Pain and complications in the kidneys after a sore throat - causes and what to do. After a sore throat, a complication on the kidneys, treatment. Kidneys hurt after treatment for a sore throat.

The first includes conditions that negatively affect the functioning of the internal organs of a person who has suffered the disease, and the second - those affecting a limited area of ​​the body.

Local complications are easier to cope with, but the patient still experiences discomfort from them.

The consequences and complications of tonsillitis (this is another name for the pathology) arise for many reasons, including due to the patient’s failure to comply with the doctor’s recommendations.

How dangerous is a sore throat?

Many people consider a sore throat to be a non-serious disease: you can bring down the temperature with medications, but endure a sore throat and weakness in the body.

But such people are mistaken: the symptoms of the pathology may not bother the patient, but the possible consequences of tonsillitis are quite dangerous for health.

Complications of angina can be different - from an abscess developing in the peri-almond tissue to pathologies of the cardiovascular system and other organs.

Why do complications occur?

The causative agents of sore throat are staphylococci and streptococci. Penetrating into the human body, they encounter the immune system, which protects all organs.

The immune system begins to produce antibodies designed to destroy antigens of foreign bacteria.

But streptococci and staphylococci in their structure have antigens that are similar to the cells of many human organs: heart, liver, joints, etc.

The immune system cannot always distinguish which antigen is native to the body and which is foreign. When fighting foreign antigens, one of our own is also involved in the process.

Complications after a sore throat, occurring in any form, usually manifest themselves in the form of local changes in the tissues of the nasopharynx - abscesses and cellulitis, ear pain, etc.

Although they do not pose a threat to human life, they need to be treated. More dangerous consequences are general, affecting the internal organs of a person.

The reasons for the development of complications from sore throat in adults and children are as follows:

• failure to contact a medical facility in a timely manner;
• incorrectly selected therapeutic course;
• abuse of antibacterial drugs;
• treatment only with traditional methods without the use of pharmacological drugs;
• patient's refusal to complete the drug course of treatment.

Complications on organs

Complications after a sore throat begin to develop a few days or weeks after recovery has occurred and the person feels an improvement in their condition.

The disease can negatively affect the functioning of the heart, kidneys, joints, and brain. Tonsillitis can harm the entire human body, causing sepsis (general blood poisoning).

Heart complications after tonsillitis most often appear 2-3 weeks after recovery. Patients aged 3 to 40 years are more susceptible to developing heart disease after tonsillitis.

You can understand that pathology is developing by the following symptoms:

• pain and heart murmurs that occur regularly;
• shortness of breath, worsening with physical activity;
• swelling of the hands and feet;
• change in skin color (pallor and cyanosis);
• low performance, excessive sweating, constant weakness;
• increased temperature and increased heart rate.

These are signs of rheumatic changes in the heart. They can lead to rheumatism of the joints. Treatment is necessary to avoid the development of thromboembolism.

Complications after a sore throat on the joints manifest themselves in the form of arthritis in both adults and children. The development of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

• joints increase in size, swelling forms in their locations;
• pain not only at the moment of movement, but also in a calm state;
• swelling and redness of the skin over the joints.

The joints most often damaged are the knees and ankles. But small joints located on the hands can also suffer from tonsillitis.

Complications on the kidneys after tonsillitis in the form of glomerulonephritis or pyelonephritis may appear 1-2 weeks after completion of treatment.

Pyelonephritis is a lesion of the renal pelvis. Inflammation can develop in two kidneys.

The person experiences the following symptoms:

• high body temperature;
• pain in the lumbar spine;
• frequent urge to go to the toilet.

With glomerulonephritis, blood pressure increases and blood is present in the urine. Both diseases require treatment in a hospital setting.

The most severe complication of tonsillitis is sepsis, which requires immediate hospitalization of the patient and antiseptic measures.

The pathology is manifested by high temperature, rapid breathing, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, a sharp increase in lymph nodes, and the appearance of ulcers.

Other complications

Local complications from tonsillitis do not pose a danger to the patient, but it is necessary to treat them.

