Dear Doctors: A recent blood test showed my creatinine levels are a bit high. My doctor said it's something we need to watch because that can be a symptom of chronic kidney disease. Is high creatinine really that big of a deal? What can you do to take care of your kidneys and get lower numbers?

Dear Reader: When it comes to general health, kidney function isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Factors such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and cardiovascular health all get top billing. But those two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist, play an integral role in keeping us alive.

Located just above the hips, one on each side of the spine, our kidneys have multiple roles in keeping us healthy. Among the most important is to remove waste from the blood. More than 7 gallons of blood pass through the kidneys' intricate filtration system every hour. They also remove excess water from the tissues of the body, manufacture and excrete urine, release hormones that help regular blood pressure, play a role in bone health and the production of red blood cells, and maintain electrolyte balances that allow nerves, muscles and other tissues to function properly.

Creatinine, which is a waste product produced by the muscles, gets filtered out by the kidneys. Your blood test result got flagged because a buildup of creatinine in the blood can be a sign of impaired kidney function. This can lead to chronic kidney disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 15% of people in the United States are living with chronic kidney disease. And because this can be a silent disease with no symptoms until the condition becomes severe, up to 90% are not aware of it. As you can tell from these numbers, your question about how to improve and maintain kidney health is an important one.

The good news is that some easy lifestyle choices can help you maintain kidney health. The top two causes of chronic kidney disease are high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. That makes managing blood pressure and blood glucose levels a top priority. Someone diagnosed with these conditions should be vigilant about any medications they have been prescribed to manage them.

As with so many areas of good health, food also plays an important role. To keep your kidneys in top form, you should make it a priority to eat a diet high in fresh vegetables, fruit, leafy greens, lean proteins, beans, nuts, legumes, oily fish and healthful fats, and low in processed foods and added sugars. Regular exercise is important, as is staying adequately hydrated.

Some over-the-counter pain meds and anti-inflammatories can adversely affect kidney health. So can certain nutritional supplements and herbal remedies. Discuss the use of any of these with your doctor. It's also important to stop smoking and limit the use of alcohol.

While a single high creatinine reading doesn't automatically equal kidney problems, it's important to listen to your doctor and keep this on your radar.

(Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10960 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1955, Los Angeles, CA, 90024. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.)

Dear Doctors: My wife has been diagnosed with something called Eagle syndrome. Not a lot of medical providers in our area treat this type of illness. Any information you can give about it, including what treatments are available and which specialists we should see, would be helpful.

Dear Reader: Eagle syndrome is somewhat rare, so it's not surprising that finding information, treatment and support have been a challenge. The condition occurs in about 1 in 62,000 people, and it is seen three times more often in women as in men.

Someone living with Eagle syndrome experiences sharp and sudden nerve pain in the neck, throat, tongue, mouth and face. Additional symptoms can include difficulty swallowing, changes to speech, headache, tinnitus, the sensation of something stuck in the throat and pain when turning the head or when chewing.

To understand Eagle syndrome, we should begin with anatomy. There's a needlelike spur of bone in the lower part of the skull known as the styloid process. It is located near that hollow you can feel behind the earlobe, where the lower jaw abuts the throat. A ligament connects the styloid process to a small U-shaped bone in the jaw, known as the hyoid bone. Together, these three structures form a mechanism that facilitates movement of the tongue, voice box and throat, and plays an important role in swallowing and speech.

Eagle syndrome can occur when the styloid process is too long, or if the ligament connecting it to the hyoid bone becomes calcified. Hormonal changes in women, neck injury and the effects of throat surgery, such as tonsillectomy, have also been proposed as causes. Because this region of the body contains important arteries, another form of Eagle syndrome can result in the localized compression of certain blood vessels.

The primary treatment for the condition is surgery. It has been shown to have very good results. Known as a styloidectomy, or a styloid reduction, it involves reducing the size of the bone. There are several variations of this procedure, including an endoscopic procedure and one that can be done under local anesthesia. The entry point for the surgery can be through the mouth or the neck. While surgery via an incision in the neck is considered to offer the best access to the structures involved, it can leave a scar.

Before choosing surgery, some patients opt to manage the symptoms of the condition. This includes the use of pain medications, steroid injections and alternative medicines. Someone who chooses to manage the condition can work with their primary medical care provider, who can prescribe the appropriate medications, provide guidance about how to use them and monitor their efficacy and safety over time.

When surgery becomes the preferred route, it is important to find a qualified surgeon. In your case, you have indicated that this means going outside of your immediate community. Begin with an appointment with an otolaryngologist. They can confirm your wife's diagnosis, help her explore her options and recommend a surgeon with appropriate experience.

(Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10960 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1955, Los Angeles, CA, 90024. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.)

Dear Doctors: My husband and I were clearing weeds when I felt a sharp jab on my leg. I thought the weed whacker had kicked up a rock, but it was a bite from a fire ant. The pain was severe, as was the reaction. I got a huge lump, blisters and bright red skin. What can you do for fire ant bites?

Dear Reader: Fire ants are native to South America. More than a century ago, the first of the two species now found in the United States arrived aboard a cargo ship in Mobile, Alabama. Black fire ants arrived in 1918, while red fire ants, also shipboard stowaways, were first observed in the late 1930s. At this time, fire ants inhabit the southeastern and southwestern states, much of California and some of lower Oregon. They spread into new areas by expanding their colonies and are introduced in transported agricultural products.

Both species are extremely aggressive when disturbed. Touch or kick a nest, and the ants respond with a rapid vertical climb, during which they sting their target, often multiple times. They fasten themselves to the skin by clamping down with their powerful jaws, then inject a painful venom into the flesh with the stinger located on their hind end.

The venom can elicit a strong and prolonged immune response. In cases of an allergy, as with a bee sting, the effects of the bite can become life-threatening. However, this is rare.

The symptoms you described are typical of a fire ant bite. The initial stinging pain of the bite is followed by a painful burning sensation from the venom in the sting, which gives the ants their name. The area around the bite quickly becomes inflamed and dotted with itchy red bumps. Within a day, the bumps develop into fluid-filled blisters.

Because a single fire ant can bite and sting multiple times, people are advised to immediately and briskly rub them off of the skin. At the same time, step away from the area where you have received the bite, as additional ants may have been disturbed and can also respond with an attack. Wash the area to get ahead of possible infection.

Over-the-counter antihistamines can help blunt the initial effects of the bite. Hydrocortisone cream and ice packs can also ease pain and swelling. In most cases, swelling is localized to the bite and resolves in a few days. If symptoms don't respond to over-the-counter medications, your doctor may advise prescription-strength versions.

The pustules that form around a fire ant bite last a week or more. Infection is possible, so it is important to care for them as you would any wound. This includes keeping the area protected, clean and free from dirt.

When any kind of insect bite causes a severe allergic reaction, it's vital to seek immediate attention. Symptoms include noisy or labored breathing, excessive sweating, nausea, hives or welts, dizziness, unusual weakness, swelling of the face or eyes, slurred speech or chest pain.

(Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10960 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1955, Los Angeles, CA, 90024. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.)