What is the difference between Oncologist and Nephrologist?
Very often people get confused between the nephrologist and the oncologist as they both treat the kidney related disorders. Some people have a misconception that there is no difference between a urologist and a nephrologist. There is a very significant difference between the two as the urologist is concerned with dealing the functional structure of the kidney while nephrologist treats the diseases affecting the kidneys. Let us understand the difference between them.
Urologist
A urologist is a doctor responsible for diagnosing and treating the kidney diseases along with the diseases of the urinary tract. Unlike the nephrology doctors, they perform the surgery whenever required. They largely focus on treating the anatomical and structural problems of the kidneys. The urologist is qualified to perform surgery and outpatient medical procedures to correct the specific conditions. They treat the diseases affecting the following organs of the human body-
- Kidneys
- Ureters
- Bladder
- Urethra
- Adrenal
- Penis
- Prostate gland
- Testicles
Nephrologist
The doctor who deals with the diagnosis and management of kidneys diseases is called a nephrologist. They prescribe nonsurgical medical treatments for these disorders. There are several diseases mentioned below which are treated by the nephrologist.
- Fluid and electrolyte disorders
- Acid-base disorders
- Kidney stones
- Glomerular diseases
- Tubulointerstitial diseases
- Mineral metabolism
- Acute kidney disease
- Acute renal failure
- Chronic kidney diseases
- Chronic renal failure
- End-stage renal disease and dialysis
The treatments that are provided the nephrology doctor to treat these diseases are as follows-
- They consistently monitor the blood pressure of the patient.
- Balancing the level of fluid and electrolyte in the body of the patient
- Providing the dialysis treatment to the patient
- Prescribing medication for hypertension and kidney disease.
Conclusion
To sum up we can say that both types of doctors are very different from each other with respect to the diseases cured and the type of the treatment provided. However, sometimes they both need to work together to treat the severe diseases of the patient if they have overlapping disorders.
So we hope that now with this blog you are able to understand the difference between the two. In case you have any other urology or nephrology query send us your comments through the comment box provided below.
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