Kidneys are essential for keeping your body in balance. They help clear out toxins and waste from your body, make urine, and balance your body’s electrolytes, fluids, and acids. Having a healthy pair of kidneys helps keep your body healthy, but if they’re not working properly, it can lead to other health problems. This is where a nephrology clinic comes in.
A nephrology clinic specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions related to the kidneys. These clinics are led by nephrologists, who are experts in kidney health, providing comprehensive care for a wide range of kidney diseases.
But when should you visit a nephrology clinic? Here are some signs that indicate your need to visit a nephrology clinic.
Changes in Urination
If you are experiencing pains or discomfort while urinating, blood in the urine, dark urine, or foamy urine, it could indicate a concerning kidney problem. Other signs of kidney problems, such as an underlying kidney infection or kidney stones, include frequent urination, trouble urinating, and a reduced amount of urine.
A nephrologist at a nephrology clinic can order tests to diagnose the source of the problem and effectively address it.
High Blood Pressure
Your kidneys need a good supply of blood to function properly. High blood pressure puts a lot of pressure on your kidneys, causing damage to the blood vessels in your kidneys. This can lead to impairment in the function of your kidneys.
If you have high blood pressure, swelling in your legs or feet, puffiness around your eyes, and fatigue, it’s time to see a nephrologist.
Swelling in the Legs and Feet
If you have swelling in your feet, legs, or ankles, it could be a sign of fluid retention. Fluid retention happens when you have chronic kidney disease, which means your kidneys are not working properly. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) causes too much fluid and waste builds up in your body, especially lower extremities like legs, ankle, and feet.
If you have these symptoms, it’s important to see a doctor who specializes in nephrology for accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment.
Pain in the Side and Back
Kidney pain is often mistaken for back pain, but it’s actually deeper and can radiate to your stomach or groin. It could be a sign of kidney disease, like a kidney stone, an infection, urinary retention, a bladder infection, a polycystic kidney disorder, kidney cancer, or damage caused by trauma.
If you’re having persistent pain in your kidney area along with fever or chills, nausea, vomiting, and painful urination, it’s time to see a kidney specialist at the nephrology clinic.
Family History of Kidney Disease
If you have immediate biological relatives with kidney disease, you may be at an increased risk of developing kidney disease yourself. Visiting a nephrology clinic allows early detection and treatment of kidney diseases.
Chronic Fatigue
Extreme fatigue and exhaustion can also be a sign of kidney damage. When kidney function declines, it can affect the production of erythropoietin, a hormone that prompts your bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.
Low erythropoietin can lead to anemia (a condition characterized by low red blood cells), which makes it harder for your body to work harder to transport enough oxygen to your tissues, causing extreme fatigue and overall weakness.
If you feel consistently tired without any apparent reason, it is important to visit a nephrology clinic to rule out any kidney disorders.
Brain Fog
If you are experiencing frequent episodes of forgetfulness or feeling fuzzy, it may be a symptom of kidney disease. This is because, in kidney diseases, toxins build up in the body, especially the brain, causing slow or impaired thinking.
Visiting a nephrology clinic will allow you to rule out kidney disease as the cause of your brain fog.
Personal History of Kidney Disease
If you have previously had kidney-related problems, you should be more vigilant about monitoring for any signs of kidney dysfunction. Regular check-ups, blood tests, and urine tests offered at nephrology clinics can help detect problems early on and prevent further damage to the kidneys.
Nephrologists at a nephrology clinic can provide specialized care to help manage your kidney disease.
Nephrology Clinic in Brockton & Taunton, MA
If you experience any of these symptoms related to kidney problems, it is important to seek medical attention immediately for early detection and treatment to prevent kidney damage from becoming irreversible.
At Associates in Nephrology in Brockton & Taunton, Massachusetts, we have board-certified kidney specialists who have built an excellent reputation in providing accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment for a full spectrum of kidney and related disorders, such as kidney stones, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, glomerulonephritis, electrolyte imbalance, end-stage kidney disease, and renal failure.
If you would like to schedule a private consultation with our nephrologist at our nephrology clinic near you, call us today at (508) 587-0700 or fill out our online appointment request form now.
