the late stages. 

3. Kidney disease is one of the top 10 causes of death in the U.S., even when accounting for COVID-19. 

4. Kidney disease can often be prevented, and the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure can often be slowed down or stopped. 

5. While early kidney disease has no signs or symptoms, simple blood and urine tests can tell how well your kidneys are working. If you're at risk, talk to your doctor about getting tested. 

6. Early detection saves lives. Kidney disease is not reversible, but it is treatable. When caught and treated early, it's often possible to slow or stop the progression of kidney disease and avoid serious complications like heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and early death.  

7. Being physically active, keeping a healthy weight, following a kidney-friendly food and fluid plan, and getting tested for kidney disease can help protect your kidneys. Even small changes can make a big difference. 

Signs of Renal Issues

If you’re at risk for kidney disease due to high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of kidney failure, or if you’re older than age 60, it’s important to get tested annually for kidney disease. Be sure to mention any symptoms you’re experiencing to your healthcare practitioner. Here are 10 possible signs you may have kidney disease.

1. You're more tired, have less energy, or are having trouble concentrating. A severe decrease in kidney function can lead to a buildup of toxins and impurities in the blood. This can cause people to feel tired, and weak and can make it hard to concentrate. Another complication of kidney disease is anemia, which can cause weakness and fatigue.

2. You're having trouble sleeping. When the kidneys aren't filtering properly, toxins stay in the blood rather than leaving the body through the urine. This can make it difficult to sleep. There is also a link between obesity and chronic kidney disease, and sleep apnea is more common in those with chronic kidney disease, compared with the general population.

3. You have dry and itchy skin. Healthy kidneys do many important jobs. They remove wastes and extra fluid from your body, help make red blood cells, help keep bones strong, and work to maintain the right amount of minerals in your blood. Dry and itchy skin can be a sign of the mineral and bone disease that often accompanies advanced kidney disease when the kidneys are no longer able to keep the right balance of minerals and nutrients in your blood.

4. You feel the need to urinate more often. If you feel the need to urinate more often, especially at night, this can be a sign of kidney disease. When the kidney filters are damaged, it can cause an increase in the urge to urinate. Sometimes this can also be a sign of a urinary infection or enlarged prostate in men.

5. You see blood in your urine. Healthy kidneys typically keep the blood cells in the body when filtering wastes from the blood to create urine, but when the kidney's filters have been damaged, these blood cells can start to "leak" out into the urine. In addition to signaling kidney disease, blood in the urine can be indicative of tumors, kidney stones, or an infection.

6. Your urine is foamy. Excessive bubbles in the urine – especially those that require you to flush several times before they go away—indicate protein in the urine. This foam may look like the foam you see when scrambling eggs, as the common protein found in urine, albumin, is the same protein that is found in eggs.

7. You're experiencing persistent puffiness around your eyes. Protein in the urine is an early sign that the kidneys’ filters have been damaged, allowing protein to leak into the urine. This puffiness around your eyes can be because your kidneys are leaking a large amount of protein in the urine, rather than keeping it in the body.

8. Your ankles and feet are swollen. Decreased kidney function can lead to sodium retention, causing swelling in your feet and ankles. Swelling in the lower extremities can also be a sign of heart disease, liver disease, and chronic leg vein problems.

9. You have a poor appetite. This is a very general symptom, but a buildup of toxins resulting from reduced kidney function can be one of the causes.

10. Your muscles are cramping. Electrolyte imbalances can result from impaired kidney function. For example, low calcium levels and poorly controlled phosphorus may contribute to muscle cramping.

Causes of Kidney Disease

If your kidneys suddenly stop working, doctors call it acute kidney injury or acute renal failure. The main causes are:

1. Not enough blood flow to the kidneys

2. Direct damage to the kidneys

3. Urine backed up in the kidneys

Those things can happen when you:

1. Have a traumatic injury with blood loss, such as being in a car wreck.

2. Are dehydrated or your muscle tissue breaks down, sending too much kidney-toxic protein into your bloodstream.

3. Go into shock because you have a severe infection called sepsis.

4. Have an enlarged prostate or kidney stones that block your urine flow.

5. Take certain drugs or are around certain toxins that directly damage the kidney..

6. Have complications during pregnancy, such as eclampsia and preeclampsia.

Autoimmune diseases -- when your immune system attacks your body -- can also cause an acute kidney injury.

