Download Urinary System Diseases

Urinary System Diseases
Urinary System Diseases
Cystitis – acute or Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) – Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are
the second most common type of infection in the body. You may have a UTI if you notice
pain or burning when you urinate, fever, tiredness or shakiness, an urge to urinate
often, pressure in your lower belly, urine that smells bad or looks cloudy or reddish,
and/or pain in your back or side below the ribs. People of any age or sex can get UTIs.
But about four times as many women get UTIs as men. Acute cystitis is a bacterial
infection of the bladder or lower urinary tract. Acute means sudden or severe. Cystitis
is caused by germs, usually bacteria that enter the urethra and then the bladder. These
bacteria can lead to infection, most commonly in the bladder. The infection can spread
to the kidneys. Most of the time, your body can get rid of these bacteria when you
urinate. However, sometimes the bacteria can stick to the wall of the urethra or
bladder, or grow so fast that some bacteria stay in the bladder. Women tend to get
infections more often than men because their urethra is shorter and closer to the anus.
For this reason, women are more likely to get an infection after sexual intercourse or
when using a diaphragm for birth control. Menopause also increases the risk for a urinary
tract infection. Most cases are caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli), a type of bacteria
found in the intestines.
Nephrosis – a noninflammatory disease of kidneys. Nephrotic syndrome is a group of
symptoms that include protein in the urine, low blood protein levels, high cholesterol
levels, high triglyceride levels, and swelling. Nephrotic syndrome is caused by different
disorders that damage the kidneys. This damage leads to the release of too much
protein in the urine. The most common cause in children is minimal change disease.
Membranous glomerulonephritis is the most common cause in adults.
Nephrolith or Renal Calculi – a kidney stone
is a solid piece of material that forms in the kidney from substances in the urine. It may
be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a pearl. Most kidney stones pass out of the
body without help from a doctor. But sometimes a stone will not go away. It may get
stuck in the urinary tract, block the flow of urine and cause great pain. The following
may be signs of kidney stones that need a doctor’s help: extreme pain in your back or
side that will not go away, blood in your urine, fever and chills, vomiting, urine that
smells bad or looks cloudy, and a burning feeling when you urinate. Your doctor will
diagnose a kidney stone with urine, blood, and imaging tests.
Urethritis - inflammation of the urethra, the final pathway for urine in both sexes, and
the common pathway for urine and semen in the male. Urethritis is swelling and
irritation (inflammation) of the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from
the body. Urethritis may be caused by bacteria or a virus. The same bacteria that cause
urinary tract infections (E. coli) and some sexually transmitted diseases (chlamydia,
gonorrhea) can lead to urethritis. Viral causes of urethritis include herpes simplex virus
and cytomegalovirus. Other causes include: injury, sensitivity to the chemicals used in
spermicides or contraceptive jellies, creams, or foams.
Kidney Cysts – A cyst is a fluid-filled sac. There are two types of kidney cysts. Polycystic
kidney disease (PKD) runs in families. In PKD, the cysts take the place of the normal
tissue. They enlarge the kidneys and make them work poorly, leading to kidney failure.
When PKD causes kidneys to fail – which usually happens after many years – people need
dialysis or kidney transplantation. About half of people with the most common type of
PKD end up with kidney failure. PKD also causes cysts in other parts of the body, such
as the liver. Symptoms of PKD include pain in the back and lower sides, headaches,
urinary tract infections, or blood in the urine. Doctors diagnose PKD with imaging tests
and family history. Treatments include medications, and, when people with PKD
develop kidney failure, dialysis or kidney transplants.
Nocturia – frequently getting up and urinating during the night. Normally, the amount
of urine your body produces decreases at night. This allows most people to sleep 6 to 8
hours without having to urinate. Some people wake up from sleep more often to urinate
during the night. This can disrupt sleep cycles. Drinking too much fluid during the
evening can cause you to urinate more often during the night. Caffeine and alcohol
after dinner can also lead to this problem. Other common causes of urination at night
include: infection of the bladder or urinary tract, drinking a lot of alcohol, caffeine, or
other fluids before bedtime, enlarged prostate gland (BPH), or other conditions.
Enuresis - involuntary release of urine, most often in reference to “bedwetting.” Many
children wet the bed until they are 5 or even older. A child’s bladder might be too
small. Or the amount of urine produced overnight can be more than the bladder can
hold. Some children sleep too deeply or take longer to learn bladder control. Children
should not be punished for wetting the bed. They don’t do it on purpose, and most
outgrow it. Until then, bed-wetting alarms, bladder training and medicines might help.