Nephrology

The Division of Nephrology at LoCicero Health provides specialty care services for patients with kidney diseases and high blood pressure.

The kidneys remove waste and extra fluid from the body. Over the course of many years, uncontrolled high blood pressure and high blood sugar cause damage to the kidneys. Left untreated, damaged kidneys cannot filter blood, causing a build-up of waste and a serious decline in overall health.

The Nephrology care team at LoCicero Health works with you and your primary care provider to treat the underlying condition that is causing kidney damage. With specialized analysis of labs and diagnostic imaging, the Nephrology care team monitors the complexities of kidney damage to develop a treatment plan to slow the progression of the disease and reduce symptoms.

Consult with your doctor if you notice any of these potential CKD signs and symptoms: 

• Changes in urination
  Healthy kidneys help filter blood to create urine. When the kidneys don’t function well, urination issues may occur such as needing to urinate more often or seeing blood in your urine. You may also experience urine that’s foamy or bubbly—which could be an early sign that protein is getting into your urine due to damaged kidneys.  
• Itching
  Dry and itchy skin may be a sign that you have an imbalance of minerals and nutrients in your blood due to kidney disease. Itching is often caused by high levels of phosphorus in your blood.
   
• Decreased appetite
  A buildup of toxins due to impaired kidney function may cause you to lose your appetite, whether because you feel full or too sick or too tired to eat.  
• Fatigue
  Reduced kidney function can lead to a buildup of toxins in the blood that causes you to have a lack of energy or feel overwhelmingly tired. CKD may also cause anemia, which can make you feel tired or weak due to having too few red blood cells.  
• Edema or swelling in your hands, legs, or feet
  When your kidneys aren’t removing excess fluid and sodium from your body, swelling may occur in your feet or other lower extremities.  
• Shortness of breath
  Extra fluid can build up in your lungs when your kidneys aren’t removing enough fluid, which may cause you to be short of breath. CKD-induced anemia, which is a shortage of oxygen carrying red blood cells, may also cause breathlessness.  
• Pain in the small of your back
  You may experience localized pain near your kidneys that doesn’t change or that becomes worse when you move or stretch. The kidneys are located on either side of your spine in your lower back, and kidney problems can cause pain in this area.  
• Puffiness around your eyes
  Protein leaking into your urine because of kidney damage may cause persistent puffiness around the eyes, an early sign of kidney disease.  
• Abnormal levels of phosphorus, calcium, or vitamin D
  Impaired kidney function can cause electrolyte imbalances, such as low calcium levels or high phosphorus, that may lead to muscle cramping.  
• Abnormal urine test
  High amounts of protein in your urine, called proteinuria, can be a sign of kidney disease. Healthy kidneys filter out waste and fluid, letting protein return to the blood. When the kidneys don’t function correctly, protein leaks into your urine.  
• High blood pressure
  Excess fluid and sodium build up because of kidney disease can cause you to have higher blood pressure. High blood pressure can also damage the blood vessels in the kidneys and lead to a worsening of kidney disease over time.