Most of us aren’t aware of our kidneys and their functioning – yet 14–15% of people worldwide will suffer from some form of kidney disease in their lifetime.
That means that more than 5 million South Africans could be living with the condition.
In this episode of The Health Wrap podcast, multimedia medical consultant Dr Darren Green speaks to Mediclinic nephrologist Dr Mitesh Singh about how to prevent kidney disease.
And what happens if you’ve already been diagnosed with kidney disease? Dr Singh unpacks how to improve your quality of life if you’ve been told that you have this condition.
Some notable moments:
[00:00:23] Where and what are your kidneys
[00:02:10] The expertise of a nephrologist
[00:03:00] Why kidney disease is on the rise
[00:04:40] How to prevent kidney disease
[00:06:19] Risk factors for kidney disease
[00:08:40] Why kidney disease is called “the silent killer” and signs to look out for
[00:10:00] Where to go for screening for kidney disease
[00:11:21] How to take ownership of your kidney disease diagnosis
[00:13:09] What is acute kidney disease
[00:14:55] How acute kidney disease is treated
[00:16:27] The role of dialysis
[00:17:44] How dialysis work
[00:19:38] What to expect from your dialysis treatment plan
[00:21:52] For how long would you need to stay on dialysis
[00:23:34] What to expect at Mediclinic Pietermaritzburg’s renal unit