With the onset of cold weather, the risk of catching a cold kidney increases significantly. No one is safe from infections, and treatment is usually long and expensive. But if it was not possible to avoid inflammation, it is necessary to find out which medicines help best with inflammation of the kidneys. The right choice of components of the treatment regimen will facilitate both the work of the doctor and the process of recovery for the patient.
General information about inflammation of the kidneys
Inflammatory processes in the kidneys have many types and causes. The most common type of kidney inflammation is pyelonephritis. This disease affects two-thirds of all urological patients. There are other diseases: glomerulonephritis, renal colic, kidney stones. Most of these dangerous pathologies require long and complex treatment, and their occurrence is not always possible to prevent (for example, glomerulonephritis is largely an inherited disease and can lead to complete failure of one or both organs).
Pyelonephritis may appearagainst the background of any functional or organic causes that prevent the outflow of urine. If the patient often has inflammatory processes in the kidneys or reduced immunity, pyelonephritis is almost guaranteed to him. Additional factors stimulating the development of this disease can be considered frequent hypothermia, a history of cystitis or diabetes mellitus.
Pyelonephritis can develop both in the form of acute inflammation and in the form of chronic. The chronic form of the disease has a relapsing character, while the acute form occurs once and after treatment does not appear again. Also, the disease can affect both one or both kidneys at once. One should not think that the inflammatory process of one organ will be easier than the inflammation of both. As a rule, if one of the kidneys is infected, the other will soon become infected.
Often, pyelonephritis begins completely asymptomatically, and the question of what to drink with inflammation of the kidneys catches the patient in the midst of the pathological process. In other cases, the symptoms begin with pain in the lower back, sometimes the body temperature rises to 38-39 degrees. In this case, the symptoms will depend on the form of the disease. Acute is characterized by a sharp increase in temperature, dull pain, in some cases, nausea or vomiting. The patient's urine turns red.
Chronic pyelonephritis in most cases is the result of poorly treated acute pyelonephritis. In 30% of cases, a disease that does not receive propertreatment, flows into a chronic form, periodically recurring, causing pain to the patient and requiring the use of antibiotics during each exacerbation. It is extremely difficult to cure chronic inflammation of the kidneys, it takes time, effort and money. Often the patient stops at the fact that during exacerbations he undergoes a course of treatment, transfers the disease into remission and continues to live on.
In some cases, chronic pyelonephritis is discovered by chance in the study of urine, as the patient prefers to experience the symptoms that occur during exacerbations without going to the doctor. Symptoms of chronic pyelonephritis can be confused with other diseases, as it is characterized by weakness, loss of appetite, headaches and subfebrile temperature. In some cases, a person has an increase in urination. All these symptoms can be taken as the onset of colds, as well as for cystitis or exacerbation of renal colic. Therefore, if such symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor and undergo diagnostic procedures.
Diagnosis and treatment of pyelonephritis is carried out by a nephrologist. Self-administration of drugs for inflammation of the kidneys can lead to very dire consequences, including abscesses, sepsis or kidney failure. You also need to remember that antibiotics are sold strictly by prescription, and therefore it is imperative to visit a doctor before starting treatment.
Treatment of disease
Since pyelonephritis is a disease of a bacterial nature, antibiotics will be the drugs of choice. The specific group of drugs will be determined based on the sensitivity of the infection in the kidney. However, in addition to antibiotics, other drugs are used in the treatment. The choice of pills for inflammation of the kidneys is large and you should take a closer look at all the options offered by the pharmaceutical market.
In some cases, the patient may try to treat the inflammatory process without the use of pharmaceuticals. In this case, various methods of traditional medicine are used, including herbal infusions and compresses. The effectiveness of these treatments is questionable, but some of them can be used as maintenance therapy.
Let's take a closer look at the most popular drugs used in the treatment of kidney inflammation. Two groups of medicines that are always present in treatment regimens are antimicrobials and painkillers.
Antibiotics
The main group of drugs chosen for the treatment of pyelonephritis. To select a specific drug, it is necessary to study the sensitivity of a particular pathogen. But often this does not happen, since the process of determining the sensitivity takes a long time. The doctor is trying to find the right drug, using already defined therapy regimens. The most commonly used drugs for inflammation of the kidneys are the antibiotics Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin and Cephalexin.
If clinically indicated, the doctor may prescribe other drugsantimicrobial range. In particular, with a pronounced inflammatory process, the choice of antibiotics in injections is more preferable: Ceftriaxone or Cefotaxime. But the introduction of these drugs requires a careful study of the he alth status of each patient individually. The treatment regimen using intramuscular or intravenous injections can vary significantly from patient to patient.
Ciprofloxacin
An antibacterial drug from the group of fluoroquinolones, has a pronounced activity in the treatment of kidney diseases. Dosages of "Ciprofloxacin" are produced at 500 mg and 750 mg. In the treatment of pyelonephritis, a dosage of 500 mg is used, which is taken twice a day for a week.
But in the case of complicated pyelonephritis, "Ciprofloxacin" 500 mg is replaced by a higher dosage of 750 mg, which is taken according to the same scheme: twice a day for a week.
The drug has a very good antimicrobial effect, but for some categories of patients, the cons may outweigh the pros. The group of fluoroquinolones has a rather extensive list of side effects, many of which seriously affect he alth.
It is not recommended to use the drug for pregnant and lactating women, children (including children with cystic fibrosis), patients with pseudomembranous colitis, epilepsy and a history of renal failure. Also, "Ciprofloxacin" is incompatible with the drug tizanidine. Therefore, those who take this drug,treatment with Ciprofloxacin should be discontinued.