Among the most common complications are abscesses. They arise in the peri-almond tissue.

Abscesses cause a sore throat and fever. Patients experience swelling and tenderness of the lymph nodes.

It also happens that it is difficult for the patient to open his mouth and speak. He tries to tilt his head in the direction where the abscess has formed. The patient is operated on, after which antibacterial measures are carried out.

Another disease that occurs due to tonsillitis is phlegmon. It differs from an abscess in that purulent inflammation spreads through the soft tissues without clear limitation.

Externally, this is expressed by swelling, swelling of the neck, redness of the skin, and pain. With this pathology, the temperature rises and weakness appears.

If phlegmon is at the initial stage of development, then treatment can be conservative. With further progression of the disease, the phlegmon must be opened.

After a sore throat, otitis media may appear. It is caused by pathogenic microorganisms that have penetrated the area of ​​the eardrum or middle ear.

The resulting pus begins to put pressure on the membrane, breaks through it and flows out of the ear. A person’s temperature rises and acute pain occurs in the ear, radiating to the teeth or temple.

The doctor prescribes antibiotic treatment. Sometimes surgery is required.

A sore throat can also lead to other complications, such as swelling of the larynx. This disease is sometimes fatal. The first symptom of the pathology is a change in voice.

The patient tries to cough, but there is no relief. Breathing problems gradually begin: at first it becomes difficult to inhale, and then to exhale.

The patient experiences fear of death. Due to lack of oxygen, skin color changes. Urgent treatment in a hospital is required.

Consequences

In the acute form of tonsillitis, the consequence can be chronic tonsillitis. This happens if the patient does not seek medical help, trying to cope with the pathology on his own.

Rheumatic changes, which are complications of tonsillitis in adults and children, can lead to heart defects and further disability if treatment is not started in time.

You can't bear a sore throat on your legs. With tonsillitis, the consequences can be prevented if you seek medical help in time.

Treatment methods

Any consequences of a sore throat can be avoided if you promptly consult a doctor who will select a competent therapeutic course.

Treatment is carried out at home. Only children under 1 year of age and patients with severe pathology are hospitalized.

Depending on the form of the pathology, antiviral or antibacterial drugs are prescribed.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve pain and lower temperature. The course of treatment lasts from 7 to 10 days.

Often, sick people turn to traditional methods of treatment - gargling with various infusions and decoctions, heating, etc.

You can use similar methods, but to prevent complications after tonsillitis from bothering a person, all procedures must be agreed upon with a doctor.

Sore throat is a rather dangerous disease. It is not always possible to avoid its consequences. In this case, another disease must be treated - one that was a complication of sore throat.

How to treat chronic tonsillitis

Chronic tonsillitis is a consequence that cannot be completely cured.

To avoid life- and health-threatening complications, treatment of tonsillitis is carried out under the supervision of a doctor. The following methods of getting rid of pathology are used:

• drug therapy;
• physical therapy;
• folk recipes;
• surgical intervention.

The doctor, when choosing a treatment method, is based on the form and stage of tonsillitis, and on the individual characteristics of the patient’s body.

Drug therapy includes taking medications: antiviral, antibacterial, antihistamine.

The doctor also prescribes medications that strengthen the immune system. Gargling with antiseptic solutions is prescribed.

Physiotherapeutic procedures are carried out at the remission stage. Various methods are used: electrophoresis, laser therapy, UV irradiation, etc. The doctor chooses procedures depending on what is happening in the patient’s body.

Traditional recipes help reduce inflammatory processes, but are unable to completely cope with them, so they are used only as additional procedures.

Surgical treatment is prescribed when conservative therapy does not help. The operation is also indicated for those patients whose pathology worsens up to 4 times a year.

Surgical intervention is also indispensable in case of developing complications: damage to the kidneys, heart and other organs.

Prevention of complications

It is not so difficult to prevent complications after a sore throat - you need to consult a doctor in time, while the disease is still in the early stages of its development.

