Back pain for every third person in the world is not news. Often at the end of the working day or after physical exertion pulls the back in the lumbar region. But a similar sign can be observed in the morning hours. Perhaps it indicates a disease of the back, and maybe kidney. It is not immediately possible to determine by the pulling pain and discomfort during urination that these are symptoms of pyelonephritis. Consider the causes and symptoms of this ailment.
Pyelonephritis: what is this ailment?
Symptoms of pyelonephritis are observed when an infection begins to develop, the bacteria provocateurs of which become. Patients may experience an acute or chronic form of the disease. More patients are ill with pyelonephritis. A disease can affect only one kidney or both at once. The chronic form often proceeds without symptoms or they are not too pronounced, so patients do not consider their condition serious and do not undergo a full course of treatment.
But it is better to consult a nephrologist at the first sign (he is involved in the treatment of the genitourinary system) in order to prevent complications such as renal failure, carbuncle and others.
What happens in the body during pyelonephritis?
Pyelonephritis arises and develops at a time when immunobiological activity is weakened. Resistance to infection is reduced. The causes may be overwork, past ailments, hypovitaminosis, hypothermia, blood flow disorders, chronic pathologies and others. Also, massive infection can become predisposing to the development of pyelonephritis. Symptoms and treatment in women, men and children may be similar or radically different, it all depends on the characteristics of the body and the reasons that led to the development of the disease.
Failures in the outflow of urine with subsequent narrowing or kink of the ureter, pressure on the urinary tract from the outside, nephroptosis, anomalies in the urinary tract are the main factors suggesting the development of the disease.
Provoke the development of pyelonephritis can:
- gout;
- diabetes;
- lack of potassium;
- nephrocalcinosis;
- long-term administration of analgesics;
- inflammatory processes outside the kidneys: enteritis, suppuration, pneumonia, frequent colds;
- inflammation affecting the urogenital sphere: adnexitis, cystitis, prostatitis, vulvovaginitis and others.
In the development of the disease, a violation of the venous and lymphatic outflow from the kidney plays an important role, which contributes to the rapid development of infection in it.
Thanks to a unique technique - urokinematography - today already at the initial stage you can notice serious changes in the urodynamics of the ureter, when there are still no organic changes. There are four main routes of infection in the kidney:
- hematogenous;
- lymphogenous;
- along the wall of the ureter;
- along the lumen in the ureter, if there is vesicoureteral reflux.
To help in this difficult situation, you need to consider in detail the symptoms and causes of pyelonephritis in women. Treatment, however, should be prescribed only by a specialist.
The disease can occur at any age, but most often it occurs in children under 7 years old, young women aged 18-30 years and older men.
Causes of pyelonephritis in children
It can be difficult to determine the symptoms of pyelonephritis in infants, because he still can not talk about his condition on his own. But parents should not exclude this pathology if the baby often cries - and especially during urination. The reasons for the development of the disease in a child may be such factors:
- diseases of the mother during the bearing of the baby;
- abnormalities of the genitourinary system;
- frequent colds;
- disruptions in the metabolic processes of the body;
- poor social conditions;
- infections affecting the children's body;
- gynecological ailments in girls.
The activity of E. coli can provoke the development of the disease and symptoms of pyelonephritis in children up to a year. Pathogens enter the kidney through the ureters or with blood that has passed through the foci of infection in other organs. An infectious focus may be angina, otitis media, pneumonia or pyoderma.
Types of pyelonephritis
Classifies pyelonephritis as follows:
- by occurrence: primary or secondary;
- by the path of infection: ascending - from the urethra to the kidneys through the urinary canal, descending - through the bloodstream or lymphatic system;
- according to the degree of patency of the urinary tract: obstructive and non-obstructive.
- by location: two-sided or one-sided;
- with the course: acute or chronic;
- according to the results: complete recovery, the transition of the disease into a chronic form, the development of pyonephrosis.
Before considering the symptoms of pyelonephritis in children and adults, it must also be said that the acute form of the disease is divided into several types of doctors:
- serous;
- purulent: focal infiltrative, diffuse infiltrative, diffuse with abscesses;
- with mesenchymal reaction.
The chronic form is of several types:
- asymptomatic
- latent,
- anemic,
- ametic,
- hypertensive
- remission.
Symptoms of pyelonephritis in adults
The main symptom of pyelonephritis (acute form) is a sharp increase in body temperature to 39-40 ° C. Hyperthermia is accompanied by:
- excessive sweating
- loss of appetite
- general weakness
- headaches
- nausea and vomiting.
In the lumbar region, dull pain can be observed, most often on the one hand. A physical examination method, involving lightly tapping on the lower back, reveals soreness. Uncomplicated acute form may not cause urination disorders, but the urine becomes cloudy with a reddish tint. Laboratory testing may reveal bacteriuria, minor proteinuria, and microhematuria. A complete blood count shows a high level of white blood cells and ESR.
The chronic form is most often the outcome of an untreated acute process. Sometimes it can be detected by accident when examining urine. Patients with a chronic form complain of the following symptoms of pyelonephritis:
- weakness throughout the body;
- decreased appetite;
- frequent urination;
- headaches;
- discomfort in the lumbar region, worse in cold weather.
