Our kidneys perform several important functions, including:

* Removing waste products from the blood and passing them into the urine.
* Regulating fluid and balancing electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and bicarbonate.
* Helping regulate blood pressure.
* Releasing hormones into the blood, which control red blood cell production and calcium/phosphorus metabolism.

Thirteen million people, or approximately one in every 20 Americans, are affected by kidney disease, and over 300,000 are currently undergoing artificial kidney treatments. Kidney disease can be caused by such chronic conditions as diabetes, hypertension, and prostate disease, or such temporary conditions as glomerulonephritis. Doctors may be alerted to possible kidney disease by abnormalities seen on blood urine tests, such as protein or blood in the urine. Early and adequate treatment can preserve kidney function.

Kidney stones occur for many reasons and are usually formed from deposits of calcium or urates. Stones can develop in people regardless of their age, sex, or family history. While some individuals develop kidney stones only infrequently, others suffer recurring or chronic kidney stones.

The causes of kidney stones vary depending on the type of stone, but they are most often caused by abnormalities in the urine composition.

There are four common types of kidney stones:

* Calcium
* Uric Acid
* Struvite (infected)
* Cystine

Kidney stones can be prevented with proper therapy. For those with a history of kidney stones, early diagnosis of the cause and effective treatment can prevent recurrence and reduce pain and the need for surgery. In some patients, changes in diet and medication may be all that is necessary to reduce or eliminate the future occurrence of kidney stones

Only a few simple tests are necessary to determine the appropriate treatment for chronic kidney stones.

They are:

* Blood Screening
* 24-Hour Urine Test
* Stone Analysis

These tests are conducted on an outpatient basis and are very effective in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney stones.

A simple change in lifestyle may prevent the recurrence of kidney stones and improve your quality of life. Prevention of future kidney stone attacks may be accomplished by:

* A specialized diet
* Changes in fluid intake
* Medication

Over 50 million Americans suffer from hypertension, a disease often referred to as the "silent killer."

Major complications of hypertension include stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure. Early detection and adequate therapy are essential in preventing these and other complications. Treatment may include medication or simple changes in lifestyle. Physicians at Nephrology Associates are experts in treating patients with difficult-to-control hypertension.

Bone is made of organic matter and minerals - principally calcium and phosphorus. Bone stores calcium and releases it to the blood stream as needed. The regulation of calcium is extremely tight and is important to many biological functions, such as blood clotting and muscle function. Therefore, healthy bones and adequate storage of calcium in the skeleton is essential.

In addition to its principal role as a supportive structure, the skeleton is a living organ, undergoing continuous rebuilding to remain strong and functional. It takes approximately three months for the body to completely rebuild one bone unit. At any point in time, thousands of bone units are undergoing different stages of rebuilding. Changes in body hormonal status, age, postmenopausal state, diet, alcohol consumption, and other genetic alterations can dramatically affect this process, resulting in changes in bone composition and strength.

Changes in bone building can have many causes - certain medications, diseases (such as lupus, arthritis, malabsorption or kidney failure), diet, age, genetic factors, or alterations in hormonal status.

These changes in bone building can lead to a variety of disorders including:

* osteoporosis, a loss of bone mass,
* Paget's disease, in which bone increases in size and can become painful and warm to touch,
* hypercalcemia or hypocalcemia, high or low serum calcium,
* hypermagnesemia or hypomagnesemia, high or low serum magnesium,
* rickets or osteomalacia, a bowing and softening of bone,
* and rare skeletal disorders such as hypophosphatemic rickets, osteogenesis imperfecta, or hypophosphatasia.

At the Bone and Mineral Metabolism Center, our diagnostic approach includes:

* Complete history and physical examination
* Dietary, x-ray, bone density, and laboratory evaluation
* If necessary, a bone biopsy to determine the source of the problem and specifically define the treatment

Following a thorough examination, we carefully develop a treatment plan. In most cases, treatment for bone disorders consists of medication and changes in the patient's diet/lifestyle. In some cases, we advise physical therapy, as well as an ongoing exercise program. The evaluation and treatment of bone and mineral metabolism disorders are done mainly on an outpatient basis.

Some of the most common types and causes of kidney disease are:

The leading cause of serious kidney disease. Over time, having too much glucose in the blood can damage blood vessels and cause kidney disease.

Another common cause of kidney disease. When high blood pressure is controlled, the risk of kidney disease is decreased.

They are very common and have many possible causes. Treatment can include medications and alteration in diet.

These infections can sometimes spread to and damage the kidneys.

These usually involve a problem that occurs while a baby is developing in its mother's womb. One of the most common is reflux, where urine backs up into the kidneys causing infections and sometimes kidney damage.

A disease that causes inflammation of the kidney's filtering units. Glomerulonephritis may happen suddenly after a strep throat, and the individual may get well again. However, it may develop slowly over several years and cause progressive loss of kidney function.

Chronic kidney failure is a major health problem in the United States. Early detection and treatment can prevent or delay its progression.

Osteoporosis is a bone-weakening disease that causes bones to break easily. As many as one in two women and one in five men will suffer a fracture due to osteoporosis. Each year, in the United States, osteoporosis leads to more than 1.5 million fractures, typically of the hip and spine. Osteoporosis is sometimes called a "silent" disease because it is often not discovered until a fracture occurs.

Risk factors that increase your chances of developing osteoporosis are:

* Low dietary calcium intake
* Early or post-menopausal women
* Inactive lifestyle
* Advanced age
* Small, thin frame
* Family history of osteoporosis
* Use of certain medications
* Smoking
* Excessive alcohol intake

It is important to take action now to find out your risk for developing osteoporosis. A physician can help you determine whether you should have a bone density test which can measure your bone mineral density or bone mass.

There are treatments available which can slow bone loss and prevent fractures caused by osteoporosis.

Risk factors for hypertension:

* Obesity
* High sodium intake
* Excessive alcohol consumption
* Use of oral contraceptives
* Sedentary life-style
* Family history
* History of kidney disease