What are the symptoms of hydronephrosis?

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on September 01, 2024
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Patients with hydronephrosis may not exhibit any symptoms. Whether symptoms are present depends on factors such as the extent of renal damage caused by hydronephrosis, the severity of the hydronephrosis, and the duration of hydronephrosis. Some patients might only notice the issue due to a lump in the abdomen or a swelling sensation in the lower back, prompting them to undergo ultrasound imaging that reveals hydronephrosis. Hydronephrosis can cause renal colic, and patients may also experience nausea, vomiting, and reduced urine output. When hydronephrosis is complicated by infection, symptoms like chills, shivering, fever, and headache can occur. Some patients may first present clinically with a urinary tract infection, showing symptoms like fever, frequent urination, urgent urination, and painful urination. In rare cases, hydronephrosis can rupture and lead to bleeding.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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What department to see for hydronephrosis?

Patients with hydronephrosis should visit the urology department of a formal hospital, because the conditions causing hydronephrosis are often surgical in nature. The most common cause is urological stones, which block the ureter or the bladder opening, causing urine to accumulate within the urinary system and leading to hydronephrosis. Additionally, patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia may also experience this condition. Tumors in the urinary system may compress the ureter and cause hydronephrosis. Some patients have congenital deformities of the ureter, where changes in the anatomical structure can lead to hydronephrosis. In summary, these conditions often require surgical treatment, thus necessitating consultation at a formal hospital's urology department.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Can people with hydronephrosis drink water?

Whether patients with hydronephrosis can drink water depends on whether the hydronephrosis has been resolved. Hydronephrosis occurs due to a blockage in the urinary system, often caused by inflammation, scarring, or adhesions of the ureters, or by obstructions such as stones or tumors in the urinary tract, or possibly by an enlarged prostate, leading to the inability of the bladder to properly expel urine. In summary, when the urine produced by the kidneys cannot be properly expelled from the body, it leads to the expansion of the renal pelvis and calyces, known as hydronephrosis. Drinking water at this time can certainly aggravate the condition of hydronephrosis if the body is already struggling to expel fluids. Therefore, if this blockage remains unresolved, patients should limit their intake of fluids. However, if the obstruction is cleared and the urinary tract is smooth, allowing urine to be expelled normally, drinking water is permissible.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Can you have sex with hydronephrosis?

Before the complete resolution of hydronephrosis, it is recommended that patients avoid sexual intercourse. This is because hydronephrosis indicates the presence of obstructive factors in the urinary system, causing urine to not be excreted smoothly. Urine accumulates within the urinary system, causing dilation of the renal pelvis, calyces, and ureter. If urine cannot be excreted, bacteria can easily ascend from the urethral opening into the urinary system, causing an inflammatory response. If patients engage in sexual intercourse during this time, bacteria at the urethral opening can easily be pressed into the bladder, ascending and potentially causing pyelonephritis or cystitis. Therefore, it is best for such patients to avoid sexual intercourse until the hydronephrosis has been thoroughly addressed.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Does hydronephrosis hurt a lot?

Hydronephrosis does not necessarily cause severe pain. If the hydronephrosis develops suddenly over a short period, it might cause intense pain, most commonly due to urinary system stones blocking the ureter, leading to hydronephrosis. At this time, the ureter may experience spasms, causing severe pain. However, if the hydronephrosis develops gradually, the patient's pain symptoms might not be pronounced. For example, insufficient motility of the ureter or some type of narrowing could lead to the accumulation of fluid. If this condition develops slowly and persists for a long time, the patient might not feel particularly uncomfortable, despite the hydronephrosis, and it may only be discovered incidentally during a physical examination.

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Written by Li Yuan Wei
Urology
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Is hydronephrosis of the second degree severe?

Hydronephrosis grade two, this "grade two" is likely a classification used in ultrasound or CT imaging. For hydronephrosis, the presence of condition itself indicates that the pathology has already affected kidney function. The most common causes include ureteral obstruction, or obstruction at the renal pelvis exit, typically due to stones or tumors, or narrowing caused by plastic tubes. Once hydronephrosis occurs, these conditions have already altered kidney function, necessitating further diagnosis to identify the cause, with surgery possibly being required. The most common objective assessment is a CT scan of the urinary system, with enhanced CT being the most accurate for understanding the severity of the hydronephrosis. Also, it helps identify the location of the ureteral obstruction, and thirdly, it can help ascertain the cause and provide treatment.