Often after bladder infections kidney pelvic inflammatory

Bladder infections mostly precursors of renal pelvic inflammatory disease

22/01/2013

Severe pain in the lateral abdominal and back area, fever, chills, nausea and burning sensation when urinating - such symptoms are known to those affected by renal pelvic inflammation only too well. This disease is often the result of a bladder infection and affects mainly women. Due to a shortened urethra, they increasingly suffer from bladder infections and therefore suffer from renal pelvic inflammation twice as often as men. Anyone who repeatedly suffers from bladder infections, should consider a vaccine against it and pay particular attention to the first signs of pyelitis, but unfortunately not always clearly noticeable.

Not all sufferers show inflammation of the renal pelvis due to fever or back pain. Usually, however, the typical symptoms of cystitis manifest themselves, such as burning sensation during urination and constant urination, because both diseases are closely related. „An already existing bladder infection sometimes causes pyelitis, as bacteria migrate through the ureters into the renal pelvis. This serves, as the name suggests, to catch and collect urine from the kidney“, explains Dr. Reinhold Schaefer, urologist and managing director of the medical network Uro-GmbH Nordrhein. Urologists find out the type of urinary tract infection by palpating the abdomen, taking blood and urine samples and applying urine cultures to determine the precise pathogen. In addition, they look at affected organs by means of ultrasound. Depending on the diagnosis, urology specialists initiate therapies that differ despite a similar clinical picture. Instead of just a few days as with cystitis, sufferers with kidney pelvic often take up to several weeks antibiotics, drink plenty and also need bed rest. If the symptoms persist, doctors also give medicines for reducing fever and pain.

„Acute pelvic inflammatory disease must be recognized as quickly as possible and treated so that it does not become chronic and in the worst case lead to kidney failure“, so Dr. Shepherd. For those affected, it is therefore important not to take pain and fever lightly and, at the first sign, consult a specialist immediately. As a precautionary measure, urologists recommend people with a tendency to frequent bladder infections, to always drink plenty, to keep the abdomen and feet warm, and to go to the toilet immediately after urinary urgency and after sexual intercourse. Meanwhile, there is also the opportunity to get vaccinated against bacteria that often cause bladder infections. However, the vaccine protects only part of the pathogens and therefore does not provide absolute protection. Especially menopausal women, who are often more prone to urinary tract infections because of a possible lack of estrogen, can however ease the vaccine. Here, urologists vaccinate those affected against the bacteria, which most often cause bladder infections. For many, this is followed by a significant improvement. It is important to discuss this possibility with a urologist. (Pm)