What to do if you have kidney disease?
Treating the cause. Your doctor will work to slow or control the cause of your kidney disease. Treatment options vary, depending on the cause. But kidney damage can continue to worsen even when an underlying condition, such as high blood pressure, has been controlled.
Should I go to the hospital for a kidney infection?
If your kidney infection is severe, your doctor might admit you to the hospital. Treatment might include antibiotics and fluids that you receive through a vein in your arm (intravenously). How long you'll stay in the hospital depends on the severity of your condition.
When should I go to the hospital for a kidney stone?
Larger kidney stones or kidney stones that block your urinary tract or cause great pain may need urgent treatment. If you are vomiting and dehydrated, you may need to go to the hospital and get fluids through an IV.
How can a doctor remove a kidney stone?
The doctor can use shock wave lithotripsy to blast the kidney stone into small pieces. The smaller pieces of the kidney stone then pass through your urinary tract. A doctor can give you anesthesia during this outpatient procedure.
Where do you go for kidney consultation?
Nephrologists specialize in the care and function of kidneys. They diagnose, treat, and prevent conditions and diseases related to the kidneys. They specialize in treating people whose kidneys are at or near failure or those with kidney disease and hypertension.
What kind of doctor do you need for kidney problems?
Nephrologists, or kidney doctors, study the kidneys and any diseases that affect them. They complete 2 more years of training after medical school and residency. If your primary care or family doctor thinks your kidneys aren't working well, they may send you to a nephrologist.
How much does it cost to treat a kidney problem?
[21] reported that the average costs of treatment for patients with ESRD undergoing dialysis and those undergoing transplantation were Rs 500,000 (US $10,753) and Rs 345,000 (US $7,419), respectively. At the same time, patients who were not on dialysis had spent Rs 100,000 (US $2150) over a period of 2 years.
What is the most common treatment for kidney disease?
An alternative to dialysis for people with severely reduced kidney function is a kidney transplant. This is often the most effective treatment for advanced kidney disease, but it involves major surgery and taking medicines (immunosuppressants) for the rest of your life to stop your body attacking the donor organ.
Does urologist deal with kidneys?
Urologists treat conditions of the urinary tract, which includes the urethra, bladder and kidneys. However, urologists only treat particular conditions of the kidneys. They can perform surgery, remove cancerous cells, and eliminate kidney stones.
Is drinking a lot of water good for your kidneys?
Water helps the kidneys remove wastes from your blood in the form of urine. Water also helps keep your blood vessels open so that blood can travel freely to your kidneys, and deliver essential nutrients to them. But if you become dehydrated, then it is more difficult for this delivery system to work.
Is kidney failure a death sentence?
There is no cure for kidney failure, but it is possible to live a long life with treatment. Having kidney failure is not a death sentence, and people with kidney failure live active lives and continue to do the things they love.
How long do people live on dialysis?
Life expectancy on dialysis can vary depending on your other medical conditions and how well you follow your treatment plan. Average life expectancy on dialysis is 5-10 years, however, many patients have lived well on dialysis for 20 or even 30 years.
What causes kidney disease?
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Your health care provider will look at your health history and may do tests to find out why you have kidney disease. The cause of your kidney disease may affect the type of treatment you receive.
What are the 3 early warning signs of kidney disease?
Here are three signs that could indicate that you are beginning to experience a decline in kidney function.Dizziness and Fatigue. One of the first possible signs of weakening kidneys is the experience of overall weakness in yourself and your overall health. ... Swelling (Edema) ... Changes in urination.
What are the first signs of kidney problems?
Generally, earlier stages are known as 1 to 3. And as kidney disease progresses, you may notice the following symptoms. Nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, swelling via feet and ankles, dry, itchy skin, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, urinating either too much or too little.
What are the signs that something is wrong with your kidneys?
Signs of Kidney DiseaseYou're more tired, have less energy or are having trouble concentrating. ... You're having trouble sleeping. ... You have dry and itchy skin. ... You feel the need to urinate more often. ... You see blood in your urine. ... Your urine is foamy. ... You're experiencing persistent puffiness around your eyes.More items...•
Where is the donor kidney placed?
Kidney transplant. During kidney transplant surgery, the donor kidney is placed in your lower abdomen. Blood vessels of the new kidney are attached to blood vessels in the lower part of your abdomen, just above one of your legs. The new kidney's urine tube (ureter) is connected to your bladder.
How to cope with kidney disease?
With your doctor's advice, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. This can help you cope with fatigue and stress. Talk with a person you trust. Living with chronic kidney disease can be stressful, and it may help to talk about your feelings.
What is the treatment for end stage kidney disease?
At that point, you need dialysis or a kidney transplant. Dialysis.
What is a kidney transplant?
