A nephrologist is a kidney specialist. Nephrologists are experts in diseases that affect the kidneys and also know how kidney disease or dysfunction can affect other parts of the body. They diagnose, treat, and prevent conditions and diseases related to the kidneys. They specialize in treating people whose kidneys are at or near failure or those with kidney disease and hypertension. Nephrologists treat a variety of health issues such as:

• Glomerulonephritis
• Hypertension
• Kidney disease (including acute and chronic cases as well as diabetic nephropathy)
• Kidney stones
• Renal failure (the kidneys’ inability to filter waste from the blood)
• Renal obstruction (caused by kidney stones, tumours, etc.)
• Kidney cancer