It is also necessary to monitor your condition after recovery. At the first symptoms of an illness that may be a complication of a sore throat, you must contact a medical facility for help.

Sore throat or acute tonsillitis is an acute infectious inflammation of the body, localized in the nasopharynx and tonsils. It is caused by microorganisms that often live on human mucous membranes.

Some circumstances, against the background of reduced immunity, can activate them and cause inflammation. For example, wet feet, large portions of ice cream, cold drinks and others. However, the causative agent of the disease can enter the body from the outside, that is, a person can simply become infected.

Complications after a sore throat are divided into local and general. Local ones are primarily abscesses of the soft tissues of the larynx, swelling and bleeding. General complications are more dangerous. Among them:

• Rheumatism.
• Heart failure
• Streptococcal infection
• Nephritis
• Sepsis

Kidney pain, causes

One of the most common complications after tonsillitis is kidney pathology. Acute tonsillitis is caused by strains of streptococcal and staphylococcal infections that produce antigens similar to the tissue of the heart muscles and kidneys. Therefore, the immune system, while fighting pathogenic bacteria, can damage antigens contained in the tissues of internal organs. In addition, during the course of illness, the body’s protective functions are significantly reduced, which allows the infection to spread freely.

Kidney pain most often occurs in patients on the 7-10th day of illness. This leads to:

1. Incorrect diagnosis.
2. Antibacterial therapy not started in time.
3. Failure to comply with doctor's recommendations.

Kidney pathologies after chronic tonsillitis occur more often in children and men over 40 years of age. After tonsillitis, asymmetric kidney damage is characteristic, when only one of them is affected. Sometimes both organs are affected, but the infection of one of them is more pronounced.

Types of kidney pathologies, their symptoms and treatment

The kidneys are paired organs of the genitourinary system responsible for urine formation and excretion. Failures in their work can lead to very serious problems for the body. Among the consequences of acute infectious tonsillitis, there are several types of pathology:

This is an inflammatory process of the renal pyelocaliceal system, as well as the renal parenchyma, which responds to urine excretion. The disease manifests itself as follows:

• High, up to 40 degrees, body temperature.
• Chills and profuse sweating.
• Muscle pain.
• Nagging pain in the lumbar region.
• Weakness, headache.
• Pain when urinating.

With improper or insufficient treatment, the acute form of pyelonephritis can become chronic.

An infectious disease in which inflammation of the glomeruli of the kidney glomeruli occurs. Glomeruli serve to filter blood and, when inflamed, cease to cope with their functions. Most often, this complication occurs with streptococcal sore throat. Characteristic symptoms:

• Increased body temperature.
• High blood pressure.
• Headache and lower back pain.
• Edema.
• Oliguria (decreased urine output)
• Hematuria (blood in the urine)
• Enlargement of the liver.

There are acute and chronic forms of the disease. Moreover, the latter does not necessarily appear as a consequence of the first and may arise primarily.

The most dangerous form of kidney pathology is renal failure. It develops due to improper or insufficient treatment. This is a complete or partial disruption of the functions of these organs.

In the worst cases, this can lead to complete failure of one or both kidneys. Distinguish acute or chronic form of pathology.

Symptoms of chronic renal failure depend on the stage of the disease. If in the initial (latent) stage patients may not complain of anything except weakness, dry mouth and increased fatigue, then at the last (terminal) stage swelling, lethargy, drowsiness, inappropriate behavior, the smell of ammonia from the mouth, and diarrhea are observed. The skin takes on a grayish-yellowish color.

The acute form of failure is characterized by: a decrease in the amount of urine or a complete absence of urination, swelling of the extremities, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lethargy or, conversely, increased excitability of the patient.

In addition, renal failure can cause disruptions in the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. And in the complete absence or insufficiency of treatment, the patient experiences coma and death.

Treatment

If pain in the kidneys occurs, along with other characteristic symptoms, you should immediately consult a urologist or nephrologist. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate. The doctor will prescribe a series of examinations. It usually includes a general and clinical blood and urine test and an ultrasound examination.

