The Work Done By A Kidney Doctor

 
 
 
 
 
 
By Matthew Perry


The kidney is the organ that is involved with removing excess waste products and fluid in the body through the process of excretion. Urine is produced in this organ and is mainly composed of waste products. Besides removing excess waste products, kidneys also play a vital role in regulating body salts, acid content, and potassium among other materials. Another function performed by kidneys is the stimulation of the production of red blood cells. Red blood cells regulate calcium, blood pressure, and metabolism of electrolyte in the body.

The vital functions performed by kidneys in the body makes them very important. Severe health conditions can result if there is any slight problem with them. Thus, a kidney doctor needs to be consulted immediately if one realizes any problem that may be related to the organ. Those medical practitioners who have specialty in handling medical conditions of the kidneys are called nephrologists.

The term nephrologist derives from nephros, a Greek term. It means renal or kidney when translated into the English language. On the other hand, ologist is an individual who studies. The terms nephrologists and kidney doctors are interchangeable. Nephrologists train in internal medicine but specialize in the treatment and care of kidneys.

Nephrology falls under the branches of internal medicine. Becoming an expert in nephrology requires being a degree holder a medical school that is accredited. One must first complete a bachelor degree before they can be admitted into a medical school to study this profession. A three-year residency is part of the qualification process. Completing the residency is mandatory before certification.

In Cleveland, OH, part of the certification process requires applicants to take and pass the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) certification exam. Besides the normal residency period, applicants may also need to complete a year or two of laboratory or clinical research. This helps to make the practitioners more qualified and specialized in a specific area.

Residency programs cover a lot of areas in nephrology including disease management and diagnosis. They receive training in all surgical procedures pertaining to dialysis such as placement of catheter and vascular access. They become experts in peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis and all other dialysis treatments. They also receive training in performing kidney biopsies. Before qualifying in any specialty, leaners must take and pass a separate qualification exam.

Generally, most patients handled by nephrologists are as a result of referrals from general physicians or primary care physicians. The diseases cared for and treated are of a wide variety. Common examples include PKD, CKD, acute renal failure, kidney stones, and high blood pressure. They can also do dialysis and transplants. A thorough review of medical history of patients must be done prior to commencing treatment.

Urine and blood tests are part of the diagnosis process. How well the kidneys are working can be told from these tests. If the tests are not sufficient, the practitioner may conduct an ultrasound or a biopsy. However, it is important to know that nephrologists cannot perform surgery. This is because their training does not cover surgical procedures.




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