CANTON, NY. St. Lawrence Health's Nephrology and Hypertension specialist Birinder Singh, MD, FRCPC, is now seeing patients at the EJ Noble Professional Building, 80 East Main Street, Canton. He is the Chief of Medicine at Massena Hospital, where he also sees patients and has been a provider since 2017.

As a Nephrologist, Dr. Singh assists patients in managing their kidney disease, which is not something they should do on their own. He pointed out that kidney disease does not exhibit symptoms unless it is advanced to the point when you need dialysis.

"My job as a nephrologist is to prevent you from getting to the stage of needing dialysis," he said. "We monitor your kidney function through blood tests and can track any decline over the years to see what changes we need to make to alter the course of the organ's functionality."

Dr. Singh also sees patients with genetic kidney disease or kidney stones that require medical management and assists patients who have concerns with their electrolyte levels. He further adjusts their medications based on their kidney function and discusses their diet with them.

"There is lot of advancement in the world of kidney disease with a focus on preventing you from beginning dialysis," Dr. Singh said. "An early referral to a nephrologist is of paramount importance. A referral from your primary care provider is typically the right approach, as seeing your prior health history helps me come to a definitive diagnosis and help manage your kidney problems thoroughly."

To learn more about Dr. Singh, visit https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/providers/birinder-singh, and for nephrology services through St. Lawrence Health, visit https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/nephrology