Pyelonephritis: symptoms, treatment features in women and men

One of the most famous and common kidney diseases is called pyelonephritis. Pathogenic microflora in the form of Escherichia coli, chlamydia, staphylococcus or another pathogen, penetrating from the urethra into the kidneys, causes an inflammatory process in them. It can affect one or both kidneys at once. In women, this ailment is diagnosed more often than in the opposite sex.

Classification of pyelonephritis

According to the conditions of occurrence, they distinguish:

• Primary. It occurs in the absence of other renal pathologies.
• Secondary. It develops as a consequence of existing diseases of the kidneys and urinary system.

By the number of damaged organs:

• Unilateral. Only one kidney is affected.
• Bilateral. In this case, both kidneys are affected.

By the nature of the course:

• acute;
• chronic.

According to the patency of the urinary tract:

• Obstructive. It is formed against the background of the following pathological conditions: stenosis of the ureter, urolithiasis, levelal conflict.
• Non obstructive. Its development is not associated with a violation of the outflow of urine from the kidneys.

Acute pyelonephritis

The following types are distinguished:

• Serous is the initial stage of the formation of an acute infectious process. Symptoms of pyelonephritis are manifested by chills, fever, weakness, bouts of nausea, and vomiting. In the lumbar region there is a strong pain syndrome, which can be described as aching and dull. Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial agents are used for treatment, as well as detoxification. With proper therapy, the prognosis is favorable, and in its absence complications develop.
• Apostematous purulent is the next stage in the development of pathology after the previous one.
  
  With this form of the disease, a large number of small purulent foci are formed or they are also called apostems. Symptoms of pyelonephritis of this type are similar to the clinic of acute kidney inflammation.
• Kidney carbuncle is another form of purulent pyelonephritis. In this case, an extensive purulent lesion is observed in the organ. The individual has severe intoxication, which is characterized by a significant increase in temperature, headaches, and they are also present in the joints and muscles, general weakness, nausea, or vomiting. Severe pain is observed in the lower back and abdomen on the side of the affected kidney. Treatment is only surgical. Depending on the medical indications, two outcomes are possible: removal of the kidney or opening of the abscess and removal of dead sites with further drainage.
• An abscess of the kidney is a particularly severe form in which purulent-destructive areas are detected in the kidney tissue. The reason for this condition is the union of ulcers characteristic of apostematic pyelonephritis or limitation of an abscess. The difference of this purulent process is that the purulent contents are in the so-called capsule and do not apply to healthy tissues. As time passes, it dissolves and a cavity forms. Symptoms are similar to the previous form of pathology. Therapy is carried out only in a round-the-clock hospital, detoxification is carried out, treatment with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory drugs. If it is not possible to defeat the infectious process, then surgical treatment is indicated, i.e., removal of the kidney.
• Emphysematous is quite severe, even life-threatening, and fortunately, a rare form of pyelonephritis. Symptoms in women begin similar to the development of acute inflammation, but they do not stop after the start of treatment, the patient looks like a septic patient. Concomitant pathology joins in the form of hyperglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis and others. In the described cases from medical practice, this disease affects middle-aged or elderly women with a history of diabetes mellitus, chronic urinary tract infections, or chronic pyelonephritis. The causes of symptoms of pyelonephritis in women lie in gas-forming microorganisms, high glucose and reduced tissue perfusion. In view of the severity of the disease, urgent measures are indicated, which include carrying out infusion, antibacterial therapy, proper treatment of diabetes mellitus, elimination of urinary tract obstruction, and determining the function of the affected kidney. However, in practice, such treatment is ineffective. Nephrectomy or surgical drainage is required in conjunction with drug treatment.

Chronic pyelonephritis in women: symptoms and treatment

The following types of chronic illness are distinguished:

• Pyonephrosis is a kidney fused by pus. At the same time, it completely consists of purulent contents, urine, calculi and parenchymal tissue. This form is considered the final stage of a purulent-inflammatory process. Clinical manifestations are expressed by pain in the lumbar region. In intensity, they are light or even up to renal colic. All signs of intoxication are present. Urine becomes cloudy, a precipitate appears in it. Treatment is only surgical, and emergency. Only one kidney is removed or together with the ureter if there is a stone in it. Subcapsular organ removal and nephrostomy are possible. The latter is performed when it is impossible to remove the kidney.
• Xanthogranulomatous is a fairly rare form of chronic pyelonephritis in women. What are the treatment and symptoms? The disease manifests itself mainly in middle-aged women with a history of kidney stones and a prolonged recurrent urinary tract infection. Clinically manifested by prolonged fever, weight loss, anorexia and long-term pain in the lumbar region and in the side of the abdomen of a sick kidney. Treatment involves surgery to remove an organ.
• Malacoplakia is a very rare disease. Granulomatous inflammation is characteristic of it. On the mucous membrane of the urinary tract, nodes or plaques are formed, consisting of macrophages and plasmocytes. The disease develops against a background of chronic pyelonephritis. Symptoms in women directly depend on the location of the nodules. If the kidney is affected, then pains appear in the side and lower back, which are cramping in nature. Fever and anemia are observed. If the bladder is involved in the process, then painful and frequent urination, hematuria is noted. With damage to the kidneys and ureter, a nephrectomy is performed and antibiotic therapy is prescribed. If only the kidneys are affected, treatment is carried out with fluoroquinolones.

