Glomerulonephritis

Glomerulonephritis

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Glomerulonephritis is a cluster of diseases that injure a section called glomeruli that filter the blood. Nephritic and nephritis syndrome are the other terms for referring to Glomerulonephritis. An injury to the kidney prevents it from getting rid of extra fluids and wastes in the body. The organs might stop working if the illness continues causing complete failure.

Types of Glomerulonephritis

Glomerulonephritis can be one of these two types.

Acute Glomerulonephritis

This form Glomerulonephritis develops suddenly. It can occur after infection to the throat or on the skin. It can heal on its own in some patients and causes. In other instances, the kidneys might stop functioning until the patient gets the right treatment in a short time. These are the early symptoms of Acute Glomerulonephritis.

  • Puffiness of the face in the morning
  • Brown or bloody urine
  • Urinating fewer times than usual

Acute infection might also cause shortness of breath and coughing because the lungs will have extra fluid. It might also create rising blood pressure. It is crucial to find a doctor immediately after noticing on or a few of these symptoms.

Causes of acute Glomerulonephritis

The cause might be infections that seem harmless such as strep throat. Other illnesses that might trigger Glomerulonephritis include:

  • Lupus
  • Goodpasture's syndrome
  • Polyarteritis nodosa
  • Wegener's disease

Early diagnosis and quick treatment helps to prevent the disease from developing to kidney failure.

Chronic Glomerulonephritis

A chronic form can develop without showing any symptoms and stay in place for several years. It usually leads to complete kidney failure. The early signs and symptoms of the chronic might include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Blood or protein in the urine
  • Edema (swelling on the face or ankles)
  • Foamy or very bubbly urine
  • Frequent urination at night

Causes of Chronic Glomerulonephritis

Many cases do not have a known cause although sometimes the disease is a hereditary condition running in the family. It often shows in young patients who also have a hearing and vision loss. Other forms occur due to changes that affect the immune system. An acute attack of Glomerulonephritis might even develop into a chronic form some years later.

Glomerulonephritis Diagnosis

The first way to diagnose is to look for signs and symptoms that could provide clues about the presence of the disease. Blood tests can help a doctor to determine the type of illness present and the extent of hurting the kidneys. In some instances, a doctor will rely on a test known as a biopsy. It is a test that involves removing a tiny piece of the kidney using a special needle for examination under a microscope. The results help in identifying and planning the best treatment.

Glomerulonephritis Treatment

An acute form of Glomerulonephritis might sometimes heal without medication. Other cases might need medication or a temporary treatment to remove the excess fluid with an artificial kidney machine to control high blood pressure. The action helps to prevent kidney failure. Antibiotics cannot heal acute Glomerulonephritis but they are essential in treating other forms of illness relating to bacterial infections doctor might put a patient on high doses of medicine affecting the immune system if the disease quickly becomes worse. Sometimes a doctor might order a particular blood filtering process called plasmapheresis to remove the harmful proteins from the blood. The chronic form of Glomerulonephritis does not have a specific treatment, but a doctor might request the patient take these actions:

  • Control the blood pressure
  • Eat less potassium, protein and salt
  • Take calcium supplements
  • Take water pills (diuretics) to reduce swelling and treat puffiness

Glomerulonephritis Prevention

It is impossible to treat Glomerulonephritis until someone knows the causes and addresses them. Managing the risk factors that could cause kidney infection can help to keep off Glomerulonephritis. Practicing safe sex, good hygiene and avoiding IV drugs help to prevent an occurrence of viral diseases such as hepatitis and HIV which increase the risk of Glomerulonephritis. Early diagnosis and treatment of Glomerulonephritis help to slow down and reverse the symptoms.