It is impossible to ignore such body signals. It is urgent to seek qualified help from a specialist if the first symptoms of pyelonephritis in women have manifested. Reasons - and treatment, respectively - may be different. Medicines are prescribed individually for each patient after a comprehensive examination.
Symptoms in Pregnant Women
Often, women during bearing a baby feel discomfort in the kidney area when urinating. In this period, the right kidney is more often affected. The causative agent of pyelonephritis in most cases is E. coli, but there can also be such microorganisms: Klebsiella, Enterococcus and Proteus. They are the ones who cause the disease in 70% of cases. Rarely, inflammation, namely this is the main symptom of kidney pyelonephritis in women during pregnancy, provokes staphylococci or Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
In the acute phase, such manifestations are observed:
- general health is sharply worsening;
- the temperature rises sharply to high levels;
- weakness and lethargy occurs;
- the patient complains of a headache and chills;
- there is plaque in the tongue;
- loss of appetite;
- pain appears in the lumbar region, extending to the thigh.
In the chronic form, the symptoms of pyelonephritis in pregnant women are not so pronounced. Most often, complaints come to aching and dull lower back pain. Frequent headaches, lethargy, weakness, drowsiness - these are a number of signs of kidney malfunction.
During the period of carrying a baby, it is important for any woman to listen to the signals of her body, because complications from inaction can adversely affect the health of both the mother and the child. At the first symptoms it is better to consult a doctor.
The manifestation of the disease in children
Symptoms of pyelonephritis in children are manifested in the form of common signs, which are often the case with infectious ailments, as well as local renal manifestations. In the secondary form, the symptoms are more pronounced because urinary retention is present. The primary form is characterized by the dominance of symptoms of intoxication, but there are no pronounced signs of kidney damage. In children, the infection affects one kidney more and only in 3% of cases the disease can be bilateral.
Inflammation in babies proceeds openly and brightly, when compared with older patients. The disease develops rapidly, the temperature rises sharply, chills appear. Other symptoms also appear:
- nausea,
- vomiting
- sweating,
- diarrhea,
- dehydration,
- tension of the occipital muscles in infants.
Feeling and tapping lightly in the area of pain localization causes unpleasant painful sensations in the child. If you do not take any measures and do not start treatment, then the entire lumbar region begins to hurt. When urinating, anxiety appears. Urine becomes cloudy.
Complications
If you do not pay attention to the signals that the body gives in the form of symptoms, and the treatment of pyelonephritis does not start on time, then in the end you can get kidney failure. But it can’t be cured. In addition, inaction can lead to sepsis and bacterial shock.
In rare cases, the acute form can be complicated by paranephritis or the development of apostematous pyelonephritis, when a large number of small pustules form on the surface of the kidney. There are other complications:
- kidney carbuncle,
- abscess,
- renal papilla necrosis.
If purulent-diffuse changes are detected during the examination, then surgical intervention is recommended. If for some reason you do not pay attention to the signs and symptoms of pyelonephritis of a purulently destructive form, then the terminal stage occurs, which leads to the development of pyonephrosis. It is he who exposes the kidney to purulent fusion and represents a lesion consisting of cavities inside which urine, pus and tissue decomposition products collect.
What diagnostic methods will help diagnose?
We examined what symptoms with pyelonephritis should prompt the patient to seek qualified help. But now it’s important to know which methods will help to accurately diagnose and select therapy.
It is not difficult for a nephrologist to confirm the presence of an ailment in an acute form, because the clinic is pronounced. If you look at the patient’s history, then in it you can find records of chronic pathologies or recent purulent processes in recent times. The clinic is formed by severe hyperthermia with pain in the lumbar region, discomfort during urination and changes in urine. It becomes cloudy or acquires a reddish tint, has a pronounced unpleasant odor.
The following studies are also underway:
- Laboratory analysis can detect microorganisms and protein in the urine; to identify the causative agent, conduct bacterial inoculation of urine.
- The presence of inflammation in the body will be confirmed by a blood test in which white blood cells and ESR will be increased.
- Urography allows you to determine how increased the volume of the kidney.
- Excretory urography talks about a sharp restriction on the mobility of an organ during an orthoprobe.
- Structural changes help identify kidney ultrasound.
- The concentration ability of the body is assessed using a Zimnitsky test.
- To exclude urolithiasis and anatomical abnormalities, a CT scan is recommended.
Traditional treatments
Uncomplicated form is accompanied by pronounced symptoms. Treatment of acute pyelonephritis in women is carried out conservatively in the hospital department. Antibacterial therapy is used. Medications are selected taking into account which bacteria were detected in the study of urine. To quickly remove all inflammatory processes and prevent the transition of the disease into a purulent-destructive form, treatment begins with the most effective remedy.
Detoxification treatment is selected, immunity is adjusted. For fever, a low-protein diet is recommended. After the temperature returns to normal, the patient is transferred to a complete diet, but with low fluid intake.