People with severe heart or liver failure commonly go into acute kidney injury as well.

Types of Kidney Diseases

Your kidneys are vital organs that filter fluid and waste out of your blood, and you cannot live without them. Diseases that lower your kidney's ability to clean your blood can affect only the kidneys, or harm other parts of your body too. These health conditions can cause chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.

1. aHUS (atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome)

aHUS (atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome) is a very rare genetic disease that causes tiny blood clots to form in your blood vessels, blocking blood flow to important organs. aHUS can cause kidney failure, heart disease, and other serious health problems. While there is no known cure for aHUS, it can be treated.

2. Alport syndrome

Alport syndrome is a genetic condition that can cause problems in the kidneys, ears, and eyes, often leading to kidney disease. It primarily appears through blood in urine, progressing to chronic kidney disease and potentially leading to kidney failure, more frequently in men. While there is no cure, treatments like ACE inhibitors and ARBs can prolong kidney function, and a kidney transplant is an effective option in cases of kidney failure.

3. Amyloidosis

Amyloidosis is a condition where abnormal proteins called amyloids build up in organs and tissues, often affecting the kidneys, heart, brain, liver, and intestines. It mainly comes in two forms affecting the kidneys: primary amyloidosis, with an unknown cause, and dialysis-related amyloidosis, which occurs in long-term dialysis patients. Treatments range from chemotherapy and stem cell transplants for primary amyloidosis to improved dialysis methods and kidney transplants for dialysis-related amyloidosis. 

4. APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease

Learn about a genetic variation in the APOL1 gene which can increase the chance of kidney disease among people who have Western and Central African ancestry, this can include people who identify as Black, African American, Afro-Caribbean, and/or Latina/Latino. 

5. Cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome

Learn about cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome, its risk factors, and the connection between heart disease, kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

6. Complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G)

C3 glomerulopathy (glo-mer-u-lop-a-thy) is a disease that affects how well your kidneys work. It causes damage to structures in the kidneys called glomeruli (glo-mer-yuh-lahy) Glomeruli help the kidneys filter toxins out of your blood.

7. Congenital Abnormalities of the Kidneys and Urinary Tract (CAKUT)

Congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT) are one of the top causes of end-stage renal disease (ERSD) in children.

8. Cystinosis

Cystinosis is a rare disorder that allows a natural chemical called cystine to build up in your body and cause health problems. Kidney damage from cystinosis can cause kidney failure. People with cystinosis must take medicine to lower their cystine levels and may need a kidney transplant. Cystinosis is genetic (runs in families) and is most often diagnosed in young babies.

9. Fabry disease

Fabry disease is a rare genetic disorder that can be passed down from parent to child. It runs in families, so several members of the same family often have it. Current estimates report that Fabry disease is found in roughly 1 in 40,000 males and 1 in 20,000 females.

10. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a rare type of kidney disease that causes scarring in the filters of the kidneys. FSGS can make it hard for your kidneys to filter waste, which can lead to kidney failure, also called end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).

11. Glomerulonephritis (Glomerular Disease)

Your kidneys contain more than a million glomeruli (gluh-MER-you-lie), which are tiny filters that remove waste and fluid from your blood. If anything damages your glomeruli, which is called glomerulonephritis (gluh-mer-you-low-ne-FRY-tis), they cannot do this job as well. If not treated, glomerulonephritis can lead to serious kidney problems, including kidney failure.

12. Goodpasture syndrome  

Goodpasture syndrome is a rare condition that affects the lungs and kidneys, causing symptoms like coughing, breathlessness, and blood in the urine. It occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks these organs, potentially leading to chronic kidney disease or lung damage. Treatment often includes immunosuppressants and plasmapheresis (plaz-muh-fuh-REE-sis), and in severe cases, dialysis or kidney transplant may be required.  

13. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA)

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a rare disease of the blood vessels that can damage your lungs, kidneys, and other parts of your body by lowering the amount of blood that can flow to them. It can get worse quickly and it is important to treat it early to prevent permanent organ damage, such as kidney failure.

14. Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) 

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a condition where red blood cells are destroyed, leading to blocked kidney filters, often triggered by an E. coli infection, other bacteria, and viruses, certain medicines, or genetic factors. It typically presents suddenly in children. Treatment is crucial, and HUS prevention includes maintaining hygiene and safely handling food to reduce E. coli infection risks.

15. Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) 

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a condition that causes inflammation in small blood vessels, leading to a noticeable skin rash, stomach pain, and arthritis, primarily affecting children. While there is no cure, treatments focus on symptom relief, and most people recover completely, although it can occasionally lead to chronic kidney issues.  

16. IgA nephropathy

IgA nephropathy is a rare disease that causes kidney damage when your immune system produces antibodies in your kidneys. This then triggers harmful inflammation in your kidneys. Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury and infection. This process lowers your kidneys' ability to filter waste and fluid from your blood. There is no cure for IgA nephropathy, but treatments can slow the damage to your kidneys.

17. Interstitial nephritis

Interstitial nephritis is a kidney disease that lowers your kidneys' ability to clean your blood and make urine (pee). Usually, it is caused by a reaction to a medicine you take, and stopping that medicine solves the problem.

18. Lupus nephritis

Lupus is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases cause your immune system to attack your healthy cells. Lupus can affect many parts of the body. When your immune system attacks your kidneys, it is called lupus nephritis.

19. Minimal change disease

Minimal change disease (MCD) is a condition that damages the tiny blood vessels in your kidneys, which can affect how well your kidneys work. It is more common in children than in adults. Doctors can manage or cure MCD with the right treatment.

20. Polycystic Kidney Disease

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic (runs in families) disorder that causes cysts (growths filled with fluid) to form on your kidneys and other organs. These cysts can lower your kidney's ability to filter fluid and waste from your blood. Over time, PKD can cause kidney failure. There is no cure for PKD, but treatments can slow the growth of the cysts and prevent PKD symptoms from causing health problems.

21. Primary hyperoxaluria and oxalate

Primary hyperoxaluria is a rare liver disease. The liver is an organ that converts everything you eat or drink into nutrients and gets rid of toxins. With primary hyperoxaluria, your liver does not make enough of a certain protein to prevent oxalate (a natural chemical in your body) from building up in your body. Oxalate builds up in the kidneys and causes kidney stones and kidney damage.

22. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)  

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare blood condition characterized by excessive clotting in vessels, causing organ damage and skin bruising. Treatment, often plasma therapies, helps manage symptoms and clot formation, although there is no cure.

23. Vasculitis 

Vasculitis is a group of autoimmune diseases that causes inflammation of the blood vessels. There are over 20 different types of vasculitis. Each type affects different parts of the body, depending on which blood vessels are inflamed and damaged. Some types of vasculitis, called renal vasculitis, are more likely to affect your kidneys.

Stages of Kidney Disease

There are kidney disease stages according to your estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Your eGFR is a calculation of how well your kidneys filter substances. A normal eGFR is about 100. The lowest eGFR is 0, which means there’s no remaining kidney function.

The stages of any kidney disease include:

Stage I. Your GFR is higher than 90 but below 100. At this stage, your kidneys have mild damage but still function normally.

Stage II. Your GFR may be as low as 60 or as high as 89. You have more damage to your kidneys than in stage I, but they still function well.

Stage III. Your GFR may be as low as 30 or as high as 59. You may have mild or severe loss of kidney function.

Stage IV. Your GFR may be as low as 15 or as high as 29. You have severe loss of kidney function.

Stage V. Your GFR is below 15. Your kidneys are nearing or at complete failure.

When to See a Renal Specialist

So, when exactly should you see a kidney specialist or nephrologist? Here are some crucial pointers to keep in mind:

1. When symptoms such as fatigue, puffiness around the eyes, or swollen limbs persist. These may seem like ordinary signs of exhaustion, however, they can also point toward chronic kidney disease or acute kidney injury, necessitating immediate consultation at a kidney clinic.

2. In case you have been diagnosed with conditions like diabetes or hypertension, which significantly increase your risk for chronic kidney disease. Both these ailments significantly increase your risk of developing kidney diseases.

