What Is A Kidney Cyst?
A kidney cyst is defined as a pouch that forms in your kidney and is filled with fluid. There can just be one cyst on one of your kidneys or even multiple cysts on both kidneys. While they can become dangerous, by impairing the function of your kidneys or be the result of a more serious disorder, you should know that most are usually harmless. A kidney specialist on Long Island can alert you on the severity of your cyst by determining if it is one of the two types of cysts:
- “Simple” Kidney Cysts – These cysts are noncancerous, and can usually be identified by their thin walls and water-like fluid. These cysts do not damage your kidney functions.
- Polycystic Kidney Disease – PKD, an inherited condition, causes multiple cysts to form on your kidneys. This can cause damage to your kidneys as they continue to grow.
How Do I Know If I Have Cyst?
Oftentimes, you may not experience any symptoms of a kidney cyst. If the cyst is continuously growing though, the size of it may begin to lead to pressure on nearby organs. You may be suffering from a simple cyst if you experience the following symptoms:
- Dull pain in the back or side
- Fever
- Experiencing pain or swelling in your upper abdomen
- Frequent urination (more often than normal)
- Dark colored urine
- Blood in your urine
While most of the symptoms remain the same, PKD may cause symptoms such as:
- High blood pressure
- Pain in back and side
- Blood in your urine
Why You Should Get Tested:
If you suspect that you are suffering from a kidney cyst, getting tested should be your first priority. A kidney specialist on Long Island can diagnose you, and then determine how to proceed with treatment. If you ignore the signs and allow the cyst to grow large enough it could become as big as a tennis ball. This can lead to further complications, other than just pain or discomfort. Other complications may include:
- An infection within the cyst
- The cyst bursting
- The cyst causes a blockage of urine out of the kidney
- High blood pressure.
For those suffering from PKD, if left untreated, it will often lead to kidney failure by the age of 60.
The Diagnosis:
In order to conduct testing on your possible kidney cyst, a kidney specialist on Long Island will likely choose from the following image tests:
- CT Scan (computed tomography)
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging
- Ultrasound
Treatment:
In rare cases, after the diagnosis, your doctor may suggest sclerotherapy (draining of the cyst) or even surgery. Typically though, if it is a simple cyst, it is not causing much harm. Your kidney specialist on Long Island will then recommend that you continue to get tested every 6 to 12 months to keep an eye on its size. If it does not get any larger you won’t have to take any serious action.
If you believe you are suffering from a kidney cyst, there is a kidney specialist on Long Island who can help! At PRINE Health, we realize that kidney care is often overlooked. That is why we’ve created a network of nephrologists to help create an integrative team approach to healthcare. With an extensive list of providers, there is no doubt that we can help treat your kidney cyst! Visit our website to schedule an appointment with a nearby provider today!