If the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor will prescribe adequate drug therapy, including taking antibiotics And symptomatic treatment anti-inflammatory and herbal medicines. Clearly expressed signs of glomerulonephritis are indications for hospitalization.

In addition to drug treatment, it is important to maintain bed rest and adhere to a diet. Also, with pyelonephritis, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids, while with glomerulonephritis, the amount of fluid should, on the contrary, be limited.

Prevention

To avoid all the above-described complications with angina, you should strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations from the first day of illness.

1. Take antibiotics strictly by the hour and in the prescribed dosage.
2. Maintain bed rest for at least 5 days, even if you feel well.
3. Drink a sufficient amount of warm drinks (teas, decoctions, fruit drinks)
4. Apply local treatment (rinsing with herbal decoctions, solutions of soda, iodine, etc.)

Also plays a significant role healthy lifestyle. A person who does not have bad habits, plays sports and watches his diet is less likely to get sick. And if this happens, the disease will progress more easily and without health consequences.

Even minor viral colds have a severe impact on the kidneys. Decreased immunity forces the heart and kidneys to work to the limit, so if a patient experiences lower back pain with the flu or sore throat, they should see a doctor.

Symptoms of complications

As a rule, at the initial stage the disease does not have pronounced symptoms: slight pain, you want to go to the toilet a little more often. But with the development of pathology, the following signs appear:

• persistent, persistent pain in the lower back of a stabbing or aching nature;
• pain in the lower abdomen, groin;
• febrile state, aggravated by temperature fluctuations;
• change in the color or smell of urine;
• all signs of intoxication: fatigue, headache, nausea, less often vomiting;
• swelling of the eyelids and face, especially noticeable in the morning;
• frequent urination, sometimes painful;
• blood pressure surges due to excessive hormone production.

Symptoms can be simultaneous or appear separately. The degree of manifestation of symptoms depends on the dynamics of the disease, the prevalence and intensity of infection.

Diagnosis, treatment

To make a correct diagnosis, a specialist needs to collect tests and anamnesis. The patient will have to undergo examination. The presence of infection will be shown by the following test results:

• the presence of protein in urine – normally it should not be there;
• high red blood cell count;
• leukocyturia;
• ESR – increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate;
• a high level of creatinine is a clear indicator of the presence of inflammation in the genitourinary tract.

In addition to laboratory tests, it is a good idea to undergo an ultrasound to identify the location and extent of the disease.

After collecting data, the doctor prescribes a specific treatment. Conservative therapy is limited to antibiotics, the course of which is drunk in the specified volume. It is imperative to maintain a diet avoiding too salty, fatty, heavy foods and alcohol, as well as maintaining a drinking regime to facilitate kidney function.

Herbal renal infusions help very well, helping to eliminate infection, reducing pain symptoms and serving as a good preventive measure for the development of renal pathologies.

Important! The main thing is to prevent the disease from developing into a chronic form, as this can lead to long and expensive treatment and the need to maintain a diet throughout your life. Otherwise, complications on the kidneys, after the usual sore throat or flu suffered on the legs, can end fatally

Infectious kidney diseases

The paired filtration organ is the body’s weak point. Due to the fact that the kidneys process all the blood and fluid, they are susceptible to the slightest infections. The most common complications are:

1. Glomerulonephritis– inflammation of the renal glomeruli (glomeruli), characterized by a violation of the filtration process. Destruction of the functioning of organs is expressed in a change in the color of urine, its accumulation, less excretion and, as a result, intoxication of the body up to kidney failure. The disease is extremely dangerous, difficult to treat and occurs regardless of the patient’s age or gender.
2. Pyelonephritis is an inflammatory disease of the kidneys that does not have pronounced symptoms and is often painless. The danger of pyelonephritis is inflammation of the kidney tissue, blood vessels, and tubules. The infection affects absolutely all organ systems and at any time can provoke a purulent abscess, damage to the cortex and, as a result, renal failure.