3. If there’s a family history of severe kidney disorders, including polycystic kidneys. Your vulnerability to certain diseases can be greatly influenced by your genetic makeup.

4. When urinary issues become frequent, they include painful urination, blood in urine, or repeated urinary tract infections (UTIs).

If you’re worried about your health, it’s best to be safe than sorry. Don’t put off seeing a qualified nephrologist; they can help you get an accurate diagnosis and, if necessary, develop a treatment plan. Prevention is always preferable to treatment, so keep that in mind!

What to Expect at Your First Appointment with Your Renal Specialist

Seeing a kidney doctor can be an intimidating experience but with nearly 810,000 Americans living with kidney failure, it’s become a necessity. We’ve got you covered so you can know what to expect on your first visit. Make the most of your appointment with your nephrologist by being prepared.

1. How to Prepare for Your First Visit

There’s nothing worse than showing up for an appointment unprepared. Before your first visit, it’s important to gather all relevant medical information. That’s why we’ve compiled a helpful list to keep you prepared and ready to roll:

- Recent lab results

- Kidney-related issues you may have been experiencing

- Make a list of questions you would like to ask your kidney doctor during the appointment

Once you’ve got all that sorted, remember to bring your insurance cards and a valid form of photo identification.

2. What Happens During Your Appointment

This is where you reap the benefits of your tireless preparation. During the appointment, your kidney doctor will assess the medical history that you prepared and provided. From there, they will take your blood pressure and analyze a urine sample to conduct the necessary tests.

To get the most out of your appointment, you can also ask questions so that any information not provided during the assessment is made clear. Here are a few examples:

- What kidney-related issues do I have?

- What type of kidney treatment will be best for me?

- What are kidney disease prevention tips that I can use?

- What happens if my kidney disease progresses?

3. What to Do After the Appointment

After-appointment steps are just as important as pre-appointment steps. After your visit, you might be prescribed medications or treatments to manage kidney disease, if it is found.

So make sure you follow through with any instructions given by your kidney doctor and keep up with appointments or tests that have been recommended. These instructions can be any of the following:

- Dietary changes

- Medication adjustments

- Follow-up appointments

Preparing for your first kidney appointment can seem overwhelming but it doesn’t need to be.

How Renal Specialists Diagnose Kidney Diseases

They use a variety of tests and procedures to diagnose kidney disease. The doctor may ask questions about your symptoms, medical history, and family history of kidney problems. You may also have blood and urine tests, an ultrasound exam, and other tests. Depending upon your condition, your nephrologists may ask you to take one or more tests, including:

1. Blood Tests

A blood test checks for signs of kidney disease, such as high levels of creatinine or urea in your blood. The doctor may order blood tests to check levels of electrolytes, such as calcium and potassium levels, which can be high if you have heart failure caused by kidney disease. Blood sugar levels can be high if you have diabetes or prediabetes that hasn't been treated well.

2. Urinalysis

Urinalysis checks for waste products from your kidneys in your urine. Protein in the urine is often a sign of kidney disease. Urine tests check the color and appearance of your urine and its volume and frequency. The results may indicate that you have protein in your urine, which can signify kidney disease. Other signs include urinating more often than usual or having trouble starting urine flow.

3. Creatinine Clearance Test

Also called Creatinine Clearance Measures, these tests can indicate how well your kidneys remove excess waste products from your blood. The creatinine test is a common test ordered by doctors to monitor kidney function. A healthy adult should have 1.3 mg/dL or lower. If the result comes back high, it could indicate that you have an underlying medical condition affecting your kidneys' ability to cleanse your blood correctly.

10 Ways to Manage Kidney Disease

If you have chronic kidney disease (CKD), you can take steps to protect your kidneys from more damage. The sooner you know you have kidney disease, the better. The steps you take to protect your kidneys from damage also may help prevent heart disease—and improve your health overall. Making these changes when you have no symptoms may be hard, but it’s worthwhile.

1. Control your blood pressure

The most important step you can take to treat kidney disease is to control your blood pressure. High blood pressure can damage your kidneys. You can protect your kidneys by keeping your blood pressure at or less than the goal set by your healthcare provider. For most people, the blood pressure goal is less than 140/90 mm Hg.

