Is pyelonephritis easy to treat?

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on January 25, 2025
00:00
00:00

Pyelonephritis is generally not difficult to treat. Because the condition often appears quite aggressive, it is caused by bacteria entering the urinary system through the urethra, leading to an inflammatory response. Therefore, the primary treatment involves using antibiotics to kill the bacteria. Most of the bacteria causing pyelonephritis are Gram-negative rods, so antibiotics sensitive to Gram-negative rods are often chosen. After a treatment course of 10-14 days, the patient's condition is generally controllable and curable. However, there are also a few cases of chronic pyelonephritis, involving complex factors related to urinary tract infections, such as urinary tract malformations, urinary system stones, prostate hyperplasia, diabetes, etc., which make treatment more difficult. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
42sec home-news-image

What should I do if pyelonephritis recurs?

Pyelonephritis, also known as upper urinary tract infection, is an inflammatory reaction caused by bacterial infection of the urinary system. Therefore, in cases of recurrence of this condition, it is still necessary to use antibiotics for bactericidal treatment, generally requiring a full two-week course, choosing drugs with low nephrotoxicity. Additionally, it is important to investigate whether there are any complicating factors for pyelonephritis, such as the presence of diabetes, urinary system stones, tumors, or urinary tract anomalies. Identifying and addressing these complicating factors can reduce the likelihood of recurrence of pyelonephritis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
59sec home-news-image

How to check for pyelonephritis?

Pyelonephritis, also known as upper urinary tract infection, is mostly caused by bacterial infection and the inflammatory response of the urinary system. The screening for this disease involves routine urine tests. Presence of white blood cells in the urine, coupled with symptoms like fever and back pain, can lead to a preliminary diagnosis. However, to confirm the diagnosis and identify the specific infecting pathogen, a culture of midstream urine is needed. Generally, to exclude certain causes of pyelonephritis, it is also necessary for the patient to have blood sugar levels checked and an ultrasound of the urinary system conducted. These tests can confirm whether the patient has diabetes, urinary system stones, or obstructions in the urinary system. Male patients can also undergo a prostate ultrasound to rule out urinary obstruction caused by prostate enlargement. These examinations can also help determine why the patient might have developed pyelonephritis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
49sec home-news-image

Pyelonephritis is an infection of the kidneys

In fact, pyelonephritis is not really nephritis; it is actually a type of bacterial inflammatory infection. Bacteria can infect many parts of the body. If the urinary system is infected and it reaches the renal pelvis and calyces, it is referred to as pyelonephritis. Over 95% of pyelonephritis cases are caused by bacterial infections, and 70% are due to Escherichia coli. Generally, this bacteria enters the urinary system from the urethral opening and ascends to the renal pelvis and calyces, where it proliferates and causes an inflammatory response. The main clinical symptoms of the patient are fever and back pain, and the patient may also experience gross hematuria (visible blood in urine).

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
1min 4sec home-news-image

The difference between pyelonephritis and nephritis

Pyelonephritis and nephritis are two completely different concepts. Pyelonephritis is actually a bacterial inflammation, usually caused by bacteria at the urethral opening ascending into the urinary system and causing inflammation in areas like the renal pelvis and calyces. Patients may experience symptoms such as fever, hematuria, and back pain. In severe cases, it can cause necrosis of the renal papillae, leading to acute renal failure. Some patients may also develop perinephric abscesses, which are caused by bacterial infections. Nephritis, on the other hand, refers to inflammation within the glomeruli. This type of inflammation does not involve bacteria and is related to disorders in the body’s immune function. The disordered immune response is aggressive, attacking the glomerular filtration barrier, leading to proteinuria and hematuria. Therefore, the mechanisms of disease and treatment methods for the two conditions are different.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Liu Sheng
Nephrology
1min 4sec home-news-image

How do you get pyelonephritis?

Pyelonephritis is a clinical type of urinary tract infection, which refers to the inflammatory disease caused by the growth and reproduction of various pathogens in the renal pelvis. Pyelonephritis is usually divided into acute pyelonephritis and chronic pyelonephritis. Acute pyelonephritis is primarily characterized by frequent urination, urgency, painful urination, chills, fever, back pain, overall muscle soreness, and tenderness or percussion pain in one or both kidney areas. Chronic pyelonephritis, on the other hand, shows varying degrees of bilateral renal damage, reduced kidney size, rough surfaces, renal papillary scars, renal tubular atrophy, and chronic inflammation signs such as lymphocyte infiltration in the renal interstitium. Chronic pyelonephritis typically presents with low-grade fever, weight loss, backache, and anemia. Therefore, sufficient attention should be given to pyelonephritis, as chronic pyelonephritis can lead to uremia in patients.