Important! Both pathologies can be acute or chronic. The disease must be treated regardless of the stage of diagnosis. If therapy is insufficient, the body will receive a huge dose of toxins, which will further disrupt kidney function. Infections of internal organs are the number one cause of infertility in men and women

Prevention

The most terrible diseases can be avoided if you lead a reasonable and correct lifestyle. Simple tips will help both patients who already have kidney complications, and those who want to protect themselves from pathologies:

1. Dress for the weather. This means that the kidneys should be covered, the feet should be dry and warm.
2. Avoid frequent drinking, smoking, eating very fatty foods in large quantities.
3. Watch your weight– excess obesity increases the risk of kidney infection with all the ensuing consequences.
4. Do not tolerate a sore throat, flu, other colds and infectious diseases on the legs. Even if it is not possible to take full sick leave, the patient can spend a day in bed.
5. Recover from infectious diseases to the end, do not stop the course of treatment as soon as the first bright symptoms have passed.
6. Try to constantly improve your immunity: walks, vitamins, water - these three components will help support the body during the off-season.

And, of course, try to be less nervous. It’s not for nothing that they say that “all diseases come from nerves” - this statement is most relevant to today. During periods of stress, the body spends huge reserves of vitality and resources, but the patient does not pay attention to recovery. Depletion of immunity is the surest path to all diseases. Take care of yourself, get treatment on time, don’t be nervous, even if your boss demands it, and be healthy!

Complications on the kidneys after a sore throat rank second in frequency of occurrence after rheumatic lesions of the cardiovascular system. The leading role among them is occupied by pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis.

According to studies, after tonsillitis, complications of the kidneys and urinary tract occur in 5.8% of all patients who have suffered from the disease. Of these, pyelonephritis accounted for 78.9%, glomerulonephritis – 5.3%. The remaining 15.8% are due to other urinary tract diseases. As a rule, due to complications, the kidneys hurt after the end of the sore throat, but it happens that the pain begins even during the course of the disease.

When the kidneys are damaged, the patient develops characteristic pain in the lower back.

Both diseases - pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis - are life-threatening and require hospitalization. However, glomerulonephritis is the most dangerous renal complication, since it affects the “holy of holies” - the glomeruli, or glomeruli, which perform the main function - glomerular filtration. And if acute pyelonephritis can still be cured, then with glomerulonephritis, the changes that occur in the kidneys are irreversible, completely incurable and require constant medical support throughout the patient’s life. When neglected, both diseases can lead to acute renal failure with a fatal outcome.

The mechanism of development of kidney complications

Complications after tonsillitis on the kidneys are caused by the action of toxins produced by pathogens of tonsillitis. Streptococcus is the most dangerous in this regard. Its toxins both directly affect the kidneys even during illness, and after the end of the sore throat, they cause an autoimmune response of the body, causing the incurability of glomerulonephritis.

Microphotograph of an accumulation of hemolytic streptococcus, the main causative agent of sore throat and its complications.

Due to direct damage, the kidneys sometimes hurt even with a sore throat, and both kidneys, or only the right or left kidney, can hurt. The more active the infection and the worse the patient feels, the more toxins enter the bloodstream, spread throughout the body and reach the kidneys. They directly affect the cells and tissues of the kidneys, causing various lesions. Because of them, pain and disturbances in the functioning of the kidneys may develop.

However, this action is less dangerous because when taking effective antibiotics, the infection is quickly suppressed, the amount of toxins in the blood is sharply reduced and the effect on the kidneys stops.

Long-term complications are much more dangerous, usually developing 2-3 weeks after the end of a sore throat, and in some cases - after several months or even years if the sore throat has not been successfully treated. Their development is based on an autoimmune mechanism. The immune system in humans works in such a way that, as a result of the introduction of foreign proteins (antigens) into the body, the production of antibodies begins - its own proteins, the task of which is to destroy bacterial antigens, not only toxins, but also the proteins that make up the bacterial cell membrane.

