KIDNEY FUNCTIONS
I am only 25 years old, a male, but I have kidney disease. I had some terrific pains in my back, in my groin and scrotum. The doctor took a specimen and sent me to a urologist.
The urologist found blood and lots of protein in my urine. He said he may need to send me to a nephrologist. What is the difference? He didn’t give me any medicine as he is waiting to see how I do before sending me to the nephrologist. I am feeling much better but I get tired.
What does the protein and blood cells in my urine mean? I’ve had blood cells before.
Answer:
Your kidneys are really filters. They filter the blood to remove excess amounts of various chemicals and unwanted substances.
In the process your blood passes through a funnel-shaped area and the fluid leaves your blood and is collected in the tube part of the funnel. Water and needed substances are reabsorbed into your circulation. What is left is urine.
Protein in your blood stream may escape into the funnel structure. We all have a little, but the mechanism is such we usually lose only a very small amount. If the funnel and tube mechanism is damaged you may lose too much protein, usually albumin.
Some young people lose excess albumin from changes in the kidneys upon standing, but they don’t lose it while lying down. The significance of protein in your urine depends on what is causing it. It can be from any number of diseases that damage the kidneys or from heart disease.
The combination of bleeding and protein probably means an infection or injury to the tubular structure. These are called nephrons and a specialist in their function is a nephrologist.
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