Inflammation of the renal pelvis – causes, symptoms, treatment

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Inflammation of the renal pelvis is an acute infection of the tissues of the kidneys. It is caused by bacteria that come from the lower urinary tract (e.g. the urethra) and enter the kidneys through the ureters. The inflammatory process of the renal pelvis may be acute or chronic.

Inflammation of the renal pelvis – definition

Inflammation of the kidney pelvis is a condition that infects the tissues of the kidneys. It is most often the result of the ascending spread of infection from the lower sections of the urinary tract (urethra, bladder, ureters). Inflammation may spread to one kidney or be bilateral, and may be acute or chronic. Urolithiasis with deposits in the renal pelvis and possible developmental defects of the urinary organ (e.g. double renal pelvis, double ureter, horseshoe kidney) contribute to the persistence of infection in the renal pelvis and its periodic exacerbations. The most common symptoms of pyelonephritis are vomiting, nausea, chills, and an increase in temperature. Renal colic and quite frequent urination appear, which in some cases may be difficult.

The causes of inflammation of the renal pelvis

The inflammatory process usually results from infection by bacteria that enter the body through the urinary tract. However, there are some factors that increase the risk of this condition, including:

1. kidney stones
2. a catheter in the bladder,
3. diabetes,
4. gout
5. abnormal development of the urinary system,
6. prostate hypertrophy,
7. reflux (causes urine to flow back from the bladder into the ureter and further into the renal pelvis),
8. getting through the blood of pathogenic microorganisms.

Bacteria may be present in the lower urethra, which generally do not lead to infection. Only when they reach the kidneys can they trigger inflammation. The most common bacteria causing inflammation of the renal pelvis are staphylococcus and E. coli. The fungal infection usually occurs in people with significantly reduced immunity or who have undergone urinary tract surgery. It is worth mentioning that the infection can also be transmitted sexually! This is when mycoplasmas, gonorrhea and chlamydia are transmitted. Sexually transmitted diseases additionally affect fertility. The risk of inflammation of the renal pelvis increases significantly in sexually active people.

Symptoms of inflammation of the renal pelvis

Acute or subacute inflammation of the renal pelvis is characterized by severe pain in the lumbar region. Depending on whether the inflammation affects the renal pelvis bilaterally or unilaterally (or on the severity of the inflammatory process in each of them), the pain in the lumbar region may be spontaneously felt bilaterally or unilaterally. Shaking / tapping on the kidney area clearly aggravates the pain sensation in this area.

It is difficult to visualize the isolated inflammatory process of only the renal pelvis as one of the sections of the urinary tract without the coexistence of infection of the entire urinary tract, i.e. including urethra, bladder and ureter infections. However, when we talk about inflammation of the renal pelvis, the location of the intensification of the inflammatory process in the urinary tract should be noted.

Pain is usually accompanied by:

1. septic fever,
2. more frequent urination
3. inflammatory changes in the urine with predominance of white blood cells.

Inflammation of the renal pelvis – diagnosis

The diagnostics includes a general urine test, which may reveal the presence of bacteria, large amounts of leukocytes and protein. In turn, a bacteriological urine test (urine culture) is performed to find and determine the type of bacteria that caused the inflammation and its sensitivity to specific antibiotics. Often, an ultrasound of the kidneys is also performed, in which their enlargement is visible.

Excessive amount of leukocytes in patients with bacterial-free urine is found in the following cases:

1. tuberculosis of the urinary tract,
2. patients after antibiotic therapy,
3. people infected with gonorrhea,
4. people with non-gonococcal urethritis,
5. people suffering from Reiter’s syndrome.

In half of the cases, treatment is not required as the bacteria disappear spontaneously. People who also have other diseases or defects of the urinary system undergo treatment.

Treatment of inflammation of the renal pelvis

The method of treatment should be determined by the doctor. In order to prevent complications, i.e. the transition of the inflammatory process from the renal pelvis to the renal parenchyma, and possibly subsequent renal failure, the patient should systematically take medications prescribed by the doctor and then bacteriological cure for complete elimination of the inflammatory process.

Quite often – usually in the presence of urolithiasis that obstruct the outflow of urine – the treatment is very resistant to infection. Herbal infusions support this treatment.

Getting rid of the inflammatory process of the urinary tract should therefore be confirmed by general and bacteriological urine examination. It happens that after improvement is achieved, i.e. after the pain has subsided, patients discontinue treatment against the recommendations of the attending physician, because they think that they have been cured. They are often unaware that complications may occur which are not always treatable.

It should be emphasized that in those cases where urolithiasis is found, it is virtually impossible to effectively and permanently cure the infection, despite the best medications, because bacteria always remain among the stones.

How can I prevent inflammation of the renal pelvis?

Several factors are important in preventing inflammation of the kidney pelvis:

1. personal hygiene – it plays a very important role; taking care of hygiene reduces the risk of E. coli bacteria infection that live around the anus;
2. Avoiding inhibition of voiding and frequent urination – remember that bacteria are excreted from the urinary tract along with urine;
3. drinking plenty of fluids (preferably two liters per day);
4. avoiding the consumption of drinks that irritate the bladder, e.g. coffee, alcohol;
5. drinking a glass of water before sexual intercourse (emptying the bladder immediately after intercourse allows the expulsion of bacteria that may be pushed deeper during intercourse);
6. avoiding chemical contraceptive methods, the use of which may disturb the natural bacterial flora of the vagina; such preparations make it easier for bacteria to multiply in the vaginal mucosa;
7. avoiding the use of perfumed bath lotions or deodorants around intimate baths, which have a negative effect on the urogenital mucosa and the skin.