Interesting facts about the human kidney (15 photos). All about human kidney disease Interesting facts about the organs of the human excretory system

Most of us are familiar with these habits, but we don't even think about their dangers. Let's put an end to them in order to save the kidneys and ourselves from diseases. After all, as they say: "A person is healthy only if his kidneys are healthy."

Alcohol and smoking

It has long been proven many times that smoking and drinking alcohol have a negative impact on health. Bad habits impair the functioning of the kidneys, because they are unable to cope with the large amount of toxic substances that have entered the body.
It's only in the movies that everyone smokes and drinks beautifully, but in real life they slowly kill themselves. Think about it the moment you get your next cigarette or bottle of beer ...

Lack of sleep

The fact is that it is at night that the kidney tissue is renewed. If you constantly lack sleep, this process does not go completely, which can soon lead to disruption of the organ. Forget about the ridiculous phrase: "Sleep for weaklings!".

Drinking large amounts of caffeine

So that's why you can't sleep ... Caffeine, which is found in coffee and various soft drinks, in large quantities is harmful to the whole body in general, and to the kidneys in particular. It has strong diuretic properties, dehydrates the body and forces the kidneys to idle, which puts an extra burden on them.

Passive lifestyle

Often, especially with sedentary work, congestion occurs in the kidneys. To restore proper blood circulation, do a little warm-up or gym every hour. Regular exercise will help prevent kidney stones.

Lack of vitamin B6

For the kidneys to function perfectly, it is necessary to consume an average of 1.3 ml of vitamin B6 daily. It is found in poultry, fish, potatoes, and many fruits other than citrus fruits.

Untimely emptying of the bladder

Continuous retention of urine in the bladder can lead to kidney failure and incontinence. Therefore, remember the rule: "As soon as - so right away ..."!

Excess sodium

The main source of sodium for humans is table salt. But if you abuse it, then your kidneys, as the main regulator of water-salt metabolism, may not cope with their work. The daily salt intake for an adult is up to 5-6 grams. The advice is: do not add too much salt to food - you will quickly get used to it and will taste it better.

Rough diets

Diets that burn fat from the body essentially expose the kidneys and deprive them of their defenses. As a result, they receive a double blow: on the one hand, they filter blood with an imbalanced balance, and on the other, they do not even receive useful substances.

Excess protein

Protein is not able to accumulate in the body like fats. Therefore, all excess protein and its breakdown products also increase the burden on the kidneys. If the kidneys do not cope with the excretion of these metabolic products, then stones can form in them.

Not drinking enough water

For the kidneys to function properly, like all organs, you need to drink enough water. Water literally flushes out all the nasty things from the body!

Kidney health is in your hands! Get rid of these bad habits and you will feel much better.

Complete collection and description: everything about human kidney disease and treatment and other information for human treatment.

Human kidney- This is the organ that provides the process of excretion. Therefore, in the presence of the slightest changes in the process of their functioning, we can talk about a developing disease.

Any kidney disease in children and adults in the development process manifests itself with pronounced symptoms. Most often, the symptoms of kidney disease consist in a change in the amount of urine excreted, as well as its color, composition. In the lumbar region, a person constantly feels pain. All these ailments are manifested under the influence of pathogens, as well as toxic substances. Sometimes the cause is also allergic reactions... Treatment of kidney and urinary tract diseases is performed only after the doctor clearly identifies the cause of the disease. Depending on how serious the signs and course of the disease are, the prognosis is also determined. Often, provided that a person is provided with adequate help on time, and a diet is followed for kidney disease, the disease is completely cured. But in some cases it may develop renal failure... Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of the development of pathology, the patient should definitely visit a doctor.

Causes of kidney disease

Speaking about kidney diseases, we mean a fairly large group of pathologies, with the development of which kidney tissue is gradually damaged. The causes of such diseases can be various influences. A number of diseases develop as a consequence of the effect of infection on the human body, and, moreover, it can be as bacterial and viral defeat. Impaired urine outflow negatively affects kidney function. Formations - tumors, cysts can provoke kidney dysfunctions. In addition, the causes of kidney disease can be metabolic disorders, autoimmune damage to the body, anomalies in the development of a congenital nature, a decrease in the functional activity of the parenchyma. Kidney stones, which sometimes form in them, also disrupt the normal functioning of the kidneys.

Kidney disease symptoms

All symptoms of kidney disease are divided into general and characteristic... General symptoms are difficult to attribute to kidney pathologies. If a person believes that his kidneys are hurting, then this and other signs must be paid special attention to. If your kidneys hurt, symptoms may indicate other illnesses. Information about the nature of all disturbing symptoms, as well as a detailed description of how the kidneys hurt, must be submitted to the doctor.

Typically, kidney disease presents with some common symptoms. When the disease is just developing, the patient feels a slight chill and a certain degree of general discomfort, which makes him feel overwhelmed. But the problem is often that such signs are characteristic of the onset of a cold, and severe pain in the kidneys does not appear immediately. Sometimes at this stage of the disease, it is enough to take the simplest measures to prevent further progress of the disease: warm up the legs, take a hot drink.

But if a person ignores the first signs of the disease, then the symptoms continue to grow further. The patient begins to have a fever, his temperature rises. Gradually, the lower back and back begin to hurt. Depending on which kidney is affected - right or left - pain in a certain area of the lower back worries. Less commonly, lower back pain occurs on both sides. In addition, to general symptoms should be attributed to the increase in pressure.

Thinking about what to do in such a situation, the patient should be aware that at this stage of the development of the disease, treatment should be prescribed by a doctor.

Symptoms include swelling occurring both on the face, in the eye area, and throughout the body. The latter phenomenon is more typical for obese people. Also, swelling in women with kidney problems often appears when pregnancy... In this case, it is important for a woman to clearly know why edema appears, and what to do if it does not go away for a long time.

Kidney disease also has urinary problems. With the development of a certain disease, pain or burning sensation during urination may disturb, polyuria(very frequent urination) oliguria(very rare urination). Sometimes it is absent altogether.

Another characteristic symptom is change in the composition and color of urine- it is cloudy, the shade changes significantly. It often contains blood particles.

If you have any of the symptoms of kidney ailments described above, you should immediately contact a specialist who will help establish the cause of the disease and the diagnosis. Self-medication, especially with the use of medications can lead to serious deterioration.

Hereditary and chronic diseases kidney

It happens that the symptoms of kidney disease in children appear almost after birth. In this case, one should suspect the presence of hereditary disease. In this case, throughout a person's life, it is important to avoid relapses of the disease, which is facilitated by the correct approach to prevention. An active lifestyle is important, the use of a sufficient amount of vitamins. But with the development of a severe form of any of the diseases, there is a need for periodic prescription of medications.

Chronic kidney disease in children and adults is manifested as a consequence of the wrong approach to the treatment of the acute form of the disease. If, after a person shows symptoms of kidney disease, he does not seek help, after a while he develops a chronic form of the disease. For any kidney disease, urolithiasis disease or urinary tract infection did not become chronic; first of all, adequate treatment and correct diet immediately after the first signs of kidney disease appear.

Let's take a closer look at the most common diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract.

Glomerulonephritis

It is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease. At glomerulonephritis damage to the renal glomeruli, tubules occurs. The disease can develop independently, as well as accompany other ailments. The most common cause of this kidney disease is streptococcal infection, in more rare cases, it develops against the background tuberculosis, malaria... Also, hypothermia, the effect of toxic substances sometimes becomes the cause of the disease.

Allocate spicy, subacute and chronic glomerulonephritis. In the acute form, the patient is worried about pain in the kidneys, swelling in the eye area on the face, as well as swelling of the extremities, seizures arterial hypertension, there are changes in the state of urine, the temperature rises, pain in the lower back, in the right or left part of it, increases. As a rule, this ailment manifests itself in a person several weeks after an infectious disease.

In the chronic form, which develops in most cases as a consequence of acute glomerulonephritis, the symptoms are similar to those of the acute form of the disease. Doctors isolate hypertensive, nephrotic, mixed and latent forms of the disease.

In the process of diagnosing glomerulonephritis, not only the results of instrumental and laboratory studies are taken into account. If necessary, it is also carried out biopsy kidneys.

It takes a long time to treat this disease, sometimes therapy lasts several years. The patient is prescribed a diet, taking antihypertensive and diuretics, as well as long-term treatment with corticosteroids. Other treatments are practiced as needed.

Pyelonephritis

This is an inflammatory kidney disease, in which the pathological process also involves the calyx, renal pelvis, and renal parenchyma. Due to the anatomical structure pyelonephritis more often affects women. The inflammatory process can be caused either by microorganisms that are constantly present in the human body, or by microflora that comes from the outside. The causative agents of the disease are often Proteus, staphylococcus, streptococcus, colibacillus... Sometimes the disease manifests itself as a result of the action of several different pathogens at once. But pyelonephritis occurs when a person's urine outflow from the kidney is disturbed, and there are also disturbances in the blood flow and lymph circulation, and against this background the pathogen enters the body.