Pyelonephritis in children: symptoms and treatment

Basically, this disease appears in a child as a complication after acute respiratory viral infections. All children's age categories, from newborn babies, are exposed to it. Untimely treatment contributes to the development of severe complications. Among them, the consequences of the acute and chronic course of the disease are distinguished. A purulent abscess is a complication of acute pyelonephritis. The chronic form of the pathology is difficult to diagnose, since it has an erased clinical picture. A prolonged inflammatory process provokes necrosis, sclerosis of the kidney tissue. In addition, pyelonephritis in the chronic form, which the child suffered, in the future becomes the cause of development:

• arterial hypertension;
• hydronephrosis, in which the kidney undergoes changes and, as a result, loses the ability to perform its functions normally;
• chronic renal failure, which subsequently leads to a regular hemodialysis procedure or even transplantation.

Symptoms of pyelonephritis in children depend on the stage of the disease:

• Sharp. In this case, there are all signs of general intoxication of the body: fever, chills, excessive sweating. Infants develop general anxiety, nausea, vomiting, weight loss. Pain in the lower back or side is most often found in schoolchildren and adolescents. In smaller ones, a clear localization of pain is not observed. Urinary incontinence is noted, frequent urge to urinate is accompanied by soreness, blood blotches appear in the urine, an unpleasant odor is present, which indicates an inflammatory process. The disease develops rapidly, clinical manifestations increase within 48 hours. Urgent adequate therapy is required.
• Chronic A distinctive feature is that the symptoms of kidney pyelonephritis of this form of the disease are erased, therefore, diagnosis is difficult. The doctor can make the correct diagnosis during the period of remission only by the result of urine analysis.

Treatment of acute pyelonephritis in children on an outpatient basis involves:

• Bed rest.
• Drinking plenty of fluids, including mineral water.
• Dietary nutrition. At the beginning of the disease, this is milk nutrition. Next - protein-vegetable food with a high content of fruits and vegetables with a diuretic effect.
• Taking antibacterial, diuretic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as herbal medicines.
• With pain, analgesics are indicated.
• To restore the digestive tract - enzymes and probiotics.
• To strengthen the immune system - immunomodulators and vitamin-mineral complexes.

With an exacerbation of the symptoms of pyelonephritis in the chronic stage, spa treatment is recommended. Additionally, for medical reasons, massage and physiotherapy exercises are prescribed.

Signs of pyelonephritis in women

The severity of the clinical picture of pyelonephritis depends on the state of the immune system. Due to the fact that the cause of its development is an infection, there are necessarily signs of intoxication of the body.

Common symptoms of pyelonephritis in women:

• renal colic;
• thread during the outflow of urine;
• severe pain in the lower back;
• polyuria;
• turbidity of urine.

The severity of signs depends on the form of the disease: acute or chronic. The acute period has severe symptoms. Chronic - a hidden clinic and may not appear for a long time. Symptoms of acute pyelonephritis in women are characterized by the following clinical manifestations:

• fever;
• swelling of the lower extremities and face;
• excessive sweating;
• sharp pain in the kidneys;
• nausea
• vomiting.

In women in position along with the above signs are observed: increased pressure, temperature in the evening, persistent swelling of the legs and face.

Clinical manifestations of the main symptoms of pyelonephritis:

• Pain. In the acute form of pathology, it is sharp, painful. In chronic - aching, not lasting for a long time. In addition, pain can be cross-sectional or asymmetric. This means that the diseased kidney is on the right, and the pain in the lumbar region is on the left and vice versa.
• Diuresis. Frequent urge to emit urine is a temporary phenomenon and appears only during an exacerbation. In this case, burning and pain accompany urination. Urine becomes cloudy, dark, blood and purulent inclusions appear in it, and it also gets an unpleasant odor.

Symptoms of chronic pyelonephritis in women:

• frequent urination;
• nausea;
• weakness;
• sensations of aches in the lumbar region, which intensify in bad weather.

Provocative factors

The disease occurs against the background of certain pathologies, for example, otitis media, purulent mastitis, panaritium, or another reason. Symptoms of pyelonephritis in women provoke the following situations:

• overwork;
• intestinal infection;
• prolapse of the uterus;
• stress;
• hypothermia;
• pregnancy;
• age-related changes;
• reduced immunity;
• hereditary diseases of the genitourinary system;
• the presence of a catheter in the bladder and others.