But, despite all its shortcomings, "Ciprofloxacin" remains the most effective remedy for inflammation of the kidneys. In addition, it is quite inexpensive and is marketed under many trade names: "Tsiprolet", "Tsiproks", "Sifloks" and others.
Levofloxacin
This substance belongs to the same group as "Ciprofloxacin", and therefore has the same negative effects. It is available both in the form of tablets and in the form of injections. The standard regimen for treatment with Levofloxacin is 200-700 mg twice a day. But if necessary, the doctor can adjust the scheme in accordance with the dynamics in the treatment.
The drug has a bactericidal effect. This means that when it enters the body, it kills the bacterial cell, and not just inhibits its reproduction. The spectrum of action of "Levofloxacin" is very wide, it has an effect on both gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms.
But along with a wide spectrum of action, Levofloxacin also has a large list of side effects recorded by patients when taken. These are allergic reactions, which manifest themselves primarily as skin rashes, and problems of the nervous system. On the part of the gastrointestinal tract, patients note frequent urge to vomit and diarrhea. The hematopoietic system may also respond negatively to treatment with Levofloxacin.
Levofloxacin is produced undertrade names "Leflox", "Levofloxacin" and others.
Despite their downsides, fluoroquinolones are the most commonly used antibiotics for kidney inflammation. But this group can also be prescribed for other types of infections, including infections of the gastrointestinal tract and upper respiratory tract. This is a universal group of drugs that, with care, can help a person to heal.
Cephalexin
"Cephalexin" is the oldest medicine for inflammation of the kidneys. It belongs to the group of first generation cephalosporins. But its age does not mean that the drug has lost its position as one of the leaders in the treatment of kidney inflammation. Taking "Cefalexin" successfully slows down the deterioration of the kidney and prevents the transition of the disease to a more difficult stage for a person.
"Cefalexin" is produced under the following names: "Sporidex", "Cefalexin-AKOS", "Cefaklen", "Ospeksin".
The drug is taken as standard according to the scheme three times or twice a day. When taken at a dosage of 1 gram of cephalexin, the multiplicity is three times a day, while 3 grams require two doses.
But in the group of cephalosporins, you can find other antibiotics that can be used in the treatment of inflammation of the kidneys. This is a later generation of drugs of the group, in pharmacies they can be found under the names Zinnat, Klarofan, Cefalotin. All these drugs have the same indications and contraindications as Cefalexin. But you should know that with each new generation, these drugs have become more specific and the last of the developed drugs act on a much smaller number of microorganisms.
Painkillers
Despite the fact that painkillers for inflammation of the kidneys serve only to correct the symptoms, without affecting the development of the disease itself, they are an important part of the treatment process. With inflammatory diseases of the kidneys, the pain syndrome can be so pronounced that a person cannot live and be treated normally.
In these cases, for pain in the kidneys, an antispasmodic is the simplest solution. It allows a person to return to their normal life and treat the disease without stress. Also, when taking drugs from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, pain medication helps to reduce inflammation and thus speed up recovery.
But it should be remembered that painkillers for inflammation of the kidneys are only supportive therapy, and the treatment of the very cause of the disease should be carried out with other drugs.
Doctors prefer to prescribe specific drugs that are considered the safest and most effective for patients with kidney inflammation. These drugs have a significant period of use in medical practice. Let's take a closer look at each of them.
Ketorolac
Ketorolac tablets are known for their analgesic effect far superior tomost other drugs from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. But this quality also has a negative effect: in addition to strong pain relief, the drug does not have other effects characteristic of the group: anti-inflammatory and antipyretic. That is why Ketorolac tablets can only be used as an anesthetic, in other cases there is no point in taking this remedy.
It is not recommended to take the medicine in a course due to the extremely negative effect of drugs from the NSAID group on the body in the long term. It is recommended to take a tablet of "Ketorolac" for pain, but not more than three tablets per day. Chronic use of NSAIDs can harm the stomach, intestines, and liver.
In case of significant pain syndrome, this prohibition can be lifted for a while. If the doctor has allowed the drug to be taken in a course, the dosage and frequency of administration should be observed. The course of NSAIDs should not last longer than ten days, because with a longer period, the harm caused by the drug to the body begins to outweigh the benefits of taking it.
Papaverine hydrochloride
One of the oldest but still effective antispasmodics. It is also used for renal colic, successfully relieving spasm of smooth muscles in the body. Papaverine is available as a solution that must be injected.
Introduction is carried out two to four times a day. Enter either 1 ml of the solution or 2 ml, depending on the strength of the spasm. In some cases, the administration of the drug is allowedintravenously, in this case it must be dissolved in 20 ml of saline and administered in dissolved form.
Since the drug has a high safety, it can be used both in patients over 70 years of age and in children from 1 year of age. In the latter case, papaverine hydrochloride injections should be dosed according to the weight of the child.
But the drug also has some negative effects. They are mainly associated with dyspeptic disorders: nausea, diarrhea, but not too pronounced. In extremely rare cases, papaverine can have a negative effect on the circulatory and cardiovascular system.
Drotaverine hydrochloride
Also known as "No-shpa". A well-known drug with antispasmodic properties, it can be used to relieve spasm in pyelonephritis or renal colic. Generics of this drug are cheap, so patients with different levels of ability to buy drugs can use it.
No-shpa is also taken for pain, but it is also allowed to take a course of a tablet three times a day in case of severe pain.
The drug is also one of the safest means, it can be used in children from one year old. It is not recommended to take "No-shpu" only for people with heart failure, sensitive to the components of the drug and those who have a history of kidney failure.
In addition to the listed pills for inflammation of the kidneys, there are othersremedies used in the treatment of such problems. But it is these antibiotics and painkillers that are the most famous and popular among doctors and patients.