Doctors identify three forms of pyelonephritis - spicy, chronic, recurrent. Acute form the disease develops as a result of a decrease immunity, hypothermia, as well as after the application of some instrumental research methods. The chronic form is often the result of acute inflammation of the kidney and lack of proper treatment.

The diagnosis is established on the basis of an ultrasound examination of the kidneys, X-rays and other diagnostic methods. In the course of therapy, they are used initially antibiotics a broad spectrum of action, and later, after studying the results of a study on sensitivity to antibacterial drugs, treatment is carried out with directional antibiotics. General strengthening methods of treatment are also practiced.

Nephroptosis

Nephroptosis- a pathological phenomenon associated with too much mobility of the kidney, the so-called vagus kidney. Due to the anatomical features, women are more likely to suffer from this disease. Due to the fact that the fat container in the kidneys is shorter and wider, and at the same time there is also a weakening of the abdominal press due to bearing a child and childbirth, the disease develops quite often. In addition to these reasons, factors that provoke the development of nephroptosis can be very dramatic weight loss, injuries, and heavy physical exertion. There are three stages of nephroptosis, which are delineated depending on the degree of mobility of the kidney.

Renal failure

Renal failure- this is a pathology, during the development of which the kidneys lose partially or completely the ability to perform their functions, that is, maintain a constant chemical composition in the body. As a result, the water-electrolyte balance is disturbed in the body, there is a delay of those substances that are regularly removed from the body in a healthy person.

In acute renal failure, there is an acute dysfunction of one or both kidneys. Acute renal failure is manifested as a consequence of the effect of various pathological factors on the renal parenchyma. The disease can develop as a result of exposure to the body of medications, poisonous substances, etc.

In chronic renal failure, renal impairment also develops. This condition is a consequence pyelonephritis, chronic glomerulonephritis, diabetes mellitus, poisoning with some chemical elements, etc.

Hydronephrosis

At hydronephrosis the patient has a persistent expansion of the kidney cavities, which occurs as a result of a violation of the outflow of urine. The disease can be either congenital or acquired. Congenital hydronephrosis is manifested due to some anatomical abnormalities. The acquired form of the disease occurs against the background of urolithiasis, tumors that interfere with the outflow of urine.

For a relatively long period, hydronephrosis develops without any visible symptoms. Symptoms of the disease become pronounced if kidney stones appear, or an infectious lesion develops. The patient may be concerned about low back pain, which can be very intense. Often the only symptom of the disease is the presence of blood in urine.

Urolithiasis disease

The formation of stones in the bladder occurs due to a violation of metabolic processes in the body, as well as a violation of the functions of the endocrine glands. One of the factors affecting the process of stone formation is stagnation of urine in the urinary tract. In addition, the hereditary factor plays an important role in this case. Stones have a heterogeneous composition - they can be phosphates, urates, oxalates.

Kidney stone patients often suffer from renal colic, which is severe pain. In this case, you cannot self-medicate. The basic principles of treatment are to remove stones as well as to treat inflammation associated with kidney stones.

Features of the treatment of other kidney diseases

There are also a number of other kidney diseases that require an adequate treatment approach. But in all cases, kidney treatment should be carried out in a timely manner, since there is a likelihood of complications such as kidney cancer, etc. Therefore, it is absolutely impossible to practice exclusively kidney treatment with folk remedies or herbs at home.

For any disease, it is important to consult a doctor. For example, if a person is diagnosed with a single kidney cyst, then in this case it is sufficient to conduct an annual study. Treatment of a kidney cyst is required if complications or polycystic disease occur. In this case, the person is predominantly assigned a laparoscopic operation.

Sand in the kidneys as a sign of urolithiasis occurs as a result of metabolic disorders. In this case, in parallel with taking medications, treatment with alternative methods is practiced. However, it, like the treatment of kidney stones, must be carried out under the supervision of the attending physician.

Medication for kidney disease is practiced for most ailments. However, if a person is diagnosed with hydronephrosis, inflammation, prolapse of the kidney or other ailments, then antibiotics and medicines belonging to other groups are selected exclusively individually. It is also important to take into account the fact that the treatment of such diseases during pregnancy should be as gentle as possible. Women prone to kidney ailments are advised to follow a diet, eat as little spicy foods and salt as possible during the period of carrying a baby.

Urinary tract infection

Urinary tract infection has a bacterial nature. In the process of its development, an infection of the urinary system occurs. In most cases, the disease occurs as a result of ingestion colibacillus... Once in the urine, bacteria multiply and cause a urinary tract infection.

Urinary tract infection in children and adults manifests itself in a number of characteristic symptoms. First of all, this is the clouding of urine and the appearance unpleasant odor... An impurity of blood may be found in the urine. A person feels a very frequent need to urinate, and in the process, he feels pain and severe discomfort. Also, symptoms of the disease can be expressed in general malaise, pain in the abdomen and in the pelvic region. If the upper urinary tract is infected, the person may suffer from fever, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea. In this case, it is important to provide treatment not for symptoms, but for the disease itself.

More often women suffer from urinary tract infections, since their urethra is shorter than that of the stronger sex. In addition, it is closer to the anus, so the risk of infection increases.

The infection more often affects women who are sexually active, as well as women during menopause. In addition, the infection affects people with kidney disease and certain chronic ailments that weaken the body's defenses.

The types of urinary tract infections are cystitis(bladder infection) urethritis(urethral infection).

To diagnose urinary tract infections, urinalysis, cytoscopy, and some other research methods are necessary.

The choice of treatment method directly depends on what kind of infection - the upper or lower urinary tract - was diagnosed in the patient.

If the patient has a lower urinary tract infection, then treatment can be carried out at home. With a severe form of infection of the upper tract, the patient is hospitalized. In the course of treatment, antibiotics, analgesics, and other means and methods are used on the recommendation of a doctor. Relapses of the disease are often noted as complications of the disease.

According to medical statistics, 1.8% of the population is diagnosed with kidney pathologies of varying severity. In most cases, these diseases are latent manifestations, which is their danger and complexity of detection. Only by determining the true causes of kidney disease, the prescribed drug therapy will lead to a complete recovery of the patient.

Etiology

By renal disease, doctors mean congenital or acquired changes in tissue and structure, and the term "failure" means the inability to function normally. When the most important organs of the urinary system are damaged, the natural outflow of urine is disrupted, the level of blood pressure rises, and there is a failure in the regulation of hematopoiesis. For these reasons, at the first signs of kidney disease, you need to consult a doctor for a diagnosis and initiation of adequate therapy.

In nephrology, there are two main groups of provoking factors:

Primary. Hereditary reasons for the development of kidney disease include a violation or lack of enzyme activity, a genetic defect in the cell membranes of protein substances. Against the background of these pathological processes, there is a risk of renal dysplasia, polycystic disease, phosphaturia.
Secondary. Acquired causes include urinary tract infections (UTIs) with subsequent damage to the adrenal glands, the result of hypothermia, chemical poisoning, trauma, and allergic reactions.

The terms "chronic kidney failure" and "chronic kidney disease" (CKD) are considered synonymous by doctors. The main etiological factor in CKD is hypertension. Over the past decade, more and more importance has been attached to psychosomatics. Many well-known experts recommend that patients with kidney failure work on their inner fears, letting go of past grievances. The developed psychosomatic tables indicate the main causes of kidney damage. Nephrologists pay attention to the fact that girls often become their patients, because they dress not for the weather and suffer from hypothermia.

Early signs of the manifestation of pathologies

The symptoms of kidney disease depend on the stage of the course and the presence of concomitant diagnoses. At the first stage, patients feel a slight chill, increased fatigue. As the inflammatory process progresses, the composition and density of urine change, diuresis is impaired, signs of neurogenic syndromes appear. At the same time, it is necessary to remember: when the kidney starts to hurt, it is not always about the presence of pathology. Only a nephrologist can make a reliable diagnosis.

The work of the urinary system

In men, against the background of prostate adenoma, there is often an acute retention of urine. Sometimes anuria or oliguria is triggered by loss of fluid not associated with kidney damage: fever, increased sweating in hot weather. An increase in daily urine output may indicate polycystic kidney disease, chronic pyelonephritis. In this case, we are talking about a progressive disease. Polyuria in combination with nocturia (increased urge at night), dry mouth indicates the development of renal failure, which is confirmed after a blood test for creatinine. The danger of diseases in newborns lies in the difficulty of diagnosis, therefore pediatricians recommend carefully monitoring the frequency of urination.

