Nephrology
Partner with a board-certified nephrologist and UNC Health Rockingham team for high-quality care for your kidneys.
What is Nephrology?
Nephrology is care of the kidneys. Your kidneys play an important role by removing toxins from your body and regulating your blood pressure.
A nephrologist—a doctor specializing in kidney care—diagnoses and treats conditions that affect your kidneys.
When Should I See a Nephrologist?
Your primary care provider can treat minor kidney problems. Ask your doctor for a referral to a nephrologist if you’re experiencing more serious symptoms, such as:
- Chronic kidney infections
- Excessive fatigue or drowsiness
- High blood pressure
- Painful urination or changes in urination patterns
- Swelling of the legs and lower limbs due to water retention
Conditions We Treat
Find complete care and treatment for kidney-related conditions, including:
- Acute and chronic kidney disease
- Anemia, or low iron in the blood
- Electrolyte imbalances, including too much potassium (hyperkalemia) or not enough sodium (hyponatremia)
- End-stage kidney failure
- Proteinuria, or protein in the urine caused by weak kidney filtering
If you have hypertension, your nephrologists can help you manage your symptoms.
Your First Visit
Rely on your nephrologist to evaluate your medical history and symptoms at your first appointment. You may need to have diagnostic tests to help your doctor find the cause of your symptoms and plan effective treatment.
Types of Dialysis
Benefit from your doctor’s recommended treatment plan, which may include:
- Hemodialysis – Removes toxins, salts, and excess fluids from your blood through a blood vessel, usually in your arm, when your kidneys are too weak
- Peritoneal dialysis – Uses the lining of your belly (abdomen) and a cleaning solution to remove waste from your blood
Follow-Up Care
In follow-up visits, your doctor will check how well your treatment is working and monitor your blood pressure and health status to keep your well-being on track.