Streptococcus antigens are similar to those in the tissues of the kidneys, heart and joints. As a result, the resulting antibodies do not distinguish between streptococcal antigens and the body’s own proteins, which are similar in structure, and therefore attack both bacterial cells and cells in the tissues of the kidneys, heart and joints with equal activity. In many cases, after the development of such an autoimmune mechanism and after the infection has been completely eliminated from the body, the immune system continues to attack its own tissues. This is how autoimmune diseases develop, including pyelonephritis. Their main danger is that they are incurable and require constant therapy throughout the patient’s life.

A prototype of a portable artificial kidney device, with which patients suffering from severe renal failure after glomerulonephritis have to live.

It is important to understand that such incurable complications develop no earlier than the 9th day of sore throat. Even if the kidneys hurt with the sore throat itself, but taking effective antibiotics that suppress the infection begins earlier than 9 days, the infection is suppressed and incurable complications do not develop in the patient.

For what reasons do complications develop?

In general, factors contributing to the development of complications with angina are:

1. Refusal to take antibiotics when ill;
2. Antibiotic therapy started too late;
3. Taking ineffective antibiotics and refusing to replace them;
4. Interruption of the course of antibiotic therapy, when the patient stops taking medications after his own condition has normalized, but before the entire infection is eliminated. Even individual streptococcal cells that persist in tissues and do not cause symptoms of the disease will form an immune response, which will lead to complications in the future.

Sumamed is a drug based on the antibiotic azithromycin, used on a 3- and 5-day dosage regimen. Practice shows that when taken for 3 days, it often does not completely eliminate the infection, which is why complications develop.

Also, the likelihood of developing complications is influenced by the immune status of the body, but a clear connection between the strength of the immune system and the frequency of complications has not been established. There is a reasonable hypothesis that the stronger the immune system, the greater the likelihood of complications, since such a strong immune system forms antibodies to streptococcal antigens more quickly and efficiently. In such conditions, the autoimmune response develops faster and more reliably than in a person with a weak immune system.

Symptoms of complications of tonsillitis on the kidneys

The two main complications of tonsillitis on the kidneys manifest themselves with different symptoms and clinical pictures.

Pyelonephritis is an inflammatory disease of an infectious nature, which affects the renal pelvis, parenchyma and calyces.

The disease may affect one kidney, sometimes both. The first signs of the disease can be observed 2-4 weeks after a sore throat. In this case, the following are observed:

1. Pain in the lumbar region and increased muscle tone on the affected side;
2. Increase in body temperature to high values ​​- 39-40°C;
3. Chills followed by profuse sweating;
4. Muscle and joint pain;
5. Painful, frequent and copious urination.

At the first such symptoms of the disease, it is necessary to seek medical help, undergo an examination and begin treatment on time. The sooner therapy is started, the greater the chance of cure and prevention of irreversible consequences.

With glomerulonephritis, as a result of damage to the capillary glomeruli, the filtration process in the renal system is disrupted. This leads to a deterioration in the general condition, the development of edema, a decrease in the amount of urine excreted, and the appearance in it of a large amount of protein and red blood cells (blood). In the last stages of the disease, urine has a characteristic rusty tint, the color of “meat slop.” These symptoms are accompanied by complaints of nagging pain in the lumbar region, general weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, and sometimes vomiting.

Often the disease begins with few symptoms, which makes diagnosis difficult. In the initial stages, sometimes only increased urination is present. Then more clear signs of glomerulonephritis develop:

1. Weakness, headache;
2. Severe swelling of the limbs and the whole body, up to anasarca, sometimes with the development of ascites and exudative pleurisy (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal and pleural cavities);
3. Development of arterial hypertension;
4. The appearance of shortness of breath, an increase in heart size;
5. Weight loss;
6. Development of heart failure.

Swelling, characteristic of complications with angina.

At the final stages of the disease, chronic renal failure and uremia occur. The patient often smells ammonia from his mouth. Kidney failure is fatal and requires urgent hospitalization of the patient, sometimes placing him in intensive care.