Increased body temperature

As medical practice shows, with kidney pathologies, hyperthermia is not always observed. In most cases, fever occurs in patients with inflammatory processes. Chills may indicate the presence of a tumor in the kidneys and the onset of metastasis. Pyelonephritis develops after suffering from influenza, acute respiratory viral infections and is not accompanied by painful sensations. An increase in body temperature in this case is the only sign of the presence of pathology. Doctors remind: if the child has no other complaints besides fever, it is necessary to pass urine tests.

Pain syndrome

With kidney damage, the intensity of the symptoms of the disease depends on the stage of the course. Typically, the pain is dull and does not depend on physical activity or body position. With an exacerbation of pyelonephritis, accompanied by bloody clots in the urine, there are sharp pains of a short-term nature. The intensity of sensations increases in patients with nephritis, renal vein infarction. It is important to exclude prolapse of organs if pain occurs in the upright position of the body. When stones move along the ureter, spasms are given to the groin and lower abdomen, in rare cases - to the anus. A similar nature of pain is manifested in renal tuberculosis.

Puffiness

Excessive accumulation of fluid in tissues and organs is often found in patients with heart failure, impaired outflow in the lymph nodes, and allergies. Therefore, renal edema, which appears mainly in the morning after waking up, should be differentiated. The patient develops bags under the eyes, and the face becomes puffy. Edema is mainly localized on the feet and legs, while they are combined with a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath. Quite often, a person does not notice this peculiar indicator of the existing pathology, moreover, excess fluid is excreted by the evening. Therefore, doctors recommend that you independently check the condition of the soft tissues: press a little on the skin on the leg and abruptly remove the finger. If the deepening is visible for some time, we are talking about edema.

In addition to specific symptoms, patients with kidney disease report decreased appetite, weight loss, drowsiness, and increased fatigue. This condition is due to the fact that the kidneys cannot independently remove toxins and metabolic products from the body. In order to avoid intoxication at the first signs of renal failure, it is necessary to consult a doctor and undergo a full diagnosis of the state of health.

Clinical classification of kidney disease

In nephrology, there is no single approach to differentiating pathologies of the urinary tract organs. At the moment, the nosological classification based on the identification of etiology and pathogenesis is considered the leading one. The developed list combines pathological processes in the kidneys that have appeared for various reasons.

Pyelonephritis

Inflammation of the pelvis, calyces in most cases is diagnosed in women after suffering from cystitis. Escherichia coli disease often affects one kidney. In elderly men, pyelonephritis occurs as a nonspecific complication of prostatitis, prostate adenoma. Patients with kidney problems in this form complain of fever (the temperature reaches 39 degrees), cramps in the lower abdomen, groin, lower back. The urine becomes cloudy, sweating increases, and pain syndromes also bother at night.

Glomerulonephritis

Inflammation of the renal tubules and glomeruli is a common cause of CKD and disability. The defeat of the organ begins after the infection and against the background of a common sore throat. Parents should pay special attention to timely treatment of young children, preventing kidney infection. Glomerulonephritis poses a threat to the health of pregnant women, since it provokes premature birth, while the 22-28th and 40th week of gestation is considered the most dangerous period. Pathology is accompanied by the following symptoms: swelling, decreased urine output, insomnia, lethargy, headaches. In most cases, hospitalization and antibiotics in combination with a diet (low-protein foods) are required for a complete recovery.

Polycystic kidney disease

Pathology can be hereditary. In this case, we are talking about the detection of cysts filled with fluid, which form between the 10-30th year of life. In adolescence, kidney damage is attributed to a sudden change in hormonal background and rapid growth. In 15% of cases, patients with polycystic kidney disease (PBD) require replacement therapy. Gradually, neoplasms affect the pancreas, liver, brain and heart, colon diverticula appear. Initially, patients do not notice signs of deterioration of health, but when the kidney hurts for a long time, patients complain of discomfort in the lumbar region, side. Sharp spasms in this case indicate the onset of infection and hemorrhage into the cyst.

Chronic renal failure (CRF)

As a result of the rapid development of the disease, the healthy tissues of the paired organs die off. CRF is a complex of pathological processes: hypertension, chronic uremia, impaired water-salt balance. At the last stage of renal failure, a large number of nephrons die, as a result of which a complete organ failure gradually occurs. In patients with CRF, upset stools, decreased appetite, dryness and bitterness in the mouth, shortness of breath, pain in the sternum are observed. With the complication of the pathology, coagulation processes are disrupted, hypertension, attacks of cardiac asthma appear. With such a clinical picture, there is a high risk of coma and organ decompensation; surgical intervention is required.

Acute renal failure syndrome (ARF)

Against the background of ischemia of the renal cortical layer, glomerular filtration decreases, the concentration of calcium and free radicals increases. If the blood flow of the paired organs of the urinary system is disturbed, doctors suspect the presence of acute renal failure. Initially, the pathology is accompanied by the classic symptoms of ischemia: nausea, anuria, lack of appetite, weight loss. In the future, the syndrome of acute renal failure increases, and patients complain of cramps in the limbs, confusion, disorientation, arrhythmia, pallor and dryness of the skin, diarrhea. Subject to early detection of the disease, doctors prescribe drugs to normalize blood circulation in the nephrons: dopamine, insulin, glucose, papaverine. To relieve an acute attack of renal colic, it is necessary to take prescribed tablets to relieve analgesia.

Urolithiasis disease

According to statistics, 40% of patients with signs of nephrolithiasis, characterized by the formation of stones of various sizes in the kidneys and bladder, turn to urologists. The true reasons for the development of pathology have not been fully studied, but there is an assumption that the widespread prevalence is due to the influence of unfavorable external factors. It is reliably known that during menstruation in women, pathology enters the stage of exacerbation. In most cases, nephrolithiasis is asymptomatic for several years, and a person learns about it randomly during an ultrasound scan. As the calculi progresses, they provoke bouts of pain, with renal colic lasting 20-60 minutes. Not all cases require medical examination, which makes it possible to treat at home.

Doctors pay attention that with urolithiasis, you cannot drink beer, which in folk medicine is considered an effective means of dissolving hardened crystals. Any intoxicating drinks will aggravate the clinical condition of patients.

Congenital nephrotic syndrome (ANS)

Often the disease is diagnosed in children under 5 years of age, and in adults it manifests itself at the age of 25-40 years. ANS does not act as an independent pathology, but is a symptom complex. In patients with nephrotic syndrome, proteinuria, edema, and hyperlipidemia are detected. TO possible reasons development of this form of renal pathology include diabetes mellitus, infectious and inflammatory processes, rheumatism, blood diseases, thrombosis, allergies, toxic poisoning.

Nephritic syndrome

Pathology is not a diagnosis, but determines the condition in primary diseases. Should differentiate nephrosis (kidney damage) from nephritis (inflammation of the organs). The basic symptoms of the syndrome include arterial hypertension, edema, hematuria. Doctors are convinced that the presence of nephritis indicates an exacerbation of the primary diagnosis. As medical practice shows, the disease develops against the background of infection of the body. In this case, no specific therapy is required. Patients with nephritic syndrome are prescribed a low protein diet number 7, salt restriction, and medications.

Kidney tuberculosis

In 40% of cases of pulmonary diseases, the leading position is occupied by an infectious lesion of the nephrons. Doctors emphasize that low immunity is the main factor contributing to the development of pathology. Kidney tuberculosis is provoked by specific pathogenic microorganisms, namely Koch's bacillus. Inflammation of the renal calyces and pelvis, the bladder is of a secondary nature. In 30% of cases of diagnosing tuberculosis, asymptomatic development is observed.

As the disease worsens, spasms appear in the lumbar spine, blood clots in urine, dysuria, and high blood pressure. All patients with this form of kidney damage are subject to clinical examination. As a prevention of the disease, it is necessary to remember the importance of prevention: visit a doctor regularly, do an ultrasound scan once a year, take a test for microalbuminuria (protein in the urine), drink enough liquid to maintain the water-salt balance.

Oncology

The diagnosis of kidney cancer is made on the basis of laboratory and instrumental studies, during which malignant tumor-like neoplasms are detected. This form of carcinoma is more often detected before the onset of metastasis, and doctors give a positive prognosis with timely intervention. Malignant tumors in senile and old age have an unexpressed clinical manifestation, therefore the patients themselves should be attentive to themselves.

The root causes of nephron cancer have not been fully understood, but during the course of clinical studies it was found that predominantly smokers, men, people with obesity and genetic diseases who abuse alcohol are at risk. The radical method of therapy is still nephrectomy - the surgical removal of the kidney together with the tumor. In folk medicine, there is often a recommendation to apply steam compresses to the lower back, but it should be remembered that self-medication at home with such means is strictly prohibited due to the high risk of exacerbation of the clinical picture.

