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 with the ingestion and increase in the number of bacteria in the urination system. There is a possibility of developing the disease when injured or introduced into the body by medical means.
Most often, pyelonephritis, an inflammation of the renal pelvis (Latin Pyelitis), occurs from Escherichia coli. Pathology can occur 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
The ingestion of bacteria through the urethra and reproduction throughout the system to the kidney itself is the most common cause of the disease.
Unlike men, the female urinary canal is less protected. The urethra is located close to the anus and reproductive system, which contributes to the almost unhindered entry of bacteria into the body.
The male half of humanity becomes ill in the presence of problems with urination: inflammation of the prostate, the formation of kidney stones. When urinary stagnation occurs, bacteria multiply in it, which move through the urinary canals to the kidneys.
The presence in the urinary tract of tumors, stones, i.e., all that prevents the release of harmful substances, is one of the main reasons for the development of pyelonephritis in women. But more often, ladies get sick in an ascending way, when the area near the urethra becomes infected with E. coli.
Infection pathways
Not so often, but still there are other ways of promoting bacteria along the structure of the body. Among them:
- through the blood (hematogenous);
- the spread of microorganisms using lymph (lymphogenous);
- the ingress of irritants into the body during surgical procedures (due to poorly processed tools).
The manifestation of the disease in women
The symptoms of pyelonephritis are different in men and women. This is affected by differences in the structure of the genitourinary system. Inflammation of the renal pelvis proceeds 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 acute form, then it can be determined by the following signs:
- an abrupt increase in body temperature over 37-37.5 ° C;
- the manifestation of severe symptoms of poisoning: vomiting, migraine, chills;
- the presence of a change in the parameters of urine: a color change, dissemination of blood clots, an unpleasant odor, etc.
If there are the above deviations, then there is a need to contact a specialist and take tests. First of all, Pasternatsky’s test will be carried out: light tapping in the kidney area will cause severe pain, when urinating in urine, blood will appear.
However, if the disease proceeds calmly and without complications, then it can be determined by the following characteristics:
- mild but persistent pain in the lumbar region;
- barely noticeable symptoms of poisoning: lethargy, lack of appetite, intermittent headaches;
- the appearance of morning edema, difficulty urinating.
Inflammation of the kidneys and bladder in women often occur together. But usually the symptoms of cystitis are more pronounced, because it becomes very difficult to determine pyelonephritis in this case.
Pyelonephritis in pregnant women
About 5% of women during the course of 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 waste decreases, and stagnant events develop in the body. The reproduction of bacteria begins, which, in turn, slows down the movement of physiological fluid in the body even more. Pyelonephritis most often manifests itself in the presence of problems with the bladder.
During pregnancy, the kidneys perform an increased amount of work. It is filtered by passing through all the fluid that enters the body. If symptoms appear that indicate a malfunction of the urinary system, you should immediately consult a gynecologist who is observing the pregnancy and in no case ignore the discomfort. Impaired renal function 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);
- renal failure (kidneys cannot work in normal mode);
- sepsis (blood poisoning as a result of the development of an acute pathological process in the kidneys).
Among other things, the risk of premature birth increases, which can lead to the death of the baby and mother.
It is strictly forbidden to self-medicate during pregnancy, since complications may appear 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 passing tests.
Male pyelonephritis
Given the structure of the male urinary system, inflammation of the kidneys in the stronger sex is recorded by doctors much less often. Pyelonephritis progresses due to problems with the outflow of urine caused by the presence of kidney stones and inflammation of the prostate.
Chronic pyelonephritis in men is manifested by symptoms similar to women: weakness in the body, loss of appetite, frequent thirst, the appearance of pain in the lumbar region.
When a shift in kidney stones occurs, pyelonephritis will declare itself with severe pain. A complicated type of inflammation in men more often appears with a top-down method of the disease: bacteria enter the body with sore throat, caries. The acute stage is similar to the female.
Kidney inflammation
In childhood, the main symptom of pathology is considered to be a sharp increase in body temperature to 38 ° C. With excellent health and the absence of other indicators that can characterize a particular disease (acute respiratory viral infection, infection, poisoning), it is urgent to take tests to check for inflammation.
Temperature jumps, chills, vomiting, and lack of appetite are characteristic. The child appears drowsiness, pain in the abdomen, headache. Thus, the initial stage of inflammation of the renal pelvis in the newborn will manifest itself.
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 fulfill their functions in full, which leads to tissue damage.
Diagnosis of the disease
In order to understand at what stage the disease is, you must perform the following steps:
- study the medical history, analyze the symptoms according to the patient;
- to make a picture of inflammation (urinalysis, duration and frequency of going to the toilet, general information about pain);
- conduct a full examination of the patient;
- conclude after analysis in the laboratory.
Kidney inflammation tests
It is necessary to pass the following tests for inflammation of the renal pelvis:
- biochemical and general analysis of urine and blood;
- verification by Nechiporenko;
- experiments on the microflora of urine to identify contraindications before the appointment of a drug.
With kidney inflammation, a blood test will show a complete picture of the disease: an increased accumulation of white blood cells, changes in the composition of the blood at a biochemical level.
A urinalysis will help to identify the total number of leukocytes (decrease or increase), the presence of the so-called "additives": blood, pus, protein, high or low salt content.
Also, diagnostics will help determine what caused pyelonephritis and choose the most suitable medicine.
Examination of the internal organs is performed using an ultrasound machine and the kidneys, processes of the urinary system, the bladder and its canals are checked. In more advanced cases, a certain amount of contrast medium is injected into the body, and a check is performed using a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.
Therapy Features
With 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 go to an appointment with a treating gynecologist to determine the focus of the spread of bacteria.
With inflammation of the bladder or problems with the reproductive system, treatment of pyelonephritis will be inappropriate, and ultimately lead to the development of a chronic form of the disease. A prolonged treatment with antibiotics prescribed to restore the kidneys without eliminating the center of infection will further weaken the immunity to specific microorganisms with the subsequent loss of effect from the medications 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 is usually detected in patients older than 40 years, and more often in a chronic form.
This is due to diseases of the urinary system: adenomas of the prostate, 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 reappearance of the disease.
In children, most often the problem arises from birth defects that disrupt the functioning of internal organs in the urination system. With this form of the disease, medication is used. But if it does not bring a positive effect, then surgical intervention is used.
Conclusion
In order for the inflammatory processes not to appear in the body, it is necessary to monitor your well-being, and in case of worsening, immediately report symptoms to your doctor. It must be remembered that with inflammation of the renal pelvis, treatment and symptoms are interrelated, and the more the doctor knows the information, the more correct the therapy.
Annual examinations and tests will help to detect the disease at an early stage, because if the problem is identified at the very beginning, then the likelihood of rapid repayment of the focus of infection is high.
It is important to maintain personal hygiene, maintain a healthy lifestyle, not to 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, therefore, timely contact with a specialist will help not only to get rid of the problem, but also eliminate the risk of complications and the transition of the disease into a chronic form.
It is strictly forbidden to take any medications yourself, 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.