Kidney diseases are very diverse not only in origin, but also in symptoms and consequences. Most often, people suffer from inflammatory ailments, such as glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis. These pathologies are most often found in women. Both sexes of urolithiasis are often equally affected. For children, pyelonephritis and abnormalities of the kidneys of a congenital type are characteristic.
Causes of pathology
Kidney disease can occur for a variety of reasons. Most often, an ailment leads to:
- Autoimmune process. As a result of a failure of immunity, antibodies against kidney cells begin to be produced. This process leads to inflammation - glomerulonephritis.
- Bacterial infection. When it enters the kidneys, bacteria begin to multiply, causing inflammation. It leads to pyelonephritis. If kidney disease is not treated, then kidney abscesses may form . Infectious pathologies lead to a violation of the outflow of urine.
- Intoxication. With any pathology caused by pathogenic microorganisms, toxic substances and vital products of viruses and bacteria accumulate in the kidneys. They settle in the kidneys, getting there from the blood. As a result, toxic nephropathy develops. This is a reversible process that occurs after exposure to toxins.
- Imbalance in the metabolism and chemical composition of urine is the main cause of urolithiasis. In the pelvis of the kidneys, stones are formed that violate the outflow of urine and traumatize the mucous membrane of the kidneys and ureters. A secondary infection joins this process, resulting in pyelonephritis.
Other reasons
The cause of kidney disease can be hemolysis. As a result of the destruction of red blood cells and with the release of hemoglobin, it settles in the glomeruli of the kidneys. This blockage makes work difficult. As a result, acute renal failure develops . It can also lead to an ailment:
- Impaired blood flow. With atherosclerotic plaques, a change in the diameter of the vessel occurs, which leads to insufficient blood flow to the cells of the organ. The result of this pathology is metabolic nephropathy. It can last for years without any manifestations.
- Low blood pressure. As a result of low blood pressure (systolic below 70 mm Hg), blood filtration in the glomeruli stops. As a result, they die (necrosis appears).
- Injuries. Kidney disease can result from injury. This can be a bruise, a wound cut, in which the renal tissue is disturbed and the function of the organ is lost.
If there is a violation of the formation of the fetus in the womb, an abnormality in the development of the kidneys may occur. They can be forked, omitted. Sometimes children have an extra kidney.
Common symptoms of pathologies
Symptoms of kidney disease are divided into local and general. The first include those clinical manifestations that are associated with the organ itself. It:
- Soreness in the lumbar region.
- Urine reduction.
- The appearance of blood in the urine.
- Urine changes color.
Common symptoms of kidney disease include: fever, headaches, weakness, aching in the joints. There may be an increase in blood pressure, and bags appear under the eyes, swelling after sleep.
Diagnostic Methods
To make a diagnosis, it is not enough to know the signs of kidney disease, it is also necessary to conduct laboratory and instrumental diagnostics.
A clinical blood test is required, indicating the inflammatory nature of the disease. An immunological analysis is carried out, as a result of which it is possible to establish whether there are antibodies to the renal glomeruli.
So that the doctor can accurately diagnose, urine is given for a general analysis. It shows whether there is protein, the density, the presence of leukocytes, red blood cells is determined.
Signs - symptoms - kidney disease require instrumental diagnosis, which allows you to accurately determine what type of illness the patient has. For this purpose, ultrasound, CT, antegrade radiography are prescribed.
Having received all the examination results, the doctor makes a conclusion and selects a treatment regimen.
Glomerulonephritis
This kidney disease in men and women is autoimmune and inflammatory. With glomerulonephritis, damage to the renal glomeruli, tubules occurs. The disease can develop independently, and can manifest itself with other pathologies.
Most often, the cause of the pathology is streptococcal infection, less often it develops with malaria, tuberculosis. The cause may be hypothermia, the influence of toxic substances.
Glomerulonephritis can be chronic, acute, subacute. In the acute form, patients complain of pain in the lumbar region, swelling on the face, which appears under the eyes, swelling of the extremities. There are bouts of high blood pressure. A change in urine is also observed, body temperature rises. Most often, glomerulonephritis appears a few weeks after infections.
In the chronic form, kidney disease in women and men develops as a result of untreated or neglected acute glomerulonephritis. The clinical picture of the chronic form differs from the acute lesser severity of pain, but everything else is identical. Chronic glomerulonephritis is latent, mixed, nephrotic, hypertonic.
In the diagnosis, laboratory and instrumental methods are used, in some cases, a kidney biopsy is prescribed.
The treatment is carried out for a long time, in some cases, the treatment lasts for years. Patients are prescribed a diet, diuretics and antihypertensive drugs, taking corticosteroids. Other treatments may be prescribed.
Pyelonephritis
With kidney pyelonephritis, the symptoms of the disease and treatment depend on the degree of damage to the organ and the cause that led to the disease. The parenchyma, pelvis, calyx may be involved in the inflammatory process. Most often, pyelonephritis is diagnosed in women.