The first signs of any kidney disease are lower back pain and discoloration of urine. Medical specialists often diagnose urolithiasis, renal failure, pyelonephritis, nephroptosis, glomerulonephritis.

Urolithiasis disease

Urolithiasis is characterized by the formation of stones in the organs of the urinary system, primarily in the kidneys. The disease occurs due to a number of reasons, great importance at the same time it has a hereditary factor. The main symptom by which one can suspect the presence of kidney stones is frequent low back pain of varying intensity. The nature of these pains depends entirely on the size of the stone and in which part of the organ it is located. Stones that reach large sizes, as a rule, are inactive, cause dull and almost continuous pain in the lower back. Small stones usually lead to renal colic. Colic may be accompanied by nausea, bloating, chills. All symptoms occur during the period of the patient's physical activity, physical labor or sports, while driving in a car, shaking, etc.

Treatment of patients with urolithiasis can be carried out surgically and more sparingly with medication. Modern methods of removing kidney stones are distance lithotripsy, ureterorenoscopy, which allow the procedure to be carried out without the use of conventional surgical instruments. Patients are also shown physiotherapy procedures (laser, ultrasound), spa treatment, diet.

Renal failure

Renal failure - impaired renal function, accompanied by a disorder of various types of metabolism in the body. Acute renal failure goes through four main stages in its development.

Symptoms of the first stage of the disease are: chills, decreased pressure, pallor, yellowing of the skin. In this case, it is found in the urine high level leukocytes, proteins and erythrocytes. The second stage of renal failure is characterized by the occurrence of headaches, nausea, sleep disturbances, an excessively small amount of urine, an increase in its composition of creatinine and urea. Epilepsy and anemia are common. With the onset of the third stage of the disease, the patient suddenly loses weight, his skin becomes excessively dry, and general weakness is noted. The fourth stage continues for a long time, while the patient's urine is no longer found protein, his condition improves. The chronic form of the disease occurs as a complication of many kidney pathologies, develops slowly, leads to intoxication of the whole organism and irreversible processes in the kidneys themselves.

The mainstay of treatment for renal failure is the elimination of the cause that caused it. Medicines are prescribed depending on the diagnosis. Acute renal failure requires the patient to be admitted to the intensive care unit. In the case of timely treatment, it is possible to completely get rid of the disease, since the kidneys belong to the organs that completely restore the functions lost during the course of the disease.

Pyelonephritis

Pyelonephritis is an inflammation of the main structures of the kidneys that occurs as a result of pathogens entering the organ. The danger of pyelonephritis is that it can proceed without any symptoms for a long time, leading to many complications. However, most often acute inflammation of the kidneys begins violently, the patient has a fever, vomiting, muscle pain, headache, excessive sweating. Inflammation can be recognized by its characteristic dull pains that occur in one side. At the same time, the process of urination is not disturbed; when analyzing urine, protein, erythrocytes and bacteria that caused inflammation are found in it.

Lack of treatment leads to the transition of the disease to the chronic stage. Chronic inflammation of the kidneys is accompanied by a deterioration in well-being, frequent urge to urinate, aching lumbar pain, lack of appetite. In this case, the specific gravity of the urine separated per day, as a rule, gradually decreases, as a complication, renal failure or hypertension develops. With exacerbation chronic pyelonephritis symptoms of its acute form are noted. His treatment is carried out in inpatient conditions. With the help of diagnostics, the specialist determines the main causative agent of the disease, then prescribes the intake of the appropriate drugs, as a rule, antibiotics. The main cause of inflammation plays an important role in this. In case of difficulty in the outflow of urine from the body, surgical intervention is performed. The course of antibiotic treatment lasts up to eight weeks, at which time the intake of diuretics and medicinal herbs is also indicated.

Nephroptosis

Nephroptosis is a disease associated with pathological displacement of the kidney beyond its anatomical location. A slight movement of the kidney usually does not pose a danger to human health and does not affect the general condition of his body. For moderate nephroptosis, the following symptoms are characteristic: increased blood pressure, lumbar pain, the appearance of blood impurities in the urine, inflammation of the renal pelvis, the formation of stones and calcareous deposits in it. You can suspect excessive kidney mobility on your own by conducting a simple experiment. When inhaling, such a kidney is well felt through the abdominal wall; when exhaling, it is no longer possible to detect it with the fingers. Nephroptosis usually worries people who are involved in severe physical activity, manifested in the form of pulling down lumbar pain and heaviness of the abdomen. The severe stage of the disease makes itself felt by constant dull pain in the lower back, increased pressure, and digestive disorders. In some patients, neurasthenia (dizziness, migraine, lack of sleep) is observed.

The basis for the diagnosis of nephroptosis is: ultrasound of the kidneys, urinalysis, urography. The disease is treated in most cases with the use of conservative methods: massage of the abdominal cavity, wearing a special corset that ensures the immobility of the kidney, special gymnastics, proper nutrition... In some cases, nephropexy is performed - a surgical intervention that consists in fixing the kidney in the correct place of its location by fixing it to nearby organs. Lack of treatment for nephroptosis leads to inflammation of the renal pelvis. In the case of timely medical care, the prognosis is always favorable.

Glomerulonephritis

Glomerulonephritis is a disease in which inflammation of the small vessels of the kidneys (glomeruli) occurs, as a result of which their main function is disrupted - the formation and excretion of urine from the human body. Most often, this pathological condition develops against the background of an existing infection, poisoning with toxic substances, alcohol consumption, hypothermia.

The clinical picture of glomerulonephritis includes the following symptoms: increased blood pressure, decreased urine volume, swelling of the skin, lower back pain, fever, thirst, urine discoloration to dark yellow with blood impurities. When conducting laboratory tests, erythrocytes and protein are found in the patient's urine. An accurate diagnosis of the disease is established by the results of the analysis of urine and blood. Ultrasound and computed tomography of the abdominal cavity are also prescribed. Chronic glomerulonephritis can be considered as a separate disease, which can proceed without symptoms for several years. As a result of its development, kidney function also decreases. Improper treatment of the disease or its absence can lead to kidney failure, sometimes leading to death.

As the main treatment for glomerulonephritis, antibiotics and diuretic drugs are prescribed. To normalize blood pressure, drugs Berlipril, Captopril, etc. are shown. In chronic glomerulonephritis, glucocorticoids are prescribed. Some patients are shown hemodialysis - the purification of the blood from toxic substances accumulating in it. Full recovery usually occurs two months after the start of intensive treatment. Death in the acute course of the disease is extremely rare.

Kidney disease is affecting an increasing number of people. In Russia, about 4 percent of the population already has kidney disease. According to statistics, the symptoms of kidney disease are more often observed in women, however, in men, kidney diseases are, as a rule, in severe and neglected forms.

This is due to the reluctance of a strong half of humanity to visit doctors for kidney problems, an inexplicable unwillingness to monitor their health. During this time, signs of kidney disease begin to appear.

We recently discussed the symptoms of kidney disease, where the common features of all kidney disease have been identified. In this thread, let's talk about the most common kidney diseases.

Human kidney disease

The most common kidney diseases are urolithiasis, pyelonephritis, nephroptosis, hydronephrosis, renal failure, and glomerulonephritis. Let's take a closer look at all the signs of kidney disease.

1.Signs of kidney disease - urolithiasis

Since we are talking about kidney diseases, it is more correct to call this disease nephrolithiasis, in other words, nephrolithiasis. In this type of disease, stones and sand are formed in the kidneys.

The development of the disease is facilitated by improper diet, a sedentary lifestyle, chronic lack of water in the body, hot climate, and others. Follow the link to read more about where kidney stones come from.

2. Signs of kidney disease - Pyelonephritis

Pyelonephritis is an inflammatory kidney disease that is very common because infections often enter the kidney with blood.

The source of infection can be inflammation in the lungs, intestines, in the uterus, as well as a carious tooth or boil.

Often, inflammation of the kidneys is caused by microorganisms that are constantly in the human body, which are activated when immunity is weakened.

The infection often enters the kidney from an already inflamed bladder. The causative agents of pyelonephritis are more often Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus aureus, Proteus.

In men, the infection can penetrate from the urethra, prostate gland. Women, due to their physiological characteristics, suffer from pyelonephritis more often.

The result is one - an inflammatory process begins in the kidney, requiring a long treatment. Chronic pyelonephritis is a painful and slowly developing kidney disease, which periodically worsens, for example, from hypothermia.

3. Signs of kidney disease - Nephroptosis

Nephroptosis is a condition that is also called the terms "vagus kidney", "prolapse of the kidney", "mobile kidney".

As the names suggest, this disease is associated with a human condition in which the kidneys have abnormal mobility.

Again, due to the anatomical features, women are more likely to suffer from nephroptosis than men. Excessive physical work, severe weight loss, injuries also lead to nephroptosis.

