Patient Education

New Jersey Kidney Care Services

Your kidneys perform numerous functions to keep you healthy. An issue with your kidneys should always be a concern, but if you begin treatment and preventive care early you should be able to avoid serious, long-term complications. Below, you will find answers to some frequently asked questions regarding kidney care and treatments.

How can I Keep My Kidneys Healthy?

Living a healthy, active lifestyle should be enough to keep your kidneys healthy provided you do not have a family history of kidney problems. Some basic things you can do to care for your kidneys include:

• Drink plenty of water – Water helps you maintain a regular urination schedule and prevent the development of kidney stones.
• Maintain healthy blood pressure – Your kidneys help to regulate blood pressure. Having high blood pressure can pout strain on your kidneys and possibly damage them. 120 over 80 is considered the ideal blood pressure for most people.
• Regulate diabetes – Patients with diabetes are at a higher risk of sustaining kidney damage. Make sure you monitor and maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
• Stop smoking – Smoking has a negative effect on almost every party of the body, including the kidneys. No longer smoking can go a long way in improving your overall health and wellbeing. Smoking cessation programs are available if you are having trouble.
• Be careful with medication – Over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen can start to damage kidneys if taken excessively. There’s no need to worry if you only take one or two doses per day a few times per week, but with a history of kidney problems and large quantities of medication, you could be at risk of kidney disease.

What is Kidney Disease?

Kidney diseases are conditions that prevents the kidneys from performing properly. There are numerous types of kidney disease. Some are acute and only last for a short time, while others are chronic and require months or years of treatment.

Is Kidney Disease the Same as Kidney Failure?

Not exactly. Many forms of kidney disease can be treated and recovered from before they result in total kidney failure. The final stage of chronic kidney disease is kidney failure, and while this can be difficult to prevent, it is not impossible.

What is Dialysis?

Dialysis is a medical service that performs the function of the kidneys after someone suffers kidney failure. There are a few different means of facilitating dialysis, but the general process involves a special device cleaning out waste product from your blood and returning the blood to the body.

Patients who suffer kidney failure will need to have dialysis treatments several times a week until they can receive a kidney transplant.

Am I Eligible for a Kidney Transplant?

This depends on several factors. You will need to have a full medical evaluation by a nephrologist. Before a transplant can begin, a suitable donor must be found, and this can take some time.

Are Kidney Transplants Safe?

Kidney transplants are one of the safest organ transplant procedures. They have long-term success rates and are considered the best treatment for kidney failure. As with any surgery, there are risks, but given that a successful treatment will mean a patient no longer has to have dialysis, most doctors and patients consider the benefits to far outweigh the risks.