Diabetes: Two Important Kidney Tests

Diabetes: Two Important Kidney Tests

Diabetes is a leading cause of kidney failure around the world. In the United States and Canada it is the leading cause of kidney failure. Twenty to 40 percent of people with diabetes develop kidney disease. Robert Stanton, MD,of the Joslin Clinic at Joslin Diabetes Center, explains the two tests you should have performed annually to detect the earliest evidence of kidney disease.
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Got a Kidney Problem? Take These Kidney Tests

Article by George McKenzie

If you've had an unusual, nagging back pain lately, and it doesn't seem to be a nerve or muscular problem, ask your doctor about kidney tests.

There are many different disorders and afflictions that can result in a kidney problem. Some come on "out of the blue," as the saying goes, and they quickly escalate into severe discomfort. This kind of pain often results from kidney stones or an acute kidney infection.

Other kinds of kidney back pain come on gradually over a period of time due to the fact that the underlying cause is chronic. Kidney failure fits into this category.

In some cases, your doctor can tell if there's trouble with your kidneys by taking a urine sample. Toxins, chemicals, blood and sometimes even tissue fragments will appear. This is usually a signal that more tests are required.

Taking blood is another way to ascertain if there is an issue in the kidneys. Your kidneys filter out toxins in the blood, and if a kidney isn't working as it should, these toxins will show up in the blood test.

Here are some typical blood tests doctors use to help identify kidney problems:

1. The blood urea nitrogen test Abnormal nitrogen levels in your blood tell the doctor if your kidneys are working properly.

2. The creatinine test This is similar to the blood urea nitrogen test but it checks your creatinine levels. Creatinine is a chemical waste product that comes from your muscles and is transported to your kidneys through the bloodstream. The kidneys screen it out and dispose of it in your urine. If creatinine levels aren't what they should be, then it's probable that your kidneys aren't working properly.

A number of other tests are available, but those mentioned above are most common.

At times, more than one test will be utilized in order to come up with a sound diagnosis. In fact, doing both tests is normal. Results in such cases tend to be extremely reliable.

Kidney back pain should not be ignored. Anyone who has kidney back pain should visit their physician to see if they have a kidney problem.

About the Author

George McKenzie is a former TV news anchor, medical reporter and radio talk show host.

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