5 things you must know before a kidney exam, 90% of people do it wrong

Kidney examination is crucial to assess kidney health. Whether it is to identify potential diseases or monitor the progression of chronic kidney disease, accurate kidney examination results can provide doctors with key diagnostic evidence. However, many people do not understand the precautions before kidney examination, which leads to deviations in test results and affects the judgment of the condition. The following 5 things you must know before kidney examination are easy to get wrong by 90% of people, so you must pay attention to them.

1. Diet control

You should maintain a light diet 3 days before the kidney examination. Avoid eating high-protein foods such as meat, beans, and dairy products. A large amount of high-protein diet will increase the burden on the kidneys, temporarily increase the urine protein content, and interfere with the accuracy of the test results. For example, a patient ate a lot of beef the day before the kidney examination, and the urine protein test was weakly positive. The patient returned to normal after strictly controlling his diet during the reexamination. At the same time, you should reduce the intake of high-salt foods. A high-salt diet will affect blood pressure and the water and sodium metabolism of the kidneys, which may cause edema and blood pressure fluctuations, and interfere with the assessment of kidney function. Pickles and pickled products should be avoided.

2. Medication Adjustment

Many drugs will affect the results of kidney examinations. If you are taking antibiotics, antipyretics, analgesics, antihypertensive drugs, hypoglycemic drugs, etc., be sure to inform your doctor. Taking antibiotics as an example, some antibiotics may cause an increase in renal function indicators such as blood creatinine and urea nitrogen, interfering with the judgment of the true function of the kidneys. Some patients stop taking the medicine on their own, which is also wrong. Random discontinuation of antihypertensive drugs, hypoglycemic drugs, etc. may cause large fluctuations in blood pressure and blood sugar, bringing more serious consequences. The correct approach is to decide whether to adjust the drug dosage or change the examination time according to the specific condition under the guidance of a doctor.

3. Urine Collection

Collecting urine samples may seem simple, but there are actually many things to pay attention to. It is generally recommended to use morning urine, which is the first urine after getting up in the morning. After being concentrated overnight, the concentration of various components in morning urine is higher, which is more conducive to detecting abnormalities. When collecting, you must first clean the urethral opening to prevent secretions from mixing into the urine and affecting the results. In addition, midstream urine should be retained, that is, a part of the urine is discharged first, and then the middle section is collected in a clean container. The front urine may be contaminated by bacteria at the external urethral opening, and the back urine is easily affected by impurities in the bladder. Many people fail to collect urine according to regulations, resulting in false increases in indicators such as white blood cells and bacteria in the urine, misleading diagnosis.

4. Work and rest rules

A few days before the kidney examination, be sure to get enough sleep and avoid staying up late. Staying up late will disrupt the body's biological clock, affect endocrine and metabolic functions, and thus affect the normal physiological activities of the kidneys. Studies have shown that if you stay up late for more than 3 consecutive days, the kidney's detoxification function may fluctuate, which is reflected in the examination indicators, such as abnormally high values ​​of creatinine and uric acid. In addition, overwork is also not advisable. Avoid strenuous exercise or heavy physical labor before the kidney examination to keep the body in a relatively stable state to ensure that the examination results can truly reflect the condition of the kidneys.

5. Psychological Adjustment

Many people feel nervous and anxious when facing a kidney examination, but they don't know that this negative emotion may also affect the test results. Excessive mental tension can cause sympathetic nerve excitement, leading to increased blood pressure and faster heartbeat, which in turn affects renal blood perfusion and renal function indicators. For example, some patients were overly nervous before a kidney examination, and their blood pressure rose sharply, causing abnormal fluctuations in the normal kidney function test results. Therefore, try to relax before a kidney examination. You can relieve tension by listening to music, taking a walk, etc., and keep a calm mind to accept the examination.

These details before the kidney examination are directly related to the accuracy of the examination results. Only by making adequate preparations can the kidney examination results truly reflect the health of the kidneys and provide a reliable basis for subsequent diagnosis and treatment.

I hope this article gives you a clear idea of ​​what to look out for before a kidney exam. If you have any other ideas, like wanting to add a case study, or wanting to elaborate on a point in more depth, feel free to let me know.