The descent of the kidney can be accompanied by its rotations along the axis, which leads to serious consequences in the form of impaired circulation of the kidney due to the bending of the vessels.

4. Signs of kidney disease - Hydronephrosis

This kidney disease is characterized by impaired flow of urine from the kidney. As a result, the calyces and renal pelvis expand.

The causes of hydronephrosis can be a narrowing of the ureter, a stone blocking the urinary tract, congenital anomalies, kidney tumors, diseases of the pelvic organs and others, due to which a situation arises with a violation of the outflow of urine from the kidney.

5. Signs of Kidney Disease - Kidney Failure

With renal failure, the kidneys cease to fully or partially fulfill their functions.

As a result, changes occur in the body, due to which metabolic products (uric acid, urea, etc.) do not leave the body, causing harm.

Renal failure can develop as a result of pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, gout, diabetes mellitus, drug poisoning, and the action of toxic substances.

6. Signs of kidney disease - Glomerulonephritis

Glomerulonephritis is also an inflammatory disease in which the renal tubules and glomeruli are affected.

The cause of this kidney disease is most often an infection as a result of previous tonsillitis, pneumonia, scarlet fever, and purulent skin diseases. Less commonly, glomerulonephritis occurs due to hypothermia, malaria, tuberculosis.

The body for the complete removal of water-soluble metabolic products, xenobiotics, drugs and toxins from the body, uses arranged system excretion, in which the kidneys are predominant. These are paired organs that, in addition to their main task, are actively involved in the metabolism and regulation of many body functions. But kidney diseases are one of the most common, due to the fact that the system experiences enormous stress at some periods of life (for example, during pregnancy). Therefore, it is important to know more about their work and the main pathologies - pyelonephritis, urolithiasis and others, and to prevent diseases.

The main functions that the kidneys continuously perform are filtering the blood to cleanse it of water-soluble toxins and waste metabolites, intermediates, excess ions, and excretion of xenobiotics (compounds foreign to the body). According to scientists, the resource of the kidneys is 150% -180% (for both), and therefore, in case of organ diseases, even the removal of one diseased kidney allows keeping the work of the remaining organ at the level of 75% -80% of the norm, which makes it possible to live quite normally. But this does not mean that the excretory system constantly needs to be strained, and forced to develop its resources much earlier than the prescribed time. What else do we know about kidneys? In a healthy person, there are two of them, on average, each weighing about 150-180 grams, and the right kidney is slightly larger and heavier than the left. In size, the kidneys are the size of a woman's palm; in thickness, they reach a size of 4 cm.

Participation of organs in metabolism

The excretory system does colossal work every day, the scale of which in terms of the effect on metabolism can be estimated in the language of numbers. Up to 2000 liters of blood passes through them per day, forming up to 150 liters of a special filtrate - primary urine. But from it, as a result, within a day, up to 2 liters of final urine remains for the release, which removes metabolic products that are dangerous and toxic to the body. On average, during the reading of the article, the blood will have time to completely pass through the kidneys two or three times, clearing them of nitrogenous toxins, remnants of drugs taken, some undigested food components, pigments and excess salts. To maintain a full-fledged metabolism of the body, about a million structural units are actively working in the kidneys - nephrons that filter urine. Although organs by weight constitute no more than 0.5% of the total mass of a person, they assimilate up to 10% of all oxygen entering the blood. This is necessary for such an active and intense work. Oxygen is consumed by the kidney cortex even more actively than by the human brain, therefore the excretory system is extremely sensitive to ischemia. And about 10% of all the energy that is generated by the body as a result of metabolism goes to the needs of the kidneys so that they can actively maintain homeostasis.

As mentioned above, the kidneys are sensitive to hypoxia, and to protect against it, they have a specific mechanism of increasing pressure, leading to an increase in renal blood flow and the flow of oxygenated blood and nutrients. Therefore, hypertension in some patients may be of renal origin. Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the kidneys (pyelonephritis), as well as immune-inflammatory diseases (glomerulonephritis) are most often detected. Organs suffer no less from metabolic disorders; urolithiasis is most often encountered today - it has become one of the leaders in the morbidity structure. Doctors say that the daily intake of 2 liters of liquid (ideally, pure water) reduces the risk of developing urolithiasis several times.

In addition, doctors say that the peak incidence of kidney disease occurs in the cold season - late autumn and winter due to their sensitivity to hypothermia. You can suspect kidney disease by the formation of circles under the eyes or shadows, swelling and an unpleasant odor of urine from the body, a feeling of weakness.

Kidney and pregnancy: high stress

Against the background of pregnancy, the load on the urinary system increases several times, the organs work with tension, and the slightest health problems, infections and metabolic disorders can lead to problems. The most common problem during pregnancy is pyelonephritis, an inflammatory process of a microbial nature, although other disorders can also be observed. The kidneys are also actively involved in the formation of gestosis, which is likely in pregnancy in women from the middle of the term or closer to the third trimester.

If pregnancy is accompanied by preeclampsia, disorders in the functioning of the kidneys are manifested in the form of edema and the appearance of a large amount of protein in the urine.

Factors for the development of pyelonephritis and other pathologies

The most common reason for hospitalization is acute pyelonephritis or sharp and pronounced exacerbations of a chronic one. Although the basis is an infectious factor, in order for microbes to penetrate the kidney area, special conditions must be created. So, for pyelonephritis and for many other renal pathologies, the influence of physical inactivity is important due to a sedentary lifestyle and low mobility. This negatively affects urodynamics, leading to urinary stagnation and encouraging bacteria to spread up the urinary tract. The blood circulation in the small pelvis suffers no less severely, which also contributes to the formation or exacerbation of pyelonephritis.

Restraining the urge to urinate, especially for a long time, is harmful to the health of the urinary system. This threatens not only with the fact that pyelonephritis can develop, but also with the development of urinary bladder incontinence, the formation of urolithiasis and renal failure. All these factors must be constantly remembered, regularly monitoring the health of the urinary system in general, and the kidneys themselves - in particular. It is necessary to avoid hypothermia, harmful food and nephrotoxic drugs, to observe the drinking regime.

The kidneys are an organ of the human excretory system, which not only cleanses the blood, but also produces the hormone renin, which is necessary for the body. Like other organs, the kidneys need to prevent possible diseases. In this article, we will share some interesting facts about the kidneys.

One of the most popular and effective medical operations today is kidney transplantation: performed in a timely manner, it relieves disease and very often saves lives. In this regard, you can often stumble upon advertisements for the sale - like any organ, the kidneys cost a lot of money. However, traders are often unaware of the danger such an initiative poses to them - left without kidneys, they simply will not survive.

Physiologically, the kidney is a paired organ located behind the peritoneum on the sides of the spine, in the upper lumbar region. The right kidney is usually located somewhat lower due to its proximity to the liver. Kidneys are not only in humans, but also in other mammals, as well as in birds, amphibians, and even fish.

The function of the kidneys includes the production of a hormone responsible for blood pressure - renin, as well as cleansing the blood from waste generated during metabolism: the blood flowing through the veins enters the filters, nephrons, and, passing through them, is purified. Waste is collected in the form of urine and excreted from the body, and pure blood enters the arteries.

One of the most terrible kidney diseases is kidney stone disease (due to its prevalence and severity of the course). It often causes severe complications such as colic (sharp pain in the kidney area), acute or chronic pyelonephritis (sharp or prolonged inflammation that can kill a person and is accompanied by severe pain). Another equally insidious kidney disease is acute glomerulonephritis.

During the course of the disease, stones are formed in the kidneys, the type of which directly depends on nutrition. Stones can be oxalate (formed from the salts of oxalic acid contained in cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, beets), urate (their formation is facilitated by an excess of purine bases contained in meat products, legumes and caffeine) and phosphate (formed when the blood contains excess concentration of calcium and phosphorus).

Other reasons for the formation of stones can be factors such as heredity, ecology, or hypervitaminosis (oversaturation of the body with one or more types of vitamins) - something that a person cannot directly influence. However, the main reason remains nutrition - by watching your diet, a person performs the prevention of kidney disease (and not only).

Prevention of kidney disease (regular doctor visits, nutritional control) looks more attractive than treatment, but it is also possible. In case of pain in the kidney area, you should consult a urologist, who will either prescribe medications and / or diet, or advise you to contact a surgeon for an operation.

Sincerely,

The human kidneys are the most important organ of the urinary system. If they do not work properly, a person develops symptoms of kidney disease. Their intensity and extent depends on the different lesions. Some diseases are asymptomatic or mild, while other diseases have severe symptoms that are difficult to tolerate. Sick kidneys in humans require timely therapy, since if untreated, the pathology becomes chronic and the patient faces dangerous consequences.

