Nephrology in Higashicho

Nephrology is a branch of medicine that deals with the kidneys, specifically normal kidney function, the preservation of kidney health, kidney disease, and the treatment of kidney disease. A physician who specializes in the care and treatment of kidney disease is called a nephrologist. 

Some of the most common conditions nephrologist treat are as follows:

• Advanced or chronic kidney disease
• Tubulointerstitial kidney diseases
• Tubular defects
• Glomerular conditions, such as nephrotic syndrome and glomerulonephritis
• Kidney infections
• Kidney vascular conditions
• Kidney neoplasms
• High blood pressure
• Structural or functional abnormalities of the kidney, urine collection system, or bladder
• Vasculitis
• Electrolyte, fluid, and acid-base imbalances or disturbances
• Autoimmune conditions that involve the kidneys

Nephrologists can perform a wide range of tests, procedures, and treatments. These include:

• Blood tests, including serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate, and blood urea nitrogen.
• Urine tests, including urinalysis, 24-hour urine test, creatinine clearance, and microalbuminuria.
• Imaging tests of the kidneys, such as CT scans, ultrasounds, or X-rays.
• Dialysis, including placement of the dialysis catheter.
• Kidney biopsy.
• Kidney transplants.

How Long Should I Stay in Higashicho?

After laboratory tests (blood and urine tests) and imaging tests, you should be able to leave the hospital right away, while with biopsy, you may need to stay overnight. However, you may need to stay in Higashicho for a few more days to wait for the results. Once the results are ready, your nephrologist will explain them during a follow-up appointment. After kidney transplants, you usually need to stay in the hospital for 5 to 10 days and stay for 7 to 14 more days in Higashicho. During your stay, ensure to attend all of the scheduled follow-up checkups with your nephrologist. 

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

Recovery time depends on the type of procedure you underwent. For laboratory and imaging tests, you should be able to resume your normal daily activities immediately, though your nephrologist may advise you to rest for the remainder of the day. After a biopsy, avoid strenuous activity for 2 to 3 days. Since a kidney transplant is a major surgery, the recovery time until you can return to work and other normal activities may take around 8 weeks.

What Aftercare is Required?

Your nephrologist will give you aftercare instructions that you will need to follow and you will also need to make healthy lifestyle changes to maintain the health of your kidney after treatment. You will need to attend regular checkups to check how well your new kidney is working and also will be taking medication for the rest of your life, including drugs called immunosuppressant’s to help keep your immune system from rejecting and attacking your new kidney.

What's the Success Rate?

As the field of nephrology continues to advance, the outcomes of tests and treatments are constantly improving. This means that patients now have more chances to be diagnosed early and receive successful treatments. The success rate for nephrology procedures is proven to be generally high. For example, 93% of kidney transplants are working at the end of the 1st year. However, every procedure always comes with risks, such as infection, excessive bleeding, and damage to other organs.  

Are there Alternatives?

There is no alternative to seeing a nephrologist if you have kidney problems. If your condition is found to be caused by problems in other organs, your nephrologist may work with or refer you to the relevant specialist.

Nephrology in and around Higashicho

About Higashicho

Higashicho is an area in Koganei, a city located in the western part of Tokyo, Japan. Due to its ease of access to Tokyo and more affordable prices, Higashicho is frequented by tourists who wish to stay in a quiet and affordable accommodation than the ones in the center of Tokyo. Today, the area is also frequented by medical tourists looking for high-quality treatments in Japan. The clinics and hospitals in this area are known to have top quality services, reasonably priced treatments, state-of-the-art medical technology, as well as well-trained and licensed medical professionals.

Popular Parts of Higashicho

The most popular attraction near Higashicho is Koganei Park, which is a huge park with many different attractions. The park has free outdoor basketball courts, baseball fields, and tennis courts. It also has large open areas, perfect for those who want to go picnic or throw Frisbees. You can also find barbeque pits for rent. The park is also a good spot for plum blossom viewing in February and cherry blossom viewing in March. In fact, it is listed in the top 100 cherry blossom spots in Japan.

The park is also home to Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, a museum of historic Japanese buildings. This museum is a branch of the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryōgoku, Tokyo. The museum includes numerous buildings, from the middle-class ordinary Japanese houses to the homes of the powerful and wealthy, such as the residence of Takahashi Korekiyo, Japan’s former prime minister. In this museum, visitors can enter and explore various traditional Japanese buildings of different periods, styles, and purposes.

Transport in Higashicho

Since there is no international airport in Higashicho and Koganei, most international tourists arrive at the Narita International Airport. This airport serves domestic and international flights to numerous cities around the world.

Visas in Higashicho

Holders of passports issued by 66 countries, including all EU countries, Australia, the US, and the UAE, can visit and stay in Japan without a visa for up to 90 days. Most other countries not listed in the visa-free policy need to obtain a visa prior to arrival. Budget airlines, including Jetstar Japan, operates flights from this airport. Medical tourists can arrive in Koganei by train by taking the JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku west from thirty minutes, then take a taxi or bus to Higashicho.

Weather in Higashicho

Higashicho has four seasons. The summer (June to August) is hot and humid, with a lot of rainfall. Autumn (September to November) has mild weather with less humidity. November is the peak typhoon season. Winter (December to February) is dry, sunny, and cold, but the temperature rarely drops below 0°C. Spring (March to May) has pleasant weather and clear skies.

Additional Info

1. Local Currency: Japanese Yen (JPY) is the local currency. 1 USD is approx. 106 JPY.
2. Money & Payments: ATMs can be found around the area. Credit cards are not always accepted, so always bring cash with you. Tipping is not mandatory.
3. Local Language: Japanese is the official language. English is not widely spoken, except in tourist areas.
4. Local Culture and Religion: The main religion in the area is Shintoism and Buddhism. There is also a small group of Christian.
5. Public Holidays: Emperor’s Birthday, Children’s Day, and Constitution Memorial Day are some of the public holidays celebrated in Higashicho.