What Are the Main Types and Symptoms of Nephritis?
Nephritis is a general term used to describe a group of diseases that cause swelling or inflammation of the glomerulus in the kidneys. This disease reduces the kidney’s ability to filter waste from blood. These two bean-shaped kidneys that humans have are a sophisticated waste removal system. Kidneys process 120 to 150 quarts of blood/day and remove up to 2 quarts of waste products and excess water. Acute Nephritis is observed when the kidneys suddenly become inflamed. It has several causes and can lead to kidney failure if left untreated. Nephritis Meaning: Inflammation of kidneys due to infection or several other factors.
Nephritis Causes
There are several causes behind Nephritis. These can be due to infection or toxins, however, it is commonly caused by autoimmune disorders that affect the major organs like kidneys.
PyeloNephritis is an inflammation that occurs due to a urinary tract infection that reaches the renal pelvis of the kidney.
Lupus Nephritis is the inflammation of the kidneys caused by a disease of the immune system called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Athletic Nephritis occurs due to strenuous exercise. Bloody urine after strenuous exercise may also result from March haemoglobinuria. It is caused by rupturing red blood cells, due to trauma leading to the release of hemoglobin into the urine.
Types of Nephritis
A summary of several types of Nephritis are described below:
Acute GlomeruloNephritis: This type of Nephritis can develop suddenly after a severe infection, such as strep throat, hepatitis etc. Lupus and rarer disorders, such as vasculitides and granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), can also be the cause for acute inflammation of the kidneys. Prompt medical attention should be given to the patient else it can lead to kidney damage.
Lupus Nephritis: It is an autoimmune disease, which means that the immune system attacks healthy tissues in the body. The disease occurs when the immune system attacks the kidneys. It is mostly seen in people suffering from Lupus.
The Symptoms of Lupus Nephritis include:
Foamy urine.
High blood pressure.
Swelling of the legs, ankles, and feet.
Joint problems.
Fever.
Rashes.
The disease does sometimes go into remission; the condition can become serious. It is vital for anyone experiencing symptoms of lupus Nephritis to seek prompt medical attention to reduce kidney damage.
Hereditary Nephritis: Also known as Alport syndrome, this disease can lead to kidney failure, as well as hearing and vision problems. The condition is passed on in the genes, and it is usually severe in men.
Chronic GlomeruloNephritis: This form of chronic Nephritis develops slowly and causes few symptoms in its early stages but can cause severe kidney damage if the symptoms are not well-diagnosed and the condition is left untreated.
IgA Nephropathy: It is a very common form of Nephritis and develops when IgA antibody deposits build up in the kidneys and cause inflammation. The immune system forms antibodies to fight harmful substances and organisms that enter the body. People with IgA neuropathy have defective IgA antibodies. It is not generally observed in young people, as the early symptoms are easy to miss. The condition can be treated with blood pressure medications.
Interstitial Nephritis: It can develop very rapidly and usually occurs due to infection or a particular medication. It affects the interstitium, which is a fluid-filled space of the kidney. If the affected individual gets off the problematic medication quickly, a full recovery is possible within a few weeks.
Nephritis Symptoms
The most common symptoms of Nephritis are:
Pain in the pelvis.
Pain in the kidney area or abdomen.
Pain or a burning sensation while urinating.
Frequently I need to urinate.
Cloudy urine.
Blood or pus in the urine.
Swelling in the face, legs, and feet.
Vomiting.
Fever.
High blood pressure.
Nephritis Diagnosis
Finding protein in the urine can indicate that the kidneys are not functioning properly. A blood test measuring a waste product in the blood called creatinine can also provide information on the health of the kidneys. Another important indicator is blood urea nitrogen.
However, a biopsy is the most efficient way to check for Nephritis. A renal biopsy involves testing an actual tissue sample from the kidney; this test isn’t performed on everyone. This test is performed if a person isn’t responding well to treatments, or if a doctor must definitively diagnose the condition.
A CT scan or renal ultrasound can show a blockage or inflammation of the kidneys or urinary tract.
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Nephritis Treatment
There are several types of Nephritis and each has different characteristics. The best course of treatment can only be decided after the Nephritis has been correctly identified by examining the sample removed by a kidney biopsy. There are various types of Nephritis which require observation but no treatment and rarely lead to long‐term kidney damage.
Other people may need blood pressure medication. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have proven to be an effective treatment for both decreasing blood pressure and reducing the amount of protein in the urine. Reducing blood pressure and the amount of proteinuria is associated with improved outcomes. A diuretic is often prescribed as well. If kidney function is severely impaired dialysis may be needed.
What are the Functions of Kidney and Why is it an Important Part of Our Body?
Kidneys are one of the most important parts of our body, why? Because they help a human being balance the amount of water in their body, remove excessive amounts of water from the body, and add water when needed.
Kidneys also produce hormones that course through the veins and circulate the blood and maintain the blood pressure. Kidneys remove inefficient materials from the body. When consuming food, kidneys help that food break into protein and the remnants of that food as waste such as urea, creatinine and uric acid.
The kidney also maintains minerals in our body and it needs to be kept at a proper level. It maintains minerals such as sodium (salt), potassium, etc. Kidneys also remove extra sodium and potassium from the body.
As stated earlier, kidneys are one of the most important parts of the body because if a human being doesn't keep their kidneys' healthy it can cause problems such as
Kidney failure
Kidney disease
Heart attack
Strokes
High blood pressure
Now that students know why they must keep their kidneys healthy.
Tips to keep Kidneys Healthy
Here are a few tips to keep the kidneys healthy
Keep the sodium use at low
Check the blood pressure
Check for diabetes
Drink water properly
Say no to alcohol
No smoking
Keep visiting the Doctor
Look forward to exercising and better food
If the kidney problem is in the family history it is advised to start visiting a Doctor and sort it out as soon as possible.