Chronic and acute renal pathologies arise for various reasons, which are acquired or congenital. The acquired causes of organ disease are:

trauma, as a result of which the integrity of the organs is damaged;
incorrect exchange process;
excess of the prescribed level of toxins in the blood;
an infectious disease caused by bacteria that have entered the kidneys from the bladder;
Autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system is weakened and inflammation occurs.

Each of the above reasons can affect the body of a woman, man and child. It is important to know the signs of the disease and notice them in time in order to take medicinal measures in a timely manner.

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Classification

Kidney pathologies are of two categories:

The first category includes diseases that affect two kidneys at once. In this case, the functions of the organ deteriorate significantly, which affects the work of the whole organism. Nephritis and nephrosclerosis are bilateral kidney pathologies.
The second category includes diseases as a result of which the structure changes or the function of only one organ is impaired. These include tumors, tuberculous kidney disease and stone formation.

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Congenital and hereditary diseases

Aplasia is a congenital malformation of the kidney.

Kidney problems are often associated with abnormalities that are congenital or hereditary. This kind of disease is observed in a quarter of patients with chronic kidney disease. Hereditary and congenital diseases are classified as follows:

Anatomical pathologies of the kidneys, which in turn are subdivided into quantitative pathologies and deviations in the shape of organs.
With histological dysembryogenesis of an organ, it is possible to form a cystic formation or other abnormalities of the kidneys already in the process of intrauterine development.
The presence of hereditary nephritis.
Tubulopathy of the primary, secondary or dysmetabolic type.
Uropathy or nephropathy develops when chromosomal or monogenic syndromes are present in the structure.
In children, Wilms' tumor is often observed, which occurs even during the period of intrauterine development.

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Symptoms of kidney disease

Low back pain can be a symptom of kidney disease.

At first, the symptoms of kidney disease may be absent and the person is not even aware of the presence of pathology in the organ. As the disease progresses, these are the first common signs of kidney disease:

Pain in the kidneys that radiates to the lumbar region. Given the disease and its degree, pain can be of a different nature and intensity. Sometimes they radiate to the pubic region, femoral, abdominal cavity. Such pains often indicate attacks of renal colic.
Impurities of blood in urine are characteristic for the formation of stones, chronic pyelonephritis, inflammation, and tumors. Urine can acquire a slightly pinkish color, and sometimes it becomes scarlet.
The appearance of puffiness, which at first worries exclusively in the morning hours and edema appears only under the eyes. Over time, the patient's lower extremities and arms swell.
Impaired excretion of urine, in which a person experiences painful sensations. Common signs of renal diseases are anuria or oliguria, in the first case, urine is absent, in the second, its daily amount is significantly reduced.
With kidney disease, the patient complains of poor health, which is associated with impaired organ function. It becomes difficult for the kidneys to remove toxic substances and toxins from the body. This affects the condition of a person, he experiences constant fatigue, performance decreases, pains in the head occur and there is no appetite. Over time, inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and intoxication of the body occur.

Prolonged renal disease often becomes the reason that the patient develops arterial hypotension, the skin turns pale, and their structure changes.

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Symptoms depending on the violations

Nephrolithiasis

The sudden appearance of cold sweats are shock signs with nephrolithiasis.

The general signs of kidney disease can be supplemented, depending on the pathology that has affected the organ. So, with nephrolithiasis, calculi are formed in the organ, in which such additional symptoms arise:

sharp, unbearable painful sensations;
nausea;
vomit;
shock signs - a person is thrown into a cold sweat;
the skin turns pale;
heartbeat becomes more frequent.

With a mild course, a person has only weakly manifested pain... It should be noted that nephrolithiasis affects only the kidneys, stones are not formed in other organs of the genitourinary system. When calculi enter the ureter and bladder, the mucous membrane is injured, which leads to hematuria.

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Glomerulonephritis

Headaches are characteristic of glomerulonephritis.

A disease in which the tubules and glomeruli of an organ become inflamed is called glomerulonephritis. The disease can provoke failure and disability. Pathology is manifested by the following symptoms:

manifestation of headaches;
fatigue, apathy;
swelling on the face;
decrease in the amount of urine;
sleep disturbance;
irritability;
depressive state.

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Pyelonephritis

Pyelonephritis associated with an organ infection is the cause of inflammation. With pathology, the following signs appear:

an increase in temperature to 39 ° C;
significant sweating;
intoxication;
soreness in the lower back, lower abdomen, and groin;
clouding of urine.

Given the development of pathology, over time, a person complains of an attack of pain, which worries at night. The pathology is characterized by the occurrence of edema on the face. If a permanent form of pathology develops, then the symptoms are weaker. Sometimes there are no signs of pyelonephritis, a person only feels constant fatigue and sweats at night.

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Polycystic kidney disease

Blood in the urine is formed in a patient with polycystic disease.

With a disease of this type of organ, cysts are formed in the tissues that contain fluid inside. At first, polycystic disease is not marked by any signs and it is detected by chance on examination. As the cysts grow, the following signs of pathology appear:

aching pain in the lower back and abdominal cavity;
periodic blood in urine;
weight loss, lack of appetite;
clarification of urine and an increase in its amount;
diarrhea or constipation;
itchy skin.

If polycystic disease is left untreated, kidney failure occurs over time.

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Nephroptosis

Nephroptosis is not a congenital pathology; specific causes are needed for the development of the disease. There are such risk factors for the development of nephroptosis:

a sharp increase or decrease in weight;
external organ injury;
pregnancy and childbirth;
intense physical activity.

The disease is characterized by aching and pulling pains in the lumbar spine, which disappear when taking a lying position. Over time, the painful sensations become stronger and do not go away with a change in body position. Over time, pains in the head increase, the person is nauseous, vomiting is observed. If a deviation is not detected in time, then an operation has to be performed.

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Hydronephrosis

Hydronephrosis affects the pelvis of the organ.

A disorder in which urine is not excreted normally and stretches the calyx and pelvis is called hydronephrosis. In most cases, it is observed in women under 40 years of age. The disease causes pain in the lumbar region, high fever, nausea and vomiting. If a deviation is not detected in time, then hydronephrosis can lead to rupture of the pelvis, as a result of which urine will enter the abdominal region.

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Tumor formation

Both benign and malignant tumors can develop in the kidneys. The deviation is characterized by the proliferation of organ tissue, which consists of changed cells. Tumors cause the following symptoms:

the general state of health is disturbed, weakness and fatigue are felt;
dry mouth, dry mucous membranes;
soreness in the back, abdomen;
weight loss, loss of appetite;

Benign lesions are less common. With kidney diseases of a malignant nature, more vivid symptoms are felt. In the last stages, most often the patient is worried about metastases, which are given to neighboring internal organs. As a result, the work of not only the kidneys, but also all organs is disrupted.

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Renal failure

In chronic pathologies, there is a complete absence of urine.

Failure is characterized by partial or complete absence of kidney function. A deviation associated with secondary pathologies often provokes an unfavorable consequence and threatens with death. Since decay products are not excreted from the body and gradually poison it. A characteristic sign of deficiency is a decrease in the amount or absence of urine.

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Diagnostics

Modern medicine has many ways to identify any kidney disease. Comprehensive diagnostics is extremely important, which includes:

laboratory tests;
vascular dopplerography;
nephroscintigraphy;
biopsy;
CT and MRI.

The kidneys can be treated after an accurate diagnosis has been made. Therapy is prescribed by the attending physician, taking into account the accompanying symptoms and contraindications.

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Treatment

Drug therapy should be comprehensive.

Treatment of kidney disease depends on the severity of the pathology and the complications present. There are the following main treatment procedures:

taking medications;
surgical intervention;
hemodialysis.

If there is inflammation in the kidneys, then drug treatment is shown, which improves the process of excreting urine and eliminates unpleasant symptoms. As a rule, doctors offer the following medicinal list:

"No-shpa";
"Papaverine";
"Kanephron" and "Cyston", if the formation of stones was added.

If the abnormalities associated with the kidneys cannot be eliminated by the drug method, then surgical treatment is indicated. The operation is required in the formation of a tumor, large stones and in those cases when complications of kidney disease have arisen. Surgical diseases require a postoperative diet and sometimes require more drug treatment... Hemodialysis is used in cases of kidney failure. Such treatment consists in cleansing the blood and the body from toxins by means of an "artificial kidney" apparatus.

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Treatment with folk remedies

Chamomile is a natural antiseptic.

If your kidneys are sick, then you can try to get rid of the problem with folk remedies. ethnoscience helps in cases where there is a slight inflammation or the disease remains on early stage... The following are the names of herbs that are effective in treating kidney disease:

immortelle;
birch leaves;
chamomile;
calendula;
peppermint;
St. John's wort;
field horsetail;
juniper;
rose hip.

