Pyelonephritis

Treatment

The management of renal colic is with anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic medications that relax the smooth muscle, in this case the ureter, and antiemetics to improve nausea. One line of treatment could be Ibuprofen 400mg + Buscopan 1 tablet + Antiemetic 1 tablet every 8 hours until evaluated by a specialist (maximum of one week).

Pyelonephritis

This term refers to an inflammation of the kidney caused mainly by bacteria. It occurs when a urinary tract infection progresses from the bladder to the ureters and the kidney or when there is a blockage in the urine outlet that causes the urine to collect in the ureter and even back up into the kidney. This block may be due to kidney stones or prostate diseases such as hyperplasia, prostatitis, or cancer, among others. Pyelonephritis can progress within a few days to form an intra-abdominal collection of pus and even sepsis. However, this is not common.

a) Symptoms

Pyelonephritis is characterized by lower back pain due to inflammation of the kidneys.

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The patient with this type of infection looks sick. His or her face reflects pain and may look fatigued. They also have a decreased appetite. This illness often causes fever and vomiting in addition to general discomfort. To find out if the pain is renal, a maneuver called a kidney percussion test is performed. Although scientific data are not sufficient to give evidence of its usefulness, in my experience, it is an excellent way to know whether or not the patient has a specific kidney problem or if that back pain is from another cause. To do this, the vertebral cost angle is located, which is the angle formed by the costal ridge with the spine. From that site to the lumbar region, firm blows are given with a closed fist. A hand can be placed between the fist and the person to cushion the blow. When the patient has kidney pain, the response is very obvious. The patient either catches their breath or has a defense mechanism. If the person does not have that reaction, the problem is almost certainly not renal. Whenever I examine a patient to evaluate pain, I like to distract them a little bit by asking questions that have nothing to do with the medical interview. I can ask about their children or family, and while they answer me, I take the opportunity to do the maneuver. If the person continues to talk without realizing what I am doing, the pain is not intense. Pain like the one produced by a positive kidney percussion test does not fade with such a simple distraction.

b) Diagnosis

The diagnosis is made through the clinical examination and the medical interview in addition to the urine test, which is the one that reflects the presence of bacteria in the urine. As I have repeated in this section, home urinalysis strips are an excellent resource if it is not possible to seek help. Although cloudy and strong-smelling urine brings us closer to the diagnosis, the presence of blood and/or pus in the urine (hematuria and/or pyuria) confirms it. Hematuria is the presence of red blood cells in the urine, and pyuria is the presence of leukocytes. These home test strips measure those cells, and you can guide the diagnosis with them.

c) Treatment

Kidney infection is a complication of a lower urinary tract infection or urinary outlet block, either from kidney stones, an enlarged prostate, or bladder stones. For kidney infections, I do not recommend natural treatments as a first option but as a support to antibiotics. Remember that this type of infection represents a complication of a previous process, so