Kidney transplant. A kidney transplant involves surgically placing a healthy kidney from a donor into your body. Transplanted kidneys can come from deceased or living donors. You'll need to take medications for the rest of your life to keep your body from rejecting the new organ.
What is the procedure to remove a sample of kidney tissue?
Other imaging tests may be used in some cases. Removing a sample of kidney tissue for testing. Your doctor may recommend a kidney biopsy to remove a sample of kidney tissue. Kidney biopsy is often done with local anesthesia using a long, thin needle that's inserted through your skin and into your kidney.
What is a kidney biopsy?
Kidney biopsy. During a kidney biopsy, your doctor uses a needle to remove a small sample of kidney tissue for lab testing. The biopsy needle is inserted through your skin and is often directed using the guidance of an imaging device, such as ultrasound. As a first step toward diagnosis of kidney disease, your doctor discusses your personal ...
What is a dialysis catheter?
In peritoneal dialysis, a thin tube (catheter) inserted into your abdomen fills your abdominal cavity with a dialysis solution that absorbs waste and excess fluids. After a period of time, the dialysis solution drains from your body, carrying the waste with it. Kidney transplant.
What to do if your kidneys aren't filtering?
If your kidneys aren't properly filtering potassium from your blood, your doctor may prescribe calcium, glucose or sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kionex) to prevent the accumulation of high levels of potassium in your blood.
What tests can be done to check kidneys?
Imaging tests such as ultrasound and computerized tomography may be used to help your doctor see your kidneys. Removing a sample of kidney tissue for testing. In some situations, your doctor may recommend a kidney biopsy to remove a small sample of kidney tissue for lab testing.
What is a kidney biopsy?
Kidney biopsy. Kidney biopsy. During a kidney biopsy, your doctor uses a needle to remove a small sample of kidney tissue for lab testing. The biopsy needle is inserted through your skin and is often directed using the guidance of an imaging device, such as ultrasound. If your signs and symptoms suggest that you have acute kidney failure, ...
What is the best treatment for toxins in the body?
Dialysis to remove toxins from your blood. If toxins build up in your blood, you may need temporary hemodialysis — often referred to simply as dialysis — to help remove toxins and excess fluids from your body while your kidneys heal. Dialysis may also help remove excess potassium from your body.
How to determine if you have kidney failure?
Measuring how much you urinate in 24 hours may help your doctor determine the cause of your kidney failure . Urine tests. Analyzing a sample of your urine (urinalysis) may reveal abnormalities that suggest kidney failure. Blood tests. A sample of your blood may reveal rapidly rising levels of urea and creatinine — two substances used ...
Can you be hospitalized for kidney failure?
Most people are already hospitalized when they develop acute kidney failure. If you or a loved one develops signs and symptoms of kidney failure, bring up your concerns with your doctor or nurse. If you aren't in the hospital, but have signs or symptoms of kidney failure, make an appointment with your family doctor or a general practitioner.
How long does it take for a kidney infection to clear up?
Usually, the signs and symptoms of a kidney infection begin to clear up within a few days of treatment. But you might need to continue antibiotics for a week or longer. Take the entire course of antibiotics recommended by your doctor even after you feel better. Your doctor might recommend a repeat urine culture to ensure the infection has cleared.
What to take for a urinary infection?
For fever or discomfort, take a nonaspirin pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Motrin IB, Advil, others). Stay hydrated. Drinking fluids will help flush bacteria from your urinary tract. Avoid coffee and alcohol until your infection has cleared.
What to do when you make an appointment for a gynecologist?
What you can do. When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet for certain tests. Your symptoms, including any that seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment, and when they began.
What is the treatment for kidney cancer?
Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy beams from sources such as X-rays and protons to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is sometimes used to control or reduce symptoms of kidney cancer that has spread to other areas of the body, such as the bones and brain. Clinical trials.
What is the procedure to remove kidney cancer?
Operations used to treat kidney cancer include: Removing the affected kidney (nephrectomy). A complete (radical) nephrectomy involves removing the entire kidney, a border of healthy tissue and occasionally additional nearby tissues such as the lymph nodes, adrenal gland or other structures.
What is the next step in a kidney cancer diagnosis?
Kidney cancer staging. Once your doctor identifies a kidney lesion that might be kidney cancer, the next step is to determine the extent (stage) of the cancer. Staging tests for kidney cancer may include additional CT scans or other imaging tests your doctor feels are appropriate.
What is partial nephrectomy?
Partial nephrectomy is also called kidney-sparing surgery. For most kidney cancers, surgery is the initial treatment. The goal of surgery is to remove the cancer while preserving normal kidney function, when possible. Operations used to treat kidney cancer include: Removing the affected kidney (nephrectomy).
What is the procedure to remove a sample of kidney tissue?