Medicinal herbs in the treatment of pyelonephritis

Herbalists recommend removing the symptoms of pyelonephritis folk remedies. For these purposes, both individual herbs and their combinations are used. In addition to the antiseptic effect, the medicinal plant material recommended for this type of pathology has the following useful properties:

• struggling with edema;
• reduces urinary tract spasm;
• reduces bleeding;
• reduces dyspepsia.

Consider a few recipes:

1. If there is pus in urine. 10 ml of apple cider vinegar are dissolved in 200 ml of water. The resulting solution is taken up to three times a day before meals.
2. In the treatment of symptoms of chronic pyelonephritis and the prevention of complications, it is possible to use an infusion, which includes walnut, rosehip, tricolor violet, verbena, burdock root. All ingredients are mixed in a ratio of 10: 30: 10: 10: 20 (grams). Three tablespoons of the mixture is poured with boiling water in the amount of half a liter and an infusion is prepared. In the finished product, you can add honey and take up to five times a day in half a glass.
3. Anti-inflammatory tea is indicated for exacerbation of symptoms of pyelonephritis. It includes burdock, celandine, meadowsweet, birch, lingonberry, cetraria, dandelion, chamomile, raspberry, willow, elderberry, lingonberry. Such a collection in finished form can be purchased at a pharmacy. Brewed like regular tea, and drink several times a day.

Herbal treatment is indicated in the absence of allergic reactions, and it does not exclude traditional therapy, but is a useful addition to it.

Drug therapy

The selection of antibacterial drugs in the treatment of pyelonephritis symptoms and the prevention of complications is carried out depending on the sensitivity of the pathogen. "Levofloxacin", "Ciprofloxacin", "Ofloxacin" is prescribed for uncomplicated pyelonephritis. In severe forms of pathology, infusion therapy is carried out in addition to antibacterial.

Of the nitrofurans, Furadonin, Furazolidone, and Furagin are recommended. Sulfanilamide preparations - “Urosulfan”, “Groseptol”, “Bactrim” are rarely used. Their main effect is bacteriostatic, they suppress gram-positive and gram-negative cocci, chlamydia and Escherichia coli, have no effect on enterococci, anaerobes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The alkaline reaction of urine enhances the action of sulfonamides. Of the natural uroantiseptics, Kanefron, Phytolysin, and Cyston are the most popular.

Pregnant women are shown inpatient treatment. In addition, it is recommended to interrupt the bearing of the baby for medical reasons. Drug therapy of the acute form of the disease and treatment of symptoms of chronic pyelonephritis involve the use of penicillin or cephalosporin group preparations - Augmentin, Amoxicillin, Cefazolin, Ceftriaxone.

Children are prescribed antibacterial and symptomatic therapy. Of the antibiotics, Lycacin, Tsefamandol have proven themselves, antibacterial agents Nevigramon, Negram, Furadonin, diuretic drugs Furosemide, Veroshpiron.

Factors contributing to the development of pyelonephritis in men

In this category of the population, the disease always develops due to the entry of pathogenic bacteria into the renal tubule system. As a result of a purulent-inflammatory process, the kidneys and the entire genitourinary system become infected, as a result, the disease develops and symptoms of pyelonephritis are observed. The reasons that increase the risk of pathology are a metabolic disorder, weak immunity, age over 50 years. In addition, the following diseases are provoking factors:

• urolithiasis disease;
• prostatitis;
• urinary tract oncology;
• chlamydia
• gardnerellosis.

Pyelonephritis in men

This disease in a strong half of humanity is rarely confirmed, and this fact is associated with structural features of the genitourinary system. Nevertheless, men in any age category are subject to this pathology, and most of all after 50 years. Symptoms of pyelonephritis in men are manifested by the following picture:

• apathy;
• general weakness;
• false urge to urinate;
• increased diuresis at night;
• turbid urine, the presence of blood inclusions in it and an unpleasant odor;
• burning during urination, after completion - severe pain;
• temperature rise;
• chills;
• shooting pain in the lumbar region.
• with deep breathing or coughing, pain intensifies.

In connection with the rapid increase in pathogens, the entry into the bloodstream of their waste products and diffuse inflammation of the renal parenchyma, signs of intoxication are clearly visible:

• severe headaches, possibly dizziness;
• nausea;
• vomiting
• weakness;
• diarrhea.

The absence or improper treatment contributes to the transition of the acute form to the chronic one. In this case, the symptoms of pyelonephritis in men are manifested:

• less pronounced pains that become permanent;
• subfebrile temperature;
• the persistence of discomfort at the end of each act of urination;
• the development of hypertension and edema, since excess fluid is not completely excreted from the body.

The fight against the disease is carried out with the help of conservative therapy and dietary nutrition. Herbal medicine is used as an adjuvant in the absence of contraindications and allergic reactions for the treatment of symptoms of chronic pyelonephritis. The surgical method is recommended only for the advanced stage and the risk of renal failure.