Kidney stones happen because of minerals such as calcium stones, uric acid, struvite and cystine. Calcium stones are the most common stones that affect the kidneys' health.
Next is chronic kidney disease(CKD)
What is Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD)?
What does it do? When a kidney has CKD it does not properly filter the blood, meaning the kidneys are damaged, and it gets vulnerable.
There are types of other kidney diseases such as kidney infection, kidney cancer, kidney injuries and hundreds of more kidney problems.
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FAQs on Nephritis: Meaning, Types, Causes & Treatment
1. What is nephritis from a biological standpoint?
Nephritis is the medical term for the inflammation of the kidneys. Biologically, it specifically affects the nephrons, which are the microscopic structural and functional units of the kidney responsible for filtering blood and forming urine. This inflammation impairs the nephrons' ability to filter waste products from the blood, leading to potential kidney damage and a buildup of waste in the body.
2. What are the primary causes of nephritis?
Nephritis can arise from various factors, often involving an abnormal immune response. The primary causes include:
- Infections: Complications following infections, such as strep throat, can lead to post-infectious glomerulonephritis.
- Autoimmune Disorders: Conditions like lupus cause the body's immune system to mistakenly attack healthy kidney tissue, resulting in lupus nephritis.
- Genetic Predisposition: Some forms of nephritis can be inherited through families.
- Medication and Toxins: Prolonged use of certain drugs, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can also trigger kidney inflammation.
3. What are the most common signs and symptoms of nephritis?
The symptoms of nephritis signal that the kidneys are not filtering blood properly. Key signs to watch for include:
- Changes in Urine: The presence of blood (hematuria), making urine appear pink or cola-coloured, or the presence of excess protein (proteinuria), causing urine to look foamy.
- Swelling (Edema): Fluid retention leading to noticeable swelling in the hands, feet, ankles, or face.
- High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): Damaged kidneys struggle to regulate blood pressure effectively.
- Fatigue: A general sense of tiredness and weakness due to the buildup of waste products in the blood.
4. What are the main types of nephritis explained in biology?
Nephritis is categorised based on the specific part of the kidney that is inflamed. The principal types are:
- Glomerulonephritis: Inflammation of the glomeruli, the tiny clusters of capillaries inside the nephrons where blood filtration begins.
- Interstitial Nephritis: Inflammation affecting the kidney tubules and the surrounding interstitial tissue, often caused by an allergic reaction to a drug.
- Pyelonephritis: Inflammation of the kidney tissue and renal pelvis, typically caused by a bacterial infection that has ascended from the bladder or urinary tract.
5. How does nephritis differ from nephrotic syndrome?
While both are kidney disorders, they have distinct defining features. Nephritis is primarily an inflammatory condition, characterised by hematuria (blood in urine) and hypertension. In contrast, nephrotic syndrome is a condition defined by a set of symptoms, most notably severe proteinuria (losing more than 3.5 grams of protein per day in urine), which leads to low protein levels in the blood, high cholesterol, and significant edema. Inflammation is not the primary feature of nephrotic syndrome.
6. What is the difference between pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis?
The key difference lies in the cause and location of the inflammation. Pyelonephritis is a kidney infection, almost always caused by bacteria travelling up the ureters from the bladder. It is essentially a form of urinary tract infection that has reached the kidneys. Glomerulonephritis is typically not caused by a direct infection of the kidney but is an immune-mediated disease where the body's own immune system attacks the glomeruli, often triggered by a past infection elsewhere or an autoimmune condition.
7. What are the potential complications if nephritis is not treated?
If left unmanaged, nephritis can lead to severe and lasting damage. Potential complications include:
- Acute Kidney Failure: A rapid and sudden loss of kidney function.
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): A gradual and irreversible decline in kidney function over time.
- Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure: Which further damages blood vessels throughout the body.
- End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD): The complete failure of the kidneys, requiring lifelong dialysis or a kidney transplant for survival.
8. How is nephritis diagnosed and treated from a medical perspective?
Diagnosis involves several steps. A doctor will typically order urine tests to detect blood and protein, and blood tests to measure waste products like creatinine and urea. In some cases, a kidney biopsy is performed to examine a small tissue sample. Treatment is tailored to the underlying cause and may include blood pressure medications, diuretics to manage swelling, and immunosuppressive drugs like corticosteroids to control the immune response in autoimmune-related nephritis.
9. How does lifestyle impact the risk and management of nephritis?
Lifestyle plays a crucial role in both preventing and managing nephritis. Key measures include maintaining healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels, adopting a low-sodium diet to control fluid retention, and moderating protein intake to reduce the workload on the kidneys. It is also important to avoid smoking and use medications like painkillers responsibly. Promptly treating bacterial infections, such as strep throat, can also prevent post-infectious forms of nephritis.
10. What is the underlying pathophysiology of glomerulonephritis?
The pathophysiology of glomerulonephritis is an immunological event. It typically starts when antigen-antibody complexes are deposited in the glomerular capillaries. This deposition triggers an inflammatory cascade, attracting immune cells that release enzymes and reactive oxygen species. This process damages the glomerular basement membrane, increasing its permeability and allowing red blood cells and large proteins like albumin to leak from the blood into the urine, which manifests as hematuria and proteinuria.
11. Is nephritis always a severe or life-threatening condition?
Not necessarily. The severity of nephritis exists on a spectrum. Acute nephritis, particularly when caused by a treatable infection, can sometimes resolve completely with proper and timely medical intervention. However, chronic nephritis can be a progressive disease, gradually leading to irreversible kidney damage. If it advances to chronic kidney disease or acute kidney failure, it becomes a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and management.
