Pyelonephritis is a disease that is associated with an infection in the kidneys and is inflammatory in nature. In another way, it is called inflammation of the renal pelvis.
This problem begins when bacteria enters and increases in the urination system. There is a possibility of developing the disease when injured or when an infection is introduced into the body by medical means.
Most often, pyelonephritis, inflammation of the renal pelvis (in Latin Pyelitis), occurs from Escherichia coli. Pathology can appear in different people, regardless of gender and age. But women go to the hospital 3-4 times more often. This is due to the fact that the structure of the female reproductive system is different from the male, and it is easier for bacteria to enter the body.
Causes of pyelonephritis
Bacteria entering the body through the urethra and multiplying throughout the system to the kidney itself is the most common cause of the development of the disease.
Unlike men, the female urinary canal is less protected. The urethra is located close todistance to the anus and reproductive system, which contributes to the almost unhindered entry of bacteria into the body.
The male half of humanity gets sick in the presence of problems with urination: inflammation of the prostate, the formation of kidney stones. When urine becomes stagnant, bacteria multiply in it and move through the urinary tract to the kidneys.
The presence of tumors, stones in the urinary tract, that is, everything that prevents the release of harmful substances, is one of the main reasons for the development of pyelonephritis in women. But more often, women get sick in the ascending way, when the area near the urethra becomes infected with Escherichia coli.
Routes of infection
Not so often, but there are still other ways for bacteria to move through the structure of the body. Among them:
- through the blood (hematogenous);
- spread of microorganisms by lymph (lymphogenic);
- Irritants entering the body during surgical procedures (due to poorly processed instruments).
The manifestation of the disease in women
Manifestation of symptoms of pyelonephritis is different in men and women. This is influenced by differences in the structure of the genitourinary system. Inflammation of the renal pelvis occurs with different consequences, which directly depend on the type of disease and the duration of its course. If the stage of the disease is in an acute form, then it can be determined by the following signs:
- an abrupt increase in body temperature over 37-37.5 °C;
- manifestation of severe symptoms of poisoning:vomiting, migraines, chills;
- the presence of a change in urine parameters: a change in color, interspersed with blood clots, an unpleasant odor, etc.
If there are deviations listed above, then there is a need to contact a specialist and take tests. First of all, the Pasternatsky test will be carried out: light tapping in the kidney area will cause severe pain, blood will appear in the urine when urinating.
However, if the disease proceeds calmly and without complications, then it can be determined by the following characteristics:
- mild but constant pain in the lumbar area;
- barely noticeable symptoms of poisoning: lethargy, lack of appetite, intermittent headaches;
- appearance of morning swelling, difficulty urinating.
Inflammation of the kidneys and bladder in women often occur together. But usually the symptoms of cystitis are more pronounced, so it becomes very difficult to determine pyelonephritis in this case.
Pyelonephritis in pregnant women
About 5% of women during pregnancy intersected with inflammation of the renal pelvis in a simple or complex form. Usually the disease is detected at 6-8 months of pregnancy, because the presence of a child increases the pressure of the uterus on the genitourinary system. As a result, urine output decreases, and congestion develops in the body. The reproduction of bacteria begins, which, in turn, slow down the movement of physiological fluid in the body even more. The most common manifestation of pyelonephritis is in the presence ofbladder problems.
During pregnancy, the kidneys do an increased amount of work. They filter, passing through themselves all the liquid that enters the body. If symptoms appear that indicate a violation of the urinary system, you should immediately contact the gynecologist observing the pregnancy and in no case ignore the discomfort. Violation of the kidneys leads to intoxication of the body of both the woman and the fetus. This, in turn, can cause an abortion or serious illness in the unborn baby.
Complications
There are a number of complications that appear with inflammation of the renal pelvis:
- anemia (the amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells in the blood decreases);
- kidney failure (kidneys cannot function normally);
- sepsis (blood poisoning as a result of the development of an acute pathological process in the kidneys).
In addition, the risk of preterm birth increases, which can lead to the death of the child and mother.
During pregnancy, self-medication is strictly prohibited, as complications may occur that will harm the fetus. Any treatment during the period of bearing a child should be prescribed by a specialist after a thorough examination and testing.
Male pyelonephritis
Given the structure of the male urinary system, inflammation of the kidneys in the stronger sex is fixed by doctors much less frequently. Pyelonephritis progresses due to urinary flow problems caused by kidney stones and inflammationprostate.