Obstructed urine outflow is one of the common symptoms of kidney pyelonephritis. Treatment is based on removing obstacles to a normal outflow. Antibacterial agents with impaired passage do not give the desired result, but, on the contrary, lead to the development of complications.
Chronic pyelonephritis is treated by the same methods as the acute form, but differs in duration and laboriousness. Therapy includes:
- the correct installation of the type, causes and symptoms of pyelonephritis; the treatment is aimed at eliminating the obstacles of difficulty urinating and impaired renal circulation;
- selection of antibacterial drugs if bacteria were detected in the urine;
- normalization of the immune system.
If there are obstacles during the outflow, then urine passage should be normalized. It can be restored in an operational way: nephropexy with nephroptosis, removal of stones or adenomas of the prostate gland, and others. As practice shows, it is only necessary to remove the obstacle that impedes passage, how can one achieve stable and prolonged remission.
Antibacterial agents are prescribed taking into account the data shown by the antibioticogram, but broad-spectrum drugs are most often recommended.
The chronic form requires prolonged systematic treatment. First, antibacterial drugs are taken continuously for two months. A similar technique helps to eliminate the purulent process in the kidney and does not allow complications and the formation of scar tissue to develop.
If renal function is impaired, then the patient requires constant administration of nephrotoxic antibacterial drugs. To adjust immunity, immunostimulants and immunomodulators are used. After the onset of remission, it is recommended that antibiotics be taken in courses.
Patients with a chronic form during remission are recommended spa treatment, and do not forget about the constant continuity of therapy. The treatment started in the hospital should continue at home, constant monitoring of the doctor and adjustment of therapy are necessary. As an additional method, folk remedies are allowed if the symptoms are too pronounced.
Treatment of pyelonephritis folk remedies
Symptoms of pyelonephritis in women, men and children can also be treated with decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs, but after consulting a doctor. This is especially important for pregnant women, who are also responsible for their unborn baby. It is recommended to use such means:
- Crassula. It copes with inflammation, normalizes the functioning of the kidneys, improves urination, inhibits the vital activity of pathogens, removes toxins. But it is worth remembering that it is strictly contraindicated for pregnant women, as well as for people with exacerbated diseases of the stomach and intestines. Preparing the broth is simple: for the night you need to pour a glass of boiling water one tablespoon of grass, leave until morning, strain and take two tablespoons three times a day before meals. The course lasts at least a month.
- Cornflower open. It perfectly relieves pain, and also allows you to accelerate recovery and improve the functioning of the genitourinary system. To prepare a medicinal decoction, take a pinch of dry grass, pour boiling water (250 ml) and boil for 2-3 minutes. Next, turn off the fire and cover the grass with a lid, insist for about half an hour. The broth should be filtered and drunk three times before meals. The course of therapy lasts a month, then a 30-day break is needed.
- Cranberry. Those who suffer from pyelonephritis, it is very useful to take cranberry juice, which not only improves the condition of the body, but also restores the immune system. You need to squeeze juice from a glass of cranberries and add 500 ml of boiling water, boil for 5 minutes, cool, take a glass a day.
- Birch juice. If taken undiluted, it reduces the bacterial population, restores the immune system. To achieve a therapeutic effect, it must be taken on an empty stomach every morning in one glass.
- Karkade. This type of tea can be purchased at any grocery store. But you need to drink it cold, for this one teaspoon of raw material is poured into a glass of cold water, left for an hour, and then drunk. A cold drink helps lower blood pressure.
- Kidney collection 1. It is necessary to mix chamomile, cornflower, corn stigmas, nettle, lingonberry leaves, coltsfoot, sage and Veronica. Take two tablespoons of raw materials, pour a liter of boiling water, leave for 12 hours, strain and take a glass before meals.
- Kidney collection 2. It is necessary to take in equal parts leaves of wild strawberry, leaves and berries of lingonberry, corn stigmas, dogrose, currants, bearberry, birch leaves and flaxseed. Pour one liter of boiling water over a liter of the mixture, leave for an hour, strain and take half a glass three times a day after meals.
Both renal collections are best alternated with periodic interruptions. Some of the ingredients have a diuretic effect, so you will have to go to the toilet more often. Freshly squeezed juices from blueberries, strawberries, pumpkins, cranberries, melons and carrots cope well with the symptoms of pyelonephritis in women. Treatment with folk remedies and traditional therapy give excellent results.
Preventative methods
In order to prevent pyelonephritis, you need to treat the underlying diseases that provoke its development in time. Such pathologies can cause an exacerbation:
- urolithiasis disease;
- prostate adenoma;
- diseases accompanied by impaired urine outflow.
Pregnant women with multiple pregnancy, polyhydramnios, with a large fetus and with a narrow pelvis are recommended to take a bacteriological analysis of urine every month and undergo a study of urodynamics.
Physiotherapy exercises with pyelonephritis will not give the desired results. Pain in the lumbar region will not allow to perform the exercises qualitatively and will bring the patient even greater discomfort.
Kidney health is directly related to the state of the whole organism. Timely treat any infectious pathologies, balance your diet, take vitamins and lead a healthy lifestyle. This is the only way to prevent the development of serious violations in the work of this important body.