What is jade?
Nephritis is a group of inflammatory diseases of the kidneys that affect the glomerular apparatus. Nephritis can be diffuse (affecting the glomeruli completely) and focal (with separate inflammatory foci). Diffuse nephritis is more dangerous to human health. It can occur in acute and chronic forms.
With nephritis, the pelvicalyceal systems of the kidneys, their tubules, glomeruli and vessels are affected. Inflammation of the kidneys can occur both independently and as a complication of various diseases. Most often, inflammation of the kidneys affects women.
Jade is divided into groups: – pyelonephritis (inflammation of the kidneys of bacterial origin); – glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the glomeruli); – interstitial nephritis (damage to the interstitial tissue and renal tubules); – shunt nephritis (a complication of immune complexes in the renal glomeruli).
Causes of jade
According to the etiology, nephritis can be primary and secondary.
Primary nephritis occurs due to primary kidney diseases, among which acute or chronic glomerulonephritis appears. It accounts for about 80% of all cases of nephritis.
Secondary nephritis develops as a secondary disease in a variety of pathological processes. The causes of nephritis can be: – renal amyloidosis, diabetes mellitus; – infectious diseases (tuberculosis, malaria, influenza, syphilis); – autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus); – abnormal allergic reactions; – vasculitis, multiple myeloma, thrombosis; – oncological diseases; – poisoning with poisons or heavy metals (lead, mercury, gold); – gynecological diseases in women; – Pregnancy (nephropathy of pregnancy).
Symptoms of nephritis
The clinical symptoms of nephritis do not depend on its causes and always manifest themselves in the same way: general weakness of the patient, loss of appetite, dry mouth and constant thirst, back pain and headache. The amount of urine decreases, sometimes there is nausea and vomiting, bloating and diarrhea, swelling of the limbs and face. Analyzes show proteinuria (detection of protein in the urine), hyperlipidemia, hypoproteinemia.
Protracted inflammation of the kidneys and the use of diuretics usually cause paresthesia (a feeling of numbness and tingling of the skin), severe weakness, muscle pain and cramps. These symptoms are manifested due to the loss of nutrients by the body, in particular potassium and chlorides. If hydrothorax (fluid accumulation in the pleural cavity) or hydropericardium (fluid accumulation inside the pericardium) occurs due to nephritis, the patient develops shortness of breath even at rest.
Severe swelling of the limbs very often limits the normal activity of a person, interferes with full-fledged life and the performance of any physical work. Patients are passive, they have pallor, dryness and peeling of the skin, normal or low temperature, brittle hair and nails.
Acute inflammation of the kidneys can pass with a significant increase in temperature, chills, severe sweating. For chronic nephritis, night sweats, yellowness of the skin, loss of appetite, frequent urination, which bring pain, are more characteristic. Arterial pressure is increased, urine is cloudy, with flakes.
Chronic nephritis occurs with alternating exacerbations and remissions. Frequent exacerbations lead to the death of the renal glomeruli: renal failure develops, harmful substances are not excreted from the body, self-poisoning of the body (uremia) occurs.
Diagnosis of inflammation of the kidneys includes a general analysis of urine and blood, a biochemical blood test, ultrasound of the kidneys.
What to do?
Treatment of nephritis should take place in a hospital. The patient is hospitalized and placed in a special nephrology department, choosing the most rational method of treating this disease.
Bed rest and a specialized diet with fluid and salt restriction are mandatory. Drug treatment involves the use of diuretics, antihistamines, calcium preparations, rutin, ascorbic acid, less often antibiotics and cardiac drugs.
If nephritis is severe, complex therapy does not give the desired effect and a nephrotic crisis develops, plasmapheresis is used (removal of toxic and metabolic components from blood plasma), hemosorption (blood purification by adsorption of toxins on the surface of the sorbent); use glucocorticosteroids, cytostatics. Treatment always takes place under close medical supervision with regular examination of the patient’s blood, urine and urea.
Also, patients with nephritis are recommended sanatorium treatment.
To prevent inflammation of the kidneys, it is necessary to treat glomerulonephritis, kidney and infectious diseases that cause nephritis in a timely and high-quality manner. Patients with chronic nephritis should avoid physical exertion, nervous strain and hypothermia.