Children are also susceptible to complications after a sore throat. The symptoms are similar in many ways, but in children the symptoms of the disease are much stronger than in adults. Moreover, the smaller the child, the more pronounced the following symptoms and clinical manifestations of intoxication are:

1. Febrile body temperature, up to seizures;
2. Vomiting, regurgitation;
3. Pale skin, cyanosis of the face or nasolabial triangle;
4. Refusal to eat;
5. A sharp decrease in body weight;
6. Stool disorders;
7. Symptoms of dehydration, sagging skin.

Due to the fact that these symptoms are similar to those of poisoning or intestinal infection, professional diagnosis is required to reliably determine the disease.

Risk of kidney complications

Of the complications of tonsillitis on the kidneys, the most dangerous is glomerulonephritis. As a disease of an autoimmune nature, it is incurable and the patient will suffer from it for the rest of his life. During the disease, kidney function is impaired and specific syndromes develop. Often, glomerulonephritis, even with high-quality therapy, becomes a cause of disability for the patient.

In the later stages, advanced disease results in acute renal failure and uremia. With them, uremic coma and death of the patient can occur.

Uremic coma is one of the consequences of advanced glomerulonephritis.

Diagnosis of diseases

When diagnosing, first of all, a thorough examination of the patient, collection of complaints and anamnesis are carried out. The very presence of a sore throat in the previous period is one of the reasons to suspect kidney damage as a complication of this disease.

A number of laboratory and instrumental studies are also carried out, which include:

• General blood and urine tests;
• Urinalysis using the Nechiporenko method;
• Ultrasound examination of the kidneys;
• Rehberg's test;
• X-ray of the chest organs;
• Excretory urography.

Photo of an x-ray taken to diagnose glomerulonephritis.

An additional indication of the development of complications of tonsillitis on the kidneys is the symptoms of other complications of this disease: acute rheumatic fever, chronic tonsillitis, abscess. If a doctor sees that a patient has developed one of the complications of a sore throat, he has reason to believe that the characteristic kidney symptoms also indicate typical complications of a sore throat.

Treatment of pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis

Therapy for pyelonephritis or glomerulonephritis is prescribed by the attending physician. In the vast majority of cases, patients are treated in hospitals. Glomerulonephritis requires mandatory treatment in a clinic; outpatient therapy is possible only with a sluggish chronic course.

During therapy, the following principles must be followed:

• Strictly observe bed rest;
• Adhere to a low-calorie diet with a limited amount of protein (table No. 7 according to Pevzner);
• Limit the amount of fluid consumed during glomerulonephritis, and vice versa, drink as much as possible during pyelonephritis;
• Take antibacterial agents prescribed by your doctor;
• Take medications that reduce intoxication, including detoxification solutions for intravenous infusion.

In general, symptomatic therapy is prescribed according to indications, and may include antispasmodics (no-spa, papaverine), anti-inflammatory drugs (paracetamol, nimesil), and blood pressure lowering agents.

From the group of antibacterial agents, cephalosporins (ceftriaxone), drugs from the macrolide group (erythromycin, azithromycin), nitrofurans (furadonin), nalidixic acid derivatives (5-NOC) and others are used. In acute glomerulonephritis, penicillins are mainly prescribed, avoiding the use of nephrotoxic drugs (nitrofurans and aminoglycosides are excluded).

The use of heavy antibacterial drugs for glomerulonephritis can worsen the disease due to side effects on the kidneys.

When acute heart failure develops, pathogenetic therapy is used, and when edema appears, diuretics are used. In some cases, hemodialysis (artificial kidney machine) is indicated.

How to avoid the development of complications of tonsillitis on the kidneys?

The main and most reliable way to prevent the development of complications of tonsillitis on the kidneys is to carry out intensive antibiotic therapy for the disease with effective drugs. In most cases, inexpensive and relatively safe antibiotics of the penicillin (ampicillin, amoxicillin) and macrolide (erythromycin, azithromycin, josamycin) series are suitable for this. In some cases, cephalosporins may be indicated. Be that as it may, the decision on the choice of antibiotic is made by the doctor, since certain antibiotics for a particular patient may be either ineffective or dangerous.