Inflammation of the organ can be triggered by microorganisms that enter the organs from the outside. It can be staphylococcus, streptococcus, E. coli. Less commonly, inflammation causes several bacteria at once. If a person has problems with the outflow of urine, or there are problems with blood flow, then inflammation of the kidneys occurs against this background.
There are three forms of the disease: relapsing, chronic and acute. If you do not treat the latter, then it goes into another form.
The acute form occurs due to hypothermia, a decrease in the body's immune defense, after conducting some types of instrumental examination.
The diagnosis of pyelonephritis is made after receiving and evaluating the results of laboratory and instrumental examination. The doctor may prescribe an ultrasound of the kidneys, CT, and other methods.
For treatment, antibiotic therapy is used, general strengthening drugs, decoctions, teas are selected.
Nephroptosis
Nephroptosis is a pathological condition in which the kidney has high mobility. Because of this feature, it is often called "wandering." Most often, this disease affects women: this is due to the anatomy of the female body. Their fat reservoir is shorter and wider than that of men, and there is a weakening of the abdominal press. As a result of the characteristics of the anatomy and physiology of the female body, nephroptosis may occur.
A sharp weight loss, severe physical exertion, and injuries can lead to the development of an ailment.
Nephroptosis is of three stages, determined by the degree of organ mobility.
Renal failure
With partial or complete loss of function, renal failure is diagnosed. This ailment is associated with the inability to maintain a constant chemical composition in the body. As a result of the pathology, the water-electrolyte balance is disturbed, all substances that should be excreted from the body by the kidneys are delayed, causing poisoning.
In acute renal failure, the functioning of one or both kidneys is impaired. This type can manifest itself as a result of the influence of various pathological factors on the parenchyma. Also, an ailment can develop as a result of exposure to the body of medications, toxic substances and not only.
Chronic renal failure results from pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, diabetes mellitus, poisoning.
Hydronephrosis
With hydronephrosis, there is a persistent expansion of the kidney cavities, resulting from a violation of the outflow of urine. This ailment can be congenital and acquired. In the first case, hydronephrosis is manifested due to anatomical abnormalities. The acquired form occurs against a background of urolithiasis, various neoplasms that disrupt the outflow of urine.
Hydronephrosis can occur without visible symptoms. Signs can manifest themselves if kidney stones appear or an infectious lesion develops. The patient may be concerned about lower back pain of varying intensity. Often the only clinical manifestation of the disease is the presence of blood in the urine.
Urolithiasis disease
Due to metabolic disorders, as well as a violation of the function of the endocrine glands, kidney stones are formed. Stone formation is affected by stagnation of urine in the urinary tract. As a result of these processes, stones are formed: oxalates, urates, phosphates.
With kidney stones, renal colic occurs, which is manifested by severe pain. When confirming the diagnosis, stones are removed, drugs that relieve inflammation are prescribed.
Urinary tract infection
Symptoms of kidney disease in women and men can occur as a result of the penetration of an ascending infection through the urinary system. E. coli and other microorganisms can cause an ailment. As a result of the penetration of bacteria into the body, inflammation begins. It rises higher in the urinary tract, reaches the kidneys.
With inflammation of the urinary tract, patients have a clouded urine, an unpleasant odor, an admixture of blood. Frequent urination, soreness, discomfort are observed. The pathology of the urinary system is characterized by general malaise, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. In these cases, symptomatic therapy is performed, and broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs are prescribed.
General treatments
If this or that kidney disease is diagnosed, treatment is required to be carried out immediately to avoid complications. You should not practice treatment with folk remedies without consulting a doctor, engage in other methods of self-medication. A doctor should treat kidney disease. It is highly discouraged to experiment with yourself.
Cyst or neoplasm, polycystic can cause kidney pain. If a cyst is detected, treatment is carried out only if the disease gives complications. In such cases, laparoscopy is prescribed.
As a result of metabolic disorders, sand can form in the kidneys. To withdraw it, various medications are prescribed, as well as traditional medicine. Acceptance of any drugs is carried out strictly under the supervision of a doctor.
With most kidney pathologies, medication is practiced. It is mandatory that antibacterial drugs are prescribed, selected individually for each person. During pregnancy, treatment of ailments is carried out according to special gentle schemes. Without fail, a diet is prescribed to patients: spicy foods, salty, fatty are excluded from the diet. In the case of a severe course of the disease, kidney dialysis is performed, and surgical intervention is also indicated.
Prevention
Everyone knows that it’s easier to prevent ailments than treat them. To avoid relapse, it is necessary to reconsider nutrition. With an excessive content of protein foods, sweet, salty, smoked and fatty foods, sour and spicy foods, kidney pathology may occur. All these products have a big burden on the kidneys, therefore, in order to live a long and healthy life, it is necessary to exclude these products from the diet.
Also, infections, stresses, hypothermia affect the excretory function. In case of occurrence of even the most minor manifestation of pain in the lumbar region, you should immediately consult a doctor. The sooner pathology is detected, the faster recovery will be.
Proper nutrition, lack of stress, hypothermia, timely cured infections will prevent the occurrence of kidney pathologies and their complications.