2. Meet your blood glucose goal if you have diabetes

To reach your blood glucose goal, check your blood glucose level regularly. Use the results to guide decisions about food, physical activity, and medicines. Ask your healthcare provider how often you should check your blood glucose level. Your healthcare provider will also test your A1C. The A1C is a blood test that measures your average blood glucose level over the past 3 months. This test is different from the blood glucose checks you do regularly. The higher your A1C number, the higher your blood glucose levels have been during the past 3 months. Stay close to your daily blood glucose numbers to help you meet your A1C goal. The A1C goal for many people with diabetes is below 7 percent.

3. Work with your healthcare team to monitor your kidney health

The tests that health care providers use to test for kidney disease can also be used to track changes to kidney function and damage. Kidney disease tends to get worse over time. Each time you get checked, ask your provider how the test results compare to the last results. Your goals will be to

- keep your GFR the same

- keep your urine albumin the same or lower

4. Take medicines as prescribed

Many people with CKD take medicines prescribed to lower blood pressure, control blood glucose and lower cholesterol. Two types of blood pressure medicines, ACE inhibitors, and ARBs, may slow kidney disease and delay kidney failure, even in people who don’t have high blood pressure. The names of these medicines end in –pril or –sartan.

5. Work with a dietitian to develop a meal plan

A dietitian who knows about kidney disease can work with you to create a meal plan that includes foods that are healthy for you and that you enjoy eating. Cooking and preparing your food from scratch can help you eat healthier. Nutrition counseling from a registered dietitian to help meet your medical or health goals is called medical nutrition therapy (MNT). If you have diabetes or kidney disease and a referral from your primary care provider, your health insurance may cover MNT.

6. Make physical activity part of your routine

Be active for 30 minutes or more on most days. Physical activity can help you reduce stress, manage your weight, and achieve your blood pressure and blood glucose goals. If you are not active now, ask your healthcare provider about the types and amounts of physical activity that are right for you.

7. Aim for a healthy weight

Being overweight makes your kidneys work harder and may damage your kidneys. The NIH Body Weight Planner is an online tool to help you tailor your calorie and physical activity plans to achieve and stay at a healthy weight.

8. Get enough sleep

Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Getting enough sleep is important to your overall physical and mental health and can help you meet your blood pressure and blood glucose goals. 

9.. Stop smoking

Cigarette smoking can make kidney damage worse. Quitting smoking may help you meet your blood pressure goals, which is good for your kidneys, and can lower your chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

10. Find healthy ways to cope with stress and depression

Long-term stress can raise your blood pressure and your blood glucose and lead to depression. Some of the steps that you are taking to manage your kidney disease are also healthy ways to cope with stress. For example, physical activity and sleep help reduce stress. Listening to your favorite music, focusing on something calm or peaceful, or meditating may also help you.

How to Choose the Right Renal Specialist Near Me

Having a good kidney specialist cannot be overstated when managing and treating kidney-related health issues. Your kidneys play a crucial role in filtering waste from your blood, regulating blood pressure, and maintaining overall body balance. 

A skilled kidney specialist can diagnose and treat kidney diseases effectively and guide you in making lifestyle changes and decisions that promote kidney health. They are instrumental in monitoring your condition, adjusting treatments as necessary, and providing support and education throughout your health journey. The right specialist can make a significant difference in the quality of your life and the effectiveness of your treatment.

As an overview, here are some key points to consider when looking for a kidney specialist:

1. Board Certification in Nephrology: Ensures the specialist has the necessary training and knowledge.

2. Experience and Specialization: Look for a specialist with a strong background in treating conditions similar to yours.

3. Patient Reviews and Testimonials: Positive feedback from other patients can be a good indicator of the specialist’s expertise and bedside manner.

4. Communication Skills: Choose a specialist who listens to your concerns and explains things clearly.

5. Accessibility: Consider the location and availability of the specialist for ease of appointments.

6. Personal Comfort: It’s important that you feel comfortable and trust your specialist, as this affects the quality of your healthcare experience.

Sources:

NHS

KHC Cares

Kidney Health

Kidney Fund

National Kidney Foundation

Cleveland Clinic

WebMD

Davita

Kidney Research UK

Kidney Fund

NIH

Texas Kidney Institute

Rocky Vista HC