Decoctions, infusions and other remedies are prepared from the above components. The medicinal herb is able to have a diuretic effect and remove toxins from the body. Decoctions from natural ingredients eliminate unpleasant symptoms, have an antispasmodic effect. Sometimes folk remedies are used in the postoperative period or as a prophylaxis for renal diseases.

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Prevention

Prevention of kidney and urinary tract diseases significantly reduces the risk of pathologies. A person should eat right and lead an active lifestyle. Doctors recommend stimulating points that improve the functioning of the kidneys and ureter. Drink plenty of fluids daily. At the first unpleasant signs, you should consult a doctor.

Causes of kidney disease

Kidney disease symptoms

But if a person ignores the first signs of the disease, then the symptoms continue to grow further. The patient begins to have a fever, his temperature rises. Gradually, the lower back and back begin to hurt. Depending on which kidney is affected - right or left - pain in a certain area of the lower back worries. Less commonly, lower back pain occurs on both sides. In addition, increased pressure should be attributed to the general symptoms.

Thinking about what to do in such a situation, the patient should be aware that at this stage of the development of the disease, treatment should be prescribed by a doctor.

Another characteristic symptom is change in the composition and color of urine- it is cloudy, the shade changes significantly. It often contains blood particles.

Hereditary and chronic kidney disease

Let's take a closer look at the most common diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract.

Glomerulonephritis

In the process of diagnosing glomerulonephritis, not only the results of instrumental and laboratory studies are taken into account. If necessary, it is also carried out biopsy kidneys.

Pyelonephritis

Doctors identify three forms of pyelonephritis - spicy, chronic, recurrent... The acute form of the disease develops as a result of a decrease in immunity, hypothermia, as well as after the application of some instrumental research methods. The chronic form is often the result of acute inflammation of the kidney and lack of proper treatment.

Nephroptosis

Renal failure

Hydronephrosis

Urolithiasis disease

Features of the treatment of other kidney diseases

Urinary tract infection

Urinary tract infection in children and adults manifests itself in a number of characteristic symptoms. First of all, it is clouding of urine and the appearance of an unpleasant odor. An impurity of blood may be found in the urine. A person feels a very frequent need to urinate, and in the process, he feels pain and severe discomfort. Also, symptoms of the disease can be expressed in general malaise, pain in the abdomen and in the pelvic region. If the upper urinary tract is infected, the person may suffer from fever, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea. In this case, it is important to provide treatment not for symptoms, but for the disease itself.

More often women suffer from urinary tract infections, since their urethra is shorter than that of the stronger sex. In addition, it is closer to the anus, so the risk of infection increases.

The types of urinary tract infections are cystitis(bladder infection) urethritis(urethral infection).

To diagnose urinary tract infections, urinalysis, cytoscopy, and some other research methods are necessary.

The choice of treatment method directly depends on what kind of infection - the upper or lower urinary tract - was diagnosed in the patient.

Kidney diseases diagnosed in humans often have causes that, at first glance, do not relate to them at all.

It would seem, what relation can untreated teeth or a furuncle that has appeared from nowhere to kidney diseases?

Nevertheless, it may well cause illness. The kidneys are the most vulnerable organ and react sharply to all the "irregularities" in our lifestyle.

Diseases untreated in time, unhealthy diet, poor-quality water.

According to statistics, kidney disease is most often diagnosed in women, while men usually seek medical help when the disease makes them unable to work.

Male representatives, to put it mildly, do not like to visit doctors.

Common diseases

The most common kidney diseases include:

urolithiasis disease;
nephroptosis;
pyelonephritis;
renal failure;
hydronephrosis;
glomerulonephritis.

The causes of these diseases will be discussed in this article.

Urolithiasis disease

Urolithiasis

The name of this kidney disease speaks for itself. Inside the kidneys, stones and sand begin to form in a person.

This is largely due to unhealthy food(excessive passion for spicy, sour and salty foods), the habit of drinking little liquid, a sedentary lifestyle.

An important role in the development of this disease is played by a hereditary factor. Often, a tendency to form stones can be observed in several generations of the same family.

Often, the disease develops in people living in areas with excessively hard water.

Nephroptosis

A disease in which the kidneys in a person have excessive mobility.

This disease is often referred to as a prolapse of the kidney. " The disease can be caused by excessive physical exertion, sudden weight loss, and various injuries.

Most often, nephroptosis is detected in women.

The most difficult consequence of the prolapse of the kidneys is their rotation around their axis, which can lead to impaired blood circulation and extremely serious consequences.

Pyelonephritis

Extremely widespread kidney damage, which can be caused by infection. Any infectious or inflammatory disease can cause this kidney disease.

Kidney disease

Up to untreated caries or intestinal infections. Often, diseases of the upper respiratory tract lead to pyelonephritis. Such as sinusitis, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis.

Quite often, there are situations when pyelonephritis is preceded by severe stress, hypothermia or acute respiratory illness.

In this case, the disease occurs as a result of a decrease in the body's defenses and an infection that has suddenly become active. The causative agent, which was in the body, but did not manifest itself in any way restrained by a strong immune system.

The most common pathogens are staphylococcus, E.coli, streptococcus. In women, pyelonephritis often develops after suffering from cystitis.

Ultimately, inflammation begins, requiring a fairly long and often expensive treatment. In many cases, this disease is easier to prevent than to treat it.

Pyelonephritis untreated in time can become chronic. This disease is characterized by a long course and alternating periods of exacerbation and remission.

For exacerbation of chronic pyelonephritis, sometimes simple hypothermia is enough.

Renal failure

What kind of disease it is can be judged by its name. With this disease, the kidneys in a person cease to cope with the functions assigned to them.

A prerequisite for the development of this disease can be not only previous pyelonephritis, but also many other causes that are not directly related to the kidneys.

A person's kidneys can stop working after severe poisoning, diabetes mellitus, or as a result of side effects from taking certain medications.

With renal failure, metabolic products cease to be fully excreted from the body. This condition can lead to extremely serious consequences and even death.

Hydronephrosis

With this disease, the outflow of urine is impaired in a person.

The most common causes of this condition are kidney stones that block the ureter, various tumors, congenital or acquired pathological changes in the pelvic organs.

With hydronephrosis, the renal pelvis and calyx expand, the kidney increases in size.

If the cause that caused hydronephrosis for a long time is not eliminated, then the kidney gradually loses its ability to perform its main functions.

Glomerulonephritis

Another serious inflammatory disease in which the renal glomeruli and tubules are affected.

The prerequisite for the disease is most often the previously transferred pneumonia, pustules on the skin, scarlet fever, purulent sinusitis.

In more rare cases, glomerunephritis can manifest itself as a consequence of the postponed tuberculosis or malaria. Sometimes it takes years to treat glomerulonephritis.

Kidney diseases often affect the work of the whole organism, because the main task of this organ is to remove toxic metabolic products that can negatively affect vital processes. You can read more about kidney function in the human body here.

The kidneys are a paired organ through the glomerular apparatus of which blood passes every second. It is in it that its "cleansing" from all toxins and unnecessary components takes place. If the filtration process is disturbed, then the toxins do not completely enter the urine, but are spread by the blood stream along the vascular bed, while reaching the tissues of the brain, heart, etc.

You can learn more about the structure of the kidneys in this article.

Kidney diseases occupy one of the leading positions among all the pathological processes encountered in medical practice. Most often clinical picture these diseases are quite striking, especially if both organs are affected at once.

The symptoms of kidney disease can affect people of all ages and genders. They are widespread throughout the world, therefore, they are an urgent problem in modern medicine. The features of kidney disease in men are described here.

Classification of kidney disease

Before proceeding with the study of the main diseases, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the criteria for the classification of kidney diseases, as well as with what pathological processes are.

Unfortunately, there is no generally accepted classification. This is due to the fact that the spectrum of possible kidney diseases is so wide that they cannot be united by uniform criteria.

Kidney damage threatens the patient with disruption of the work of many organs and systems of the whole body

In a simplified version, the list of kidney diseases is as follows:

Glomerulopathies (diseases affecting the glomerular apparatus of one or both kidneys). They are congenital and acquired, as well as inflammatory and non-inflammatory origin. These include various forms of glomerulonephritis and amyloidosis, renal and diabetic glomerulosclerosis, membranous nephropathy, etc.
Tubulopathy (diseases affecting tubular structures). They are divided into congenital and acquired, as well as obstructive and necrotizing (depending on the pathological processes that dominate the kidney tubules). These include necrotizing nephrosis, congenital fermentopathies (for example, Fanconi syndrome) and others.
Diseases of the stromal component (interstitium). First of all, we are talking about different forms pyelonephritis.
Diseases affecting large and small vessels of the kidneys (atherosclerosis, thrombosis or embolism, aneurysms, and others).
Organ developmental anomalies. Signs of kidney disease with their congenital defect, as a rule, appear even in early age... These include: accessory kidney, doubling, hypoplasia, dystopia, organ aplasia and others.
Organ trauma. Impact on the kidney from the outside can cause such diseases as contusion, rupture of the renal capsule, and in severe cases, complete crushing of the organ.
Oncological processes in the structures of the kidney. They can be benign (fibroma, lipoma, and others) or malignant (for example, sarcoma) origin.

