Kidney Health with Dr Sir-Kit Leong

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When you see your GP and request a health check/ ‘check up’, have you ever wondered what it entails?

As part of an adult health check, your GP would usually look at your kidneys – we call it in medical terms: renal function.

I would like to share some thoughts of why kidney health is important…

We have a pair of kidneys and they are tugged behind our lower end of back chest wall (posterior thoracic wall).

The kidneys have multiple functions. To name a few, the regulation of blood pressure, removing waste/toxins, maintaining electrolyte balance, red cell production, and regulating bone health.

We do not normally feel unwell from kidney injuries/damages, in fact, we may not feel unwell until we have lost 90% of our kidney function.

Kidney problem can affect any age group, young or old. One in three people is at risk of developing kidney problems, and less than 10% of population are aware that they have kidney disease/injury (source: Kidney Health Australia).

How do we look after our kidneys?

Put simply, looking after your kidneys similar to looking after your heart and blood pressure. You can reduce the risk of kidney disease by developing healthy eating habits, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, keeping well hydrated and avoiding excessive alcohol  consumption. If you are on medications, check  with your GP that they do not affect the kidney functions.

As part of the health check, there are some simple blood and urine tests which are performed alongside a physical examination by your GP to determine your kidney health.

Monitoring kidney health is particularly more important in people who have or at risk of cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus, are overweight, or for those who are taking multiple medications. Members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are also at higher risk.

For those who do not have existing health conditions, it is also essential to have your kidney  health looked at , for the aforementioned reasons.

We can treat kidney disease if we make the effort to have them checked early.

CARE FOR YOUR KIDNEYS – BOOK A HEALTH CHECK UP TODAY.

For more information about Dr Sir-Kit Leong, or to book an appointment, click here.