Removing a sample of kidney tissue (biopsy). In some situations, your doctor may recommend a procedure to remove a small sample of cells (biopsy) from a suspicious area of your kidney. The sample is tested in a lab to look for signs of cancer. This procedure isn't always needed.
What tests can you do to see if you have kidney tumors?
Blood and urine tests. Tests of your blood and your urine may give your doctor clues about what's causing your signs and symptoms. Imaging tests. Imaging tests allow your doctor to visualize a kidney tumor or abnormality. Imaging tests might include ultrasound, X-ray, CT or MRI.
How big is a kidney tumor?
Diagnosis. The tumor can be up to 2 3/4 inches (7 centimeters) in diameter. The cancer is only in one kidney and completely contained within it. The tumor is larger than 2 3/4 inches (7 centimeters) in diameter, but it's still confined to the kidney.
What to do if you pass a kidney stone?
If you’re able to pass a kidney stone, a health care professional may ask you to catch the kidney stone in a special container. A health care professional will send the kidney stone to a lab to find out what type it is.
How do you remove a kidney stone?
The doctor inserts the tool directly into your kidney through a small cut made in your back. For larger kidney stones, the doctor also may use a laser to break the kidney stones into smaller pieces.
How does a doctor remove a urinary stone?
The doctor inserts the cystoscope or ureteroscope through the urethra to see the rest of the urinary tract. Once the stone is found, the doctor can remove it or break it into smaller pieces. The doctor performs these procedures in the hospital with anesthesia. You can typically go home the same day.
How long after kidney stone removal can you collect urine?
The health care professional also may ask you to collect your urine for 24 hours after the kidney stone has passed or been removed. The health care professional can then measure how much urine you produce in a day, along with mineral levels in your urine.
What is the tube called that a urologist puts in the urine?
After these procedures, sometimes the urologist may leave a thin flexible tube, called a ureteral stent, in your urinary tract to help urine flow or a stone to pass. Once the kidney stone is removed, your doctor sends the kidney stone or its pieces to a lab to find out what type it is.
How long do you have to take a kidney stone medicine?
Depending on the type of kidney stone you had and what type of medicine the health care professional prescribes, you may have to take the medicine for a few weeks, several months, or longer. For example, if you had struvite stones, you may have to take an oral antibiotic for 1 to 6 weeks, or possibly longer.
How long should you wait to collect urine?
A health care professional may ask you to collect your urine for 24 hours to determine the amount of urine you produce a day. If the amount of urine is too low, the health care professional may advise you to increase your liquid intake.
How to prepare for a kidney appointment?
To prepare for your appointment: Ask if there's anything you need to do before your appointment, such as limit your diet. Write down your symptoms, including any that seem unrelated to kidney stones. Keep track of how much you drink and urinate during a 24-hour period.
How to remove kidney stones?
A procedure called percutaneous nephrolithotomy (nef-row-lih-THOT-uh-me) involves surgically removing a kidney stone using small telescopes and instruments inserted through a small incision in your back.
What tests can you do if you have a kidney stone?
If your doctor suspects that you have a kidney stone, you may have diagnostic tests and procedures, such as: Blood testing . Blood tests may reveal too much calcium or uric acid in your blood. Blood test results help monitor the health of your kidneys and may lead your doctor to check for other medical conditions. Urine testing.
What is the procedure to break a kidney stone?
For certain kidney stones — depending on size and location — your doctor may recommend a procedure called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). ESWL uses sound waves to create strong vibrations (shock waves) that break the stones into tiny pieces that can be passed in your urine.
What is the purpose of a lab analysis of kidney stones?
Analysis of passed stones. You may be asked to urinate through a strainer to catch stones that you pass. Lab analysis will reveal the makeup of your kidney stones. Your doctor uses this information to determine what's causing your kidney stones and to form a plan to prevent more kidney stones.
How to remove a small stone in the kidney?
To remove a smaller stone in your ureter or kidney, your doctor may pass a thin lighted tube (ureteroscope) equipped with a camera through your urethra and bladder to your ureter. Once the stone is located, special tools can snare the stone or break it into pieces that will pass in your urine.
Can you drink more fluids after kidney surgery?
For instance, your doctor may recommend an antibiotic before and for a while after surgery to treat your kidney stones. Cystine stones . Along with suggesting a diet lower in salt and protein, your doctor may recommend that you drink more fluids so that you produce a lot more urine,.
How to treat a cyst in the kidney?
Options include: Puncturing and draining the cyst, then filling it with alcohol. Rarely, to shrink the cyst, your doctor inserts a long, thin needle through your skin and through the wall ...
What tests are used to diagnose kidney cysts?