Chronic pyelonephritis in men is manifested by symptoms similar to women: weakness in the body, loss of appetite, frequent thirst, pain in the lumbar region.
When the kidney stones shift, pyelonephritis will manifest itself with severe pain. A complicated type of inflammation in men often appears with a descending method of the disease: bacteria enter the body with tonsillitis, the presence of caries. The acute stage is similar to the female.
Kidney inflammation in children
In childhood, the main symptom of pathology is considered to be a sharp increase in body temperature up to 38 °C. With excellent he alth and the absence of other indicators that can characterize a particular disease (SARS, infections, poisoning), you need to urgently take tests to check for inflammation.
Characterized by temperature fluctuations, chills, vomiting, no appetite. The child develops drowsiness, pain in the abdomen, headache. Thus, the initial stage of inflammation of the renal pelvis in a newborn will appear.
In the chronic form of the disease, the symptoms depend on the duration of the pathology. With a latent form of inflammation of the renal pelvis, the kidneys cease to perform their functions in full, which leads to tissue destruction.
Diagnosis of disease
In order to understand at what stage the disease is, you must do the following:
- examine the medical history, analyze the symptoms according to the patient;
- make a pictureinflammation (urinalysis, duration and frequency of trips to the toilet, general information about pain);
- perform a complete examination of the patient;
- draw a conclusion after testing in the laboratory.
Tests for inflammation of the kidneys
It is necessary to pass the following tests for inflammation of the renal pelvis:
- biochemical and general analysis of urine and blood;
- Check by Nechiporenko;
- experiments on the microflora of urine to identify contraindications before prescribing a particular drug.
In case of inflammation of the kidneys, a blood test will show a complete picture of the disease: an increased accumulation of leukocytes, changes in the composition of the blood at the biochemical level.
Urine analysis will help to identify the total number of leukocytes (decrease or increase), the presence of so-called "additives": blood, pus, protein, high or low s alt content.
Also, diagnostics will help determine what was the causative agent of pyelonephritis, and choose the most appropriate medicine.
Examination of internal organs is performed using an ultrasound machine and checks the kidneys, processes of the urinary system, the bladder and its channels. In more advanced cases, a certain amount of contrast agent is injected into the body, and a check is performed using an magnetic resonance imaging machine.
Features of therapy
In inflammation of the renal pelvis, symptoms and treatment are interrelated. Therapy depends on the severity of the disease and is prescribed exclusively by the attending physician.
If inflammation of the renal pelvis is detected in a woman, then without fail she needs to come to the attending gynecologist to determine the focus of the spread of bacteria.
When inflammation of the bladder or problems with the reproductive system, the treatment of pyelonephritis will be inappropriate, and will eventually lead to the development of a chronic form of the disease. Prolonged treatment with antibiotics prescribed to restore kidney function, without addressing the center of infection, will further weaken immunity to specific microorganisms, with subsequent loss of the effect of the drugs taken.
A visit to a urologist is necessary for men who have pain in the lumbar region, and there is a suspicion of pyelonephritis. It usually occurs in patients over 40 years of age, and more often in a chronic form.
This is due to diseases of the urinary system: prostate adenoma, prostatitis, etc. It is necessary to treat the problem of stagnation in order to normalize the outflow of urine, thereby protecting the body from the recurrence of the disease.
In children, the problem most often occurs due to birth defects that disrupt the functioning of internal organs in the urination system. With this form of the disease, drug treatment is used. But if it does not bring a positive effect, then surgical intervention is used.
Conclusion
In order for inflammatory processes not to appear in the body, it is necessary to monitor your well-being, and in case of deterioration immediatelyreport symptoms to your doctor. It must be remembered that with inflammation of the renal pelvis, treatment and symptoms are interrelated, and the more information the doctor knows, the more correct the therapy will be.
Annual examinations, tests will help to detect the disease at an early stage, because if the problem is detected at the very beginning, then there is a high probability of a quick repayment of the source of infection.
It is important to maintain personal hygiene, lead a he althy lifestyle, do not overcool the body and try to avoid stress.
It must be remembered that inflammation of the renal pelvis is much easier to treat at the initial stage of the disease, so a timely visit to a specialist will help not only get rid of the problem, but also eliminate the risk of complications and the transition of the disease to a chronic form.
It is strictly forbidden to take any means on your own, including folk remedies recommended by friends, since only a doctor is able to prescribe effective therapy based on the results of the examination and analyzes.
