Nephritis refers to inflammation of the kidneys, which is often difficult to eradicate once present. For nephritis, it is best to detect and treat it early, as this increases the likelihood of recovery. Therefore, early detection of nephritis is very important. To detect nephritis early, it is necessary to know the early symptoms of nephritis. So, what are the early symptoms of nephritis?
1. What are the symptoms of nephritis
The onset is often sudden, but it can also be insidious and slow. Most people have a history of infection one month before the onset. Urinary changes are the most obvious symptom, often starting with oliguria, gradually oliguria, or even anuria. May be accompanied by varying durations of gross hematuria and persistent microscopic hematuria. About half of the patients experience edema at the beginning of oliguria, mainly in the face and lower limbs. Once edema appears, it is difficult to subside. Some patients have hypertension, and there are also cases where hypertension occurs during the onset of the disease. Once the blood pressure increases, it persists and is not easy to decrease on its own. The characteristic of this disease is the continuous aggravation of renal dysfunction.
2. Early symptoms of nephritis
1 to 3 weeks before the onset of acute nephritis, there is a history of respiratory or cutaneous streptococcal infection, such as pharyngitis, tonsillitis, scarlet fever, purulent skin diseases, etc. Chronic cases are often discovered during physical examinations. It often manifests as mild to moderate edema, hypertension, and renal dysfunction. There may be mild symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, skin itching, and fatigue. Early symptoms are not obvious. If you suddenly notice persistent facial and lower limb edema in the morning, go to the hospital for examination as soon as possible.
3. Is nephritis serious? What if left untreated
In the late stage of chronic nephritis, renal parenchymal damage may occur, which can lead to various abnormalities in the blood system, such as anemia, platelet dysfunction, lymphocyte dysfunction, and coagulation mechanism disorders. Chronic nephritis with renal insufficiency often leads to serious cardiovascular complications, such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, cardiomyopathy, pericarditis and renal insufficiency. Long term proteinuria can lead to significant protein loss, malnutrition, and immune dysfunction, making it prone to various infections. Such as respiratory tract infections, urinary tract and skin infections, etc.
Nephritis is a very serious disease, and if not treated in a timely and effective manner, serious health problems are more likely to occur. The early symptoms of nephritis are relatively hidden, and many patients only discover nephritis during physical examinations. If you find any early symptoms of nephritis as described in this article, you must take them seriously.