Be alert to these 4 early "help signals" of chronic nephritis

Chronic nephritis is a common kidney disease in clinical practice. It has a relatively hidden onset and no obvious symptoms in the early stage, so it is very easy to be ignored. However, patients with chronic nephritis will send out some "help signals" in the early stage. If you can be alert and receive treatment early, you can effectively delay the further development of the disease. Here are 4 "help signals" in the early stage of chronic nephritis, hoping to help you.

1. What is chronic nephritis ?

The full name of chronic nephritis is chronic glomerulonephritis. It is a disease with hematuria, proteinuria, hypertension and edema as the main symptoms. The pathogenesis varies from person to person. With the passage of time, the lesions will gradually develop. In the late stage, there may be varying degrees of renal function impairment. In the terminal stage, most of the glomeruli are destroyed, leading to renal failure.

Due to the differences in pathological classification and course of disease, clinical symptoms are also diverse.

2. Causes of chronic nephritis

Chronic nephritis is a type of kidney disease caused by a variety of reasons. Its pathogenesis is still unclear, and most patients have nothing to do with streptococcal infection. Moreover, most patients with chronic nephritis do not develop from acute glomerulonephritis, so now more scholars believe that there is no direct correlation between acute nephritis and chronic glomerulonephritis. It may be related to infections such as bacteria and viruses, and is caused by factors such as inflammatory mediators and non-immune mechanisms.

3. Clinical manifestations of chronic nephritis

3.1 Ordinary type

The common type is more common. The course of the disease is insidious, with no obvious clinical symptoms. Mild to moderate edema gradually appears. During examination, urine protein (+)~(+++) is found, and renal insufficiency and hematuria may also occur. Pathological changes mainly manifest as IgA nephropathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and (early) membranoproliferative nephritis.

3.2 Nephrotic proteinuria

The main pathological classifications are membranous nephropathy, membranoproliferative nephritis and focal glomerulosclerosis.

3.3 Hypertension type

Clinically, the main symptom is the continuous increase of diastolic blood pressure, accompanied by retinal vascular stenosis, and some patients may see flocculent exudation and (or) bleeding. Pathologically, it is often seen in focal glomerular sclerosis and glomerular sclerosis.

3.4 Hybrid

Clinically, the main symptoms are nephropathy and hypertension, and varying degrees of renal function decline may occur. Pathological changes include focal segmental glomerular sclerosis, etc.

3.5 Acute onset

When the condition is relatively stable or developing, due to bacterial or viral infection, fatigue, diarrhea, use of nephrotoxic drugs and other factors, symptoms similar to acute nephritis may appear in a short period of time. After proper treatment and rest, the patient can return to the original state. If the condition worsens further, it will gradually develop into uremia. It may also be due to repeated attacks of the disease, resulting in a rapid decline in renal function, thus causing uremia and other related symptoms. Pathological manifestations are diffuse hyperplasia or further development into chronic interstitial nephritis.

4. Beware of these 4 early warning signs of chronic nephritis

4.1 Abnormal urine

Chronic nephritis may cause abnormal urine in the early stage. Clinically, there will be increased nocturia, foamy urine or darker urine color, and even visible hematuria. In addition, increased or decreased urine volume should also be noted. If you have the above symptoms, you need to go to the hospital for further examination.

4.2 Edema

Edema is a common clinical manifestation in patients with chronic nephritis. When you wake up in the morning and find that your eyes or face are swollen, many people may mistakenly think that it is caused by improper sleeping posture or drinking too much water. In fact, this may be a sign of kidney health problems. When the kidneys cannot effectively excrete excess water from the body, it will cause edema in certain parts of the body, commonly in the face, hands, ankles and legs. Especially when it occurs for several consecutive days or is accompanied by other symptoms, you must be vigilant. Therefore, during the treatment process, you should avoid eating high-salt foods, control your water intake, and do appropriate physical exercise to relieve the symptoms of edema.

4.3 Hypertension

For patients with chronic nephritis, high blood pressure is also a "help signal". The kidney is an important organ in the human body that regulates blood pressure. When renal function is impaired, sodium and water accumulate in the body, which can cause high blood pressure. Long-term high blood pressure will in turn aggravate kidney damage, forming a vicious cycle. Patients may have symptoms of high blood pressure, such as headaches and palpitations. Long-term high blood pressure not only increases the burden on the kidneys, but also induces cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, patients should check their blood pressure regularly and use antihypertensive therapy under the guidance of a doctor.

4.4 Proteinuria

Proteinuria is a common clinical manifestation. It occurs when the glomerular filtration membrane barrier is damaged. If the protein content in urine is high, foamy urine will occur. Therefore, during the treatment process, protein intake should be reduced as much as possible, and other causes should be effectively controlled to reduce the burden on the kidneys.

Conclusion: In short, patients with chronic nephritis will have some abnormal physical manifestations in the early stage, such as edema, abnormal urine, hypertension and proteinuria. Patients must be alert to these "help signals". In daily life, people should pay attention to abnormal changes in the body, regularly check urine routine, renal function, and urinary system ultrasound to detect kidney disease early and diagnose and treat it in time. Protect your kidneys, develop good living habits in daily life, and don't overwork. I hope everyone can have a better understanding of chronic nephritis and pay attention to it in life.

Author: Tang Liping, Nanning First People's Hospital