Tests and procedures used to diagnose simple kidney cysts include: Imaging tests. Imaging tests, such as an ultrasound, a computerized tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are often used to investigate simple kidney cysts. Imaging tests can help your doctor determine whether a kidney mass is a cyst or a tumor.
How to remove a cyst?
Surgery to remove the cyst. A large or symptomatic cyst may require surgery to drain and remove it. To access the cyst, the surgeon makes several small incisions in your skin and inserts special tools and a small video camera.
Can a cyst in the kidney be treated?
Treatment may not be necessary. If your simple kidney cyst causes no signs or symptoms and doesn't interfere with your kidne y function, you may not need treatment. Instead, your doctor may recommend that you have an imaging test, such as ultrasound, periodically to see whether your kidney cyst has enlarged.
What happens when the kidneys are damaged?
Chronic kidney disease occurs when the kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood normally. Due to this defective filtering, patients can have complications related to fluid, electrolytes (minerals required for many bodily processes), and waste build-up in the body. Chronic kidney disease sometimes can progress to kidney failure.
Does Farxiga help with kidney failure?
Chronic kidney disease sometimes can progress to kidney failure. Patients also are at high risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. The efficacy of Farxiga to improve kidney outcomes and reduce cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease was evaluated in a multicenter, double-blind study.
Diagnosis
Treatment
Clinical Trials
- Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- As part of your treatment for chronic kidney disease, your doctor might recommend a special diet to help support your kidneys and limit the work they must do. Ask your doctor for a referral to a registered dietitian who can analyze your diet and suggest ways to make your diet easier on your kidneys. Depending on your situation, kidney function and overall health, dietary recommendatio…
Coping and Support
- Receiving a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease can be worrisome. To help you cope with your feelings, consider: 1. Connecting with other people who have kidney disease.They can understand what you're feeling and offer unique support. Ask your doctor about support groups in your area. Or contact organizations such as the American Association of Kidney Patients, the National Kid…
Preparing For Your Appointment
- You'll likely start by seeing your primary care doctor. If lab tests reveal that you have kidney damage, you might be referred to a doctor who specializes in kidney problems (nephrologist).
Diagnosis
- If your signs and symptoms suggest that you have acute kidney failure, your doctor may recommend certain tests and procedures to verify your diagnosis. These may include: 1. Urine output measurements.Measuring how much you urinate in 24 hours may help your doctor determine the cause of your kidney failure. 2. Urine tests.Analyzing a sample of your urine (urina…
Treatment
- Treatment for acute kidney failure typically requires a hospital stay. Most people with acute kidney failure are already hospitalized. How long you'll stay in the hospital depends on the reason for your acute kidney failure and how quickly your kidneys recover. In some cases, you may be able to recover at home.
Clinical Trials
- Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- During your recovery from acute kidney failure, your doctor may recommend a special diet to help support your kidneys and limit the work they must do. Your doctor may refer you to a dietitian who can analyze your current diet and suggest ways to make your diet easier on your kidneys. Depending on your situation, your dietitian may recommend that you: 1. Choose lower potassiu…
Preparing For Your Appointment
- Most people are already hospitalized when they develop acute kidney failure. If you or a loved one develops signs and symptoms of kidney failure, bring up your concerns with your doctor or nurse. If you aren't in the hospital, but have signs or symptoms of kidney failure, make an appointment with your family doctor or a general practitioner. If your doctor suspects you have kidney proble…
Diagnosis
- To confirm that you have a kidney infection, you'll likely be asked to provide a urine sample to test for bacteria, blood or pus in your urine. Your doctor might also take a blood sample for a culture — a lab test that checks for bacteria or other organisms in your blood. Other tests might include an ultrasound, CT scan or a type of X-ray called a voiding cystourethrogram. A voiding cystourethro…
Treatment
- Antibiotics for kidney infections
Antibiotics are the first line of treatment for kidney infections. Which drugs you use and for how long depend on your health and the bacteria found in your urine tests. Usually, the signs and symptoms of a kidney infection begin to clear up within a few days of treatment. But you might … - Hospitalization for severe kidney infections
If your kidney infection is severe, your doctor might admit you to the hospital. Treatment might include antibiotics and fluids that you receive through a vein in your arm (intravenously). How long you'll stay in the hospital depends on the severity of your condition.
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- To reduce discomfort while you recover from a kidney infection, you might: 1. Apply heat.Place a heating pad on your abdomen, back or side to ease pain. 2. Use pain medicine.For fever or discomfort, take a nonaspirin pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Motrin IB, Advil, others). 3. Stay hydrated.Drinking fluids will help flush bacteria from your urinar…
Preparing For Your Appointment
- You'll likely start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. If your doctor suspects your infection has spread to your kidneys, you might be referred to a doctor who treats conditions that affect the urinary tract (urologist).