Author: Eglė Dagienė

Published: www.manodaktaras.lt

Article link: HERE

On a hot summer day, when we often swim in cold water or drink more fluids than usual, we rarely think that this puts more strain on our kidneys and can influence various urinary tract inflammations. What signs most often warn of the beginnings of kidney or bladder disease, and why do women complain of it more often?

Avoid frequent temperature changes and dehydration.

As AND klinika family doctor Jūratė Valiukienė told the manodaktaras.lt portal, one of the risk factors for infection of the urinary tract – both upper (kidneys) and lower (bladder, urethra) – is catching a chill, so swimming in cold water in summer can be a cause. The kidneys really won't “thank you” for sudden temperature changes.

“On a hot summer day it's also very easy to dehydrate quickly because of increased sweating and insufficient fluid intake. This creates good conditions for kidney stones to form,” the doctor explained.

Kidney stones can lurk for a long time without causing discomfort, so many people don't even suspect they have kidney stone disease. But when a stone moves, strong pain can be felt in the lower back and lower abdomen, and a person feels the urge to urinate more often.

Kidney stones are salt crystals that form in the urinary tract. According to the family doctor, most kidney stones in Western countries' residents are made of calcium salts and are found in the upper urinary tract, while in developing countries' residents they are made of uric acid and found in the bladder. Stones made of calcium salts are thought to be influenced by a protein-rich Western diet and a Western lifestyle.

Drinking too few fluids leads to dehydration, which can cause reduced blood pressure and, because of this, worsening kidney function. So the doctor advises consuming at least 1.5–3 litres of fluids a day (depending on age and accompanying illnesses).

The risk of illness is greater for women.

Urinary tract infections, according to Dr J. Valiukienė, are often more frequent in women than in men, because of anatomical features women's urethra is considerably shorter.

“Female sex hormones – oestrogens – can also encourage a urinary tract infection (UTI) to develop. In women, oestrogens decrease with age, because of which the walls of the urinary tract can thin and dry out, thus increasing the risk of more frequent UTIs. Especially favourable conditions for this infection arise during pregnancy,” the medic said.

Various diseases can also harm the kidneys.

Other causes that can encourage chronic kidney disease are diabetes and hypertension.

With diabetes (especially with poor glycaemic control, i.e. not following the treatment regimen and lifestyle corrections), according to the family doctor, the small kidney vessels can be damaged and, because of this, the kidneys' filtration function can worsen – water, salt and toxins can start to accumulate in the body, and protein appears in the urine (proteinuria).

Uncontrolled high blood pressure over a long time can also harm the kidneys' circulation – narrowing and weakening the important kidney vessels, because of which the kidneys' filtration function can suffer.

Cardiovascular diseases, smoking and obesity also have a negative effect on the kidneys.

How to recognise a bladder inflammation?

Most often, according to the family doctor, inflammation of the lower tract (the bladder) occurs. You can recognise it by these symptoms:

• a strong and frequent urge to urinate troubles you,
• the amounts of urine are small,
• urination is painful,
• it's important to note a changed urine colour – bright yellow (very concentrated urine) or light pink urine (blood).

The symptoms mustn't be ignored.

“An untreated bladder inflammation can be complicated into pyelonephritis or pass into a chronic form. Acute pyelonephritis is an infectious inflammation of the kidneys' interstitial tissue and tubules, and often of the calyces and pelvis too. The main triad of symptoms: temperature (usually >38.5 degrees), chills and flank pain. It's most often caused by E. coli species,” family doctor J. Valiukienė said.

If you feel any urination disorders, changes in urine colour, an unpleasant odour appearing, a fever and a sudden strong flank or abdominal pain – you must see a doctor so that treatment is prescribed in time.

In the case of an infectious condition, antibacterial treatment is most often used; with an attack of kidney stone disease, painkillers and intravenous fluids are prescribed to increase urine flow (smaller stones can pass on their own with the urine; to remove larger ones, lithotripsy or even surgical intervention may be needed) and to avoid possible complications, e.g. kidney failure.

Tips on how to keep the kidneys healthy and what mistakes not to make:

1. If symptoms appear, don't self-treat, but see a doctor straight away.
2. Regularly take the medications prescribed to treat existing conditions or chronic illnesses.
3. Try to drink enough fluids (urine should be a light yellowish colour).
4. Exercise actively.
5. Eat healthily.
6. Give up harmful habits.
7. Go to urinate regularly and don't hold your urine.