Chronic Glomerulonephritis: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

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Chronic Glomerulonephritis
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Chronic Glomerulonephritis

• The kidneys carry out the detoxification process
  in the body by filtering the blood and
  eliminating waste from the body. This filtering
  process is carried out with the help of about a
  million tiny filters called glomeruli that are
  present in each kidney. Problems arise when the
  glomeruli become inflamed.Chronic
  glomerulonephritis (inflammation of glomeruli)
  develops over several years, and is marked by
  progressive inflammation of the glomeruli. As
  kidneys fail to filter blood properly, excess
  fluid and electrolytes pass from the bloodstream
  to urine. Even proteins and blood might pass into
  the urine. 

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Causes of Chronic glomerulonephritis

• While the acute form might develop suddenly,
  after an infection in the throat or skin, it
  might be difficult to identify the specific cause
  in case of the chronic form. At times, an
  individual might develop the acute form of the
  disease, and the chronic form may develop years
  later. In some cases, the contributing factor
  might be 
• Strep throat
• Bacterial or viral infections
• Diseases of the immune system such as lupus,
  immune lung disorder, Goodpastures syndrome,
  etc.
• Polyarteritis
• Diabetic kidney disease
• Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (causes
  scarring of the glomeruli)

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Symptoms

• In the acute form of this glomerulonephritis,
  the inflammation occurs suddenly. The symptoms
  may vary according to the type of the condition
  (whether chronic or acute), and the cause. The
  common symptoms that are usually observed are as
  follows 
• Presence of blood or protein in urine
• Urine that appears foamy
• Confusion
• Drowsiness
• Lack of concentration
• Lethargy or sleepiness
• The patient may start having lowered sensation in
  limbs and other areas

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Symptoms
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• Easy bleeding
• Malaise
• High blood pressure
• Edema
• Less urination than normal
• Itching
• Muscle twitching
• Cramps
• Seizures
• Nausea or vomiting

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Treatment

• Nephrologists decide the right treatment for a
  particular case, once they have identified the
  underlying cause and judged the severity of the
  symptoms. The primary aim of the treatment is to
  control the symptoms. According to what most
  nephrologists say, high blood pressure is one
  symptom that they have to concentrate on
  particularly, to keep the patients condition
  from worsening. Medications that might be
  prescribed for this purpose include diuretics,
  angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors,
  and angiotensin II receptor agonists. Underlying
  causes are also treated accordingly, to deal
  with the condition. For instance, if the cause is
  a bacterial infection, then antibiotics would be
  recommended. If lupus is found to be the
  underlying cause, then corticosteroids and drugs
  that work to suppress the immune system are
  prescribed. 

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Treatment
Continue

• Affected individuals are also advised to abstain
  from including salt in their diet. More
  importantly, it is also advised against the use
  of protein and potassium supplements. This is due
  to the fact that, such substances further add to
  the accumulation of waste in the body. For
  diabetics suffering from this condition, it is
  recommended to have a good control over
  their blood sugar, and maintain a healthy
  weight. There is no specific way to prevent
  glomerulonephritis. However, to avoid
  complications, patients need to identify the
  symptoms and seek medical help at the earliest.
  This would help in dealing with the disease when
  it is still in its early stage, which in turn,
  would help reduce the risk of complications such
  as kidney failure, hypertension, high protein
  levels in the urine, high blood cholesterol, and
  edema.

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