A decrease in the size of the kidney and a sharp decrease in its functions are the cause of renal failure (the organ is "turned off" from work)

The main causes of kidney disease

Tumor growths or other masses in the kidneys are increasingly common in medical practice

Symptoms

The symptoms of kidney disease depend on the underlying cause of the kidney malfunction. Below we will look at the most common diseases, as well as the main ways to diagnose them.

Pyelonephritis

Inflammatory changes in the calyx-pelvis apparatus of one or both kidneys in medicine is called "pyelonephritis". The disease is associated with exposure to infectious agents and can occur at different ages, including kidney damage possible during pregnancy (gestational pyelonephritis).

The disease is characterized by the following main symptoms:

pain sensations of varying severity on the side of the affected organ (due to stretching of the renal capsule), which have the same intensity throughout the day, and do not decrease when taking a comfortable position;
the body temperature rises, all the symptoms of intoxication are observed (apathy, fatigue, malaise, loss of appetite, etc.);
the color of the urinary sediment changes (it becomes cloudy, traces of pus or flocculent sediment are visible in it).

View of the kidney with pyelonephritis

Diagnosis of the disease consists in the study of blood and urine tests (general clinical and test according to Nechiporenko). Also, all patients are prescribed an X-ray examination (an overview image and intravenous urography), as well as an ultrasound of the kidneys.

Glomerulonephritis

When the inflammatory process in the kidneys affects the glomerular apparatus, we are talking about glomerulonephritis, which comes in a variety of morphological forms. The pathological process is based on autoimmune processes, and the formation of antibodies against the own tissues of both kidneys.

Signs of kidney disease with glomerulonephritis are as follows:

the patient has aching or pulling pains in the lumbar region on one or both sides;
patients begin to complain of constant and causeless swelling on the face and eyelids, which are most intense in the morning (immediately after waking up);
in a previously healthy person, sharp jumps in pressure are observed, sometimes up to very high values;
if the process is not treated in time, fluid begins to accumulate in the body cavities (pleura, pericardium, and others);
pathological components (leukocytes and protein in large quantities, cylinders and others) appear in the urine.

Anatomical and physiological features of the kidneys against the background of glomerulonephritis

Diagnosing a disease is not always easy. In addition to general clinical studies of blood and urine, X-ray and ultrasound examinations of the urinary organs and abdominal cavity are performed, if necessary, CT and MRI are prescribed.

Patients are examined for the level of immune complexes in the blood serum, and

kidney biopsy

and histological examination of the material obtained (for the purpose of morphological diagnosis).

Urolithiasis disease

Based on the name of the disease, it becomes clear that the disease is based on the process of formation of stones (calculi) in the kidneys or other structures of the urinary tract (most often we are talking about the bladder). You can read more about the types of kidney stones in this article.

Urolithiasis occurs under the influence of several factors at once, both external (malnutrition, taking medications from different groups, etc.) and internal origin (for example, kidney malformations, narrowing of the urethral lumen). All together they cause metabolic disorders in the patient's body.

ICD (attack of renal colic) is characterized by the following symptoms:

an acute and intolerable attack of pain, which occurs against the background of blockage of the lumen of the urinary tract with a large calculus;
violation of the process of urination (it becomes more frequent and becomes painful);
at the peak of the pain syndrome, severe nausea and bouts of vomiting are possible, which do not bring relief;
increased body temperature, severe weakness, malaise;
discoloration of urinary sediment (the appearance of traces of blood in it).

Quite often, the patient learns about the presence of this disease suddenly, at the time of onset

renal colic

Diagnosis of the disease consists in X-ray and ultrasound examination (calculi are well visualized thanks to ultrasound, including "X-ray negative"). If necessary, CT or MRI of the organs of the urinary system is performed.

Polycystic kidney disease

This pathological process is congenital in nature and is characterized by the degeneration of normal kidney tissue into multiple cavity formations (cysts). More details about this disease are described in this article.

Symptoms of the disease can be observed already in childhood, or the first symptoms of the process appear a little later. In adults, the disease does not develop as rapidly as in children, and is characterized by the following symptoms:

constant aching-pulling pains in the lower back or abdomen, which do not have a clear localization (the patient may initially only get sick with one kidney, but soon another organ is also involved in the process);
decreased appetite, increased fatigue and general weakness;
with the development of signs of renal failure, dry mouth and swelling appear, pressure rises, general health worsens;
in urine tests, persistent proteinuria, erythrocyturia and cylindruria are observed (if a secondary infection is attached, then numerous leukocytes and bacteria appear).

Patients suffering from polycystic disease need constant hemodialysis (purification of the blood from toxins and toxic substances)

Diagnosis of polycystic kidney disease consists in instrumental examination (preference is given to modern methods such as MRI or SCT of the kidneys).

Oncological processes

Do not forget that often the cause of kidney damage is tumor processes of benign or malignant origin. As a rule, the first symptoms of the disease appear even when the size of the oncological focus reaches a fairly large size.

These include:

unmotivated loss of "vitality", constant feeling of fatigue and sweating at night;
decrease in body weight in a short period of time (without any restrictions on food);
progressive deterioration in general well-being;
periodic pulling pains in the lumbar region or abdomen on one side, which become permanent;
violation of urination (for example, an attack of renal colic when a blood clot leaves their tumor focus), etc.

Read more about the symptoms of kidney cancer in this article.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to detect a tumor in the early stages, since for a long time it does not make itself felt

Diagnostics of the pathological process is very extensive, so it is necessary to determine not only the main source of the disease, but also to track possible metastases. For this purpose, patients undergo ultrasound of the kidneys, pelvic organs and abdominal cavity, X-ray of the urinary system, as well as kidney scintigraphy (the patient is injected intravenously with a special drug that is sensitive to tumor cells) and others.

Management of patients with kidney disease

Treatment of kidney disease requires an individual approach in each case, because therapy is determined by the underlying cause of the disease. As a rule, in order to cure any kidney disease, it is necessary to simultaneously use drugs from different pharmacological groups, which will be effective in combating the etiological factor, and can also block the main links of pathogenesis.

The principle of the patient's nutrition

This point plays a significant role, since without observing it, any treatment will not be as effective. First of all, all patients with kidney disease need to limit the intake of protein foods, but in no case completely refuse it, since protein is an important component of all cellular structures of the body. Read more about nutrition for kidney disease here.

The use of salt is limited as much as possible (especially when it comes to patients with chronic renal failure), it is recommended to only slightly add salt to ready-made food

Fatty and fried foods, smoked meats, semi-finished products, carbonated drinks, alcohol, coffee, etc. are excluded from the daily diet. All food should be steamed, baked without oil, or boiled. You need to eat fractionally and often (in small portions, 4-5 times a day).

You can not refuse to drink fluids, as it helps to remove pathogenic microorganisms from the urinary tract. It is necessary to drink at least 2 liters of water (except for patients with renal insufficiency).

Drug therapy

In case of kidney disease, the following groups of drugs can be used, which are prescribed in the form of tablets or injections:

broad-spectrum antibiotics;
uroantiseptics and antimicrobial drugs;
drugs with anesthetic and antispasmodic effect;
diuretic drugs;
medicines that can dissolve calculi and normalize metabolic processes;
medicines vegetable origin(containing exclusively natural ingredients) and others.

Herbal and physiotherapy

Herbal medicine has become widespread in a variety of diseases of the urinary system, thanks to its proven effectiveness and absolute safety. In the treatment of patients, kidney tea is used, fees based on leaves and berries of lingonberry, rose hips, chamomile flowers, motherwort, flax seeds and others. Read more about herbs with a diuretic effect here.

If the patient is in a stable condition, it is possible to carry out microwave, magnetotherapy, ultrasound treatment, etc.

Surgical intervention is required in the case of tumor processes, masses, large calculi and other urgent situations.

Conclusion

If your kidneys suddenly become ill, or if unpleasant symptoms have been bothering you for a certain period of time, seek the help of a specialist immediately. After all, only a qualified doctor knows how to determine the symptoms of a particular disease, as well as what needs to be done to cure this disease. You can find out which doctor deals with kidney treatment from this article.

Any self-medication at home can not only fail to provide the desired effect, but also worsen your health and complicate the further prognosis of the disease.

All articles about kidney and urinary system diseases