Finding out what type of kidney disease you have usually starts with a visit to your doctor, who will review your medical history, symptoms, and family history. From there, a series of tests help piece together the picture.
Here are the most common steps involved:
- Physical exam — Your doctor checks your blood pressure and Show Full Answer
Finding out what type of kidney disease you have usually starts with a visit to your doctor, who will review your medical history, symptoms, and family history. From there, a series of tests help piece together the picture.
Here are the most common steps involved:
- Physical exam — Your doctor checks your blood pressure and looks for swelling in your legs, feet, and hands
- Blood tests — These measure waste products like creatinine to calculate your eGFR (how well your kidneys are filtering)
- Urine tests — These check for protein (albumin) and blood in your urine, which can signal kidney damage
- Imaging tests — Ultrasounds, CT scans, or MRIs look at the size and structure of your kidneys
- Kidney biopsy — A small tissue sample is examined under a microscope; this is sometimes the only way to diagnose rarer types
- Genetic testing — If there's a family history of kidney disease, a blood or saliva sample can check for inherited conditions If your primary care doctor suspects kidney disease, they'll likely refer you to a nephrologist (a kidney specialist), who is better equipped to identify specific types — especially rarer ones.
Getting an accurate diagnosis is really important because the right treatment depends on knowing exactly what you're dealing with. Don't hesitate to ask your care team to explain your test results in plain language — that's what they're there for!
September 3
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