Symptoms of recurring pyelonephritis

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on September 05, 2024
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Pyelonephritis is an upper urinary tract infection. When the condition recurs, the initial symptoms are similar. Patients may also experience fever, and the temperature can rise quickly, even up to 40 degrees Celsius. There may also be a systemic inflammatory response, characterized by fatigue and loss of appetite, among other symptoms. Recurrence can also cause pain in the lumbar region, which may even radiate to the perineal area, and patients may also experience visible hematuria. In urinalysis, leukocytes or positive leukocyte esterase can be observed. These are the symptoms of recurring pyelonephritis.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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The difference between pyelonephritis and nephritis

Pyelonephritis and nephritis are two completely different concepts. Pyelonephritis is actually a bacterial inflammation, usually caused by bacteria at the urethral opening ascending into the urinary system and causing inflammation in areas like the renal pelvis and calyces. Patients may experience symptoms such as fever, hematuria, and back pain. In severe cases, it can cause necrosis of the renal papillae, leading to acute renal failure. Some patients may also develop perinephric abscesses, which are caused by bacterial infections. Nephritis, on the other hand, refers to inflammation within the glomeruli. This type of inflammation does not involve bacteria and is related to disorders in the body’s immune function. The disordered immune response is aggressive, attacking the glomerular filtration barrier, leading to proteinuria and hematuria. Therefore, the mechanisms of disease and treatment methods for the two conditions are different.

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Written by Pan Wu Shan
Nephrology
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Can pyelonephritis lead to pregnancy?

Pyelonephritis is actually a urinary tract infection. It is not the same as nephritis, so do not confuse the two. Thus, pregnancy is completely feasible for someone with pyelonephritis; as long as the infection is treated, the urine test shows negative results, and there are no white blood cells, pregnancy can occur without any impact. Currently, the treatment for pyelonephritis is anti-infection therapy. Since the bacteria have entered the kidney via the urethra, this treatment needs to last for two weeks. If the treatment duration is insufficient, there could be a recurrence of pyelonephritis. Additionally, it is important to drink plenty of water, urinate frequently, avoid holding urine, consume more than 2500 milliliters of water daily, and maintain a light diet avoiding spicy and irritating foods.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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What foods to eat for pyelonephritis

Pyelonephritis is not nephritis, but a type of bacterial infection. Therefore, as a bacterial infection, there are no specific dietary restrictions for patients. Such patients should ensure adequate intake of fluids, with a recommended daily urine output of over 2000ml. This can help flush the urinary system and wash away some bacteria, reducing bacterial proliferation. Since it involves inflammation, it is advisable to follow a lighter diet, avoiding spicy, stimulating, and greasy foods, and focusing on easily digestible and warm foods.

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Written by Li Liu Sheng
Nephrology
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How do you get pyelonephritis?

Pyelonephritis is a clinical type of urinary tract infection, which refers to the inflammatory disease caused by the growth and reproduction of various pathogens in the renal pelvis. Pyelonephritis is usually divided into acute pyelonephritis and chronic pyelonephritis. Acute pyelonephritis is primarily characterized by frequent urination, urgency, painful urination, chills, fever, back pain, overall muscle soreness, and tenderness or percussion pain in one or both kidney areas. Chronic pyelonephritis, on the other hand, shows varying degrees of bilateral renal damage, reduced kidney size, rough surfaces, renal papillary scars, renal tubular atrophy, and chronic inflammation signs such as lymphocyte infiltration in the renal interstitium. Chronic pyelonephritis typically presents with low-grade fever, weight loss, backache, and anemia. Therefore, sufficient attention should be given to pyelonephritis, as chronic pyelonephritis can lead to uremia in patients.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Pyelonephritis is an infection of the kidneys

In fact, pyelonephritis is not really nephritis; it is actually a type of bacterial inflammatory infection. Bacteria can infect many parts of the body. If the urinary system is infected and it reaches the renal pelvis and calyces, it is referred to as pyelonephritis. Over 95% of pyelonephritis cases are caused by bacterial infections, and 70% are due to Escherichia coli. Generally, this bacteria enters the urinary system from the urethral opening and ascends to the renal pelvis and calyces, where it proliferates and causes an inflammatory response. The main clinical symptoms of the patient are fever and back pain, and the patient may also experience gross hematuria (visible blood in urine).