Can you have sex with hydronephrosis?

Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

Updated on September 02, 2024

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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

48sec

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Hydronephrosis should be seen by the Urology Department.

Hydronephrosis requires consultation at the urology department of a formal public hospital. Hydronephrosis refers to the situation where urine produced by the kidneys cannot be smoothly excreted. The primary reason is usually due to obstructions in the urinary tract below the kidneys, such as in the ureter or bladder. Obstructive factors primarily include stones, tumors, prostate enlargement in men, scarring or adhesions in the ureter, or inadequate ureteral motility, among others, often necessitating urologic intervention. These obstructive factors usually require surgical removal, such as using ultrasonic lithotripsy for stones or direct surgical intervention, thus necessitating a visit to urology.

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Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

50sec

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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

51sec

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Is hydronephrosis scary?

Hydronephrosis is rather alarming, as it harms the body in two main ways: First, it creates increased pressure inside the kidneys due to fluid accumulation in the urinary system. This pressure can compress kidney tissue, and if not resolved, may lead to irreversible kidney damage and renal failure. However, if hydronephrosis formed in the short term is quickly addressed by clearing the urinary system, it typically has minimal impact on kidney function. Another aspect relates to the causes of hydronephrosis, some of which are complicated issues, such as bladder cancer, rectal cancer, or cervical cancer in females. These cancers can press on the ureter, leading to hydronephrosis. Other causes, such as urolithiasis or benign prostatic hyperplasia, are relatively easier to manage.

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Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

57sec

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What is hydronephrosis?

The so-called hydronephrosis is a morphological description, referring to an obstruction in the urinary system caused by various reasons. After the kidneys produce urine, it cannot be normally delivered to the bladder. This leads to fluid accumulation in the renal pelvis and calyces, which can be detected through imaging as hydronephrosis. The causes of hydronephrosis are numerous. The most common cause is acquired obstruction, primarily due to urinary system stones, scarring from injuries, or tumors in the urinary system compressing the ureter, which often results in urinary tract obstruction. In addition, some congenital causes can also lead to urinary tract obstruction. Examples include segmental dysfunction of the ureter, intrinsic stenosis of the ureter, and twisting of the ureter. However, these congenital obstruction causes are relatively rare.

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Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

56sec

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Will people with hydronephrosis have edema?

Hydronephrosis can potentially cause patients to exhibit symptoms of edema. Urine is produced by the kidneys and is expelled from the body through the urinary system, including the ureters and bladder. If there is an obstructive issue in the urinary system, the urine produced by the kidneys cannot be excreted smoothly, leading to hydronephrosis. When a large amount of fluid cannot be excreted, it eventually causes edema in the body. However, if the patient has hydronephrosis on only one side and the other kidney is healthy, the healthy kidney can fully compensate for the entire kidney function and sufficiently excrete fluids. Therefore, patients with unilateral hydronephrosis often do not show obvious signs of edema. But if a patient has bilateral hydronephrosis, and urine produced by both kidneys cannot be excreted, the patient will exhibit signs of edema.