If you consult a doctor in a timely manner for a sore throat, it is enough to take antibiotics in tablets or capsules - they are no less (and sometimes even more) effective.

It is important to start antibiotic therapy as early as possible, immediately after the symptoms of a sore throat appear, without waiting for the right, left or both kidneys to hurt or other complications to appear. In this case, it is possible to replace the antibiotic if it turns out to be ineffective. In addition, early use of antibacterial agents shortens the duration of the disease and contributes to the rapid normalization of the patient’s condition.

Finally, an antibiotic for a sore throat should be taken for as long as indicated by the doctor. It is unacceptable to stop taking it immediately after the condition has normalized, if the prescribed period of use has not yet been completed.

In some cases, long-term prevention of complications of angina is carried out with bicillins. In many situations, it is required when any of the previous rules are violated and increases the risk of complications. Such bicillin prophylaxis is sometimes carried out for several weeks, months and even years on an outpatient basis.

Among diseases affecting the ENT organs, tonsillitis is considered the most common. In 90% of cases, the cause of the disease is a staphylococcal or streptococcal infection, less often viral or fungal pathogens. Sore throat as an independent disease is not dangerous to human health, but when the patient does not adhere to all the doctor’s recommendations, the disease is fraught with its own complications. Many patients after an acute period complain that their kidneys hurt after a sore throat. Such complaints should not remain unattended by a competent specialist.

Any complications that occur with tonsillitis can cause the development of chronic diseases. Complications on the kidneys after a sore throat can occur for several reasons:

• lack of proper treatment;
• incorrect diagnosis;
• failure to comply with doctor's instructions;
• presence in the person’s medical history of chronic diseases of the genitourinary system.

Those at risk for developing complications are people with reduced immunity, children, as well as those who lead an unhealthy lifestyle, abuse alcohol, and do not watch their diet. The child’s body is in the stage of growth and development and is not always able to resist pathogenic bacteria, so the risks of complications after a sore throat are quite high. Competent treatment under the supervision of a doctor will significantly reduce the possible consequences of the disease.

Normally, the human kidneys perform a kind of “laboratory” function for the body. They remove toxins and harmful substances. When their work is disrupted, toxins begin to accumulate in the body, causing symptoms of intoxication. If kidney function is impaired, the recovery period will take much longer. Complications of sore throat often appear when the patient refuses to treat the disease with antibiotics, prefers traditional medicine, or completely ignores the symptoms of the disease.

The causative agents of sore throat (streptococci, staphylococci) contain antigens that are similar to kidney and cardiac tissues. During the development of angina, human immune antibodies begin to resist infection and destroy foreign antigens, affecting those contained in the kidney tissues. As a result, the kidneys cannot cope with their functions, which increases the risk of complications.

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Kidney disease due to sore throat

Complications of tonsillitis can be early or late. The consequences of the disease can be noticed on the 4-5th day of illness. Late ones appear 1-2 or more weeks after the acute period. Among the consequences of angina that affect the functioning of the kidneys and urinary system are:

• pyelonephritis;
• nephritis;
• poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis;
• glomeluronephritis.

Severe complications include renal failure, which is characterized by a complete or partial decrease in kidney function.

Attention! Nephrologists assure that in 75% of cases the cause of acute nephritis and pyelonephritis is a previous sore throat, the treatment of which was carried out incorrectly.

Signs of complications

According to medical observations, kidney damage after tonsillitis ranks second after the heart. Complications can be recognized by severe symptoms, which may appear 1-4 weeks after tonsillitis:

• discomfort, pain in the lumbar region, lower abdomen;
• increased body temperature;
• problems with urination;
• urine becomes cloudy;
• blood in the urine;
• increased blood pressure;
• swelling of the limbs;
• deterioration in general health;
• signs of intoxication.

The symptoms that appear should be a reason for immediate contact with a urologist or nephrologist. Self-medication for such symptoms is unacceptable.

Diagnostics

If you suspect complications of angina affecting kidney tissue, you should consult a specialist in the field of nephrology. The doctor, after listening to the patient’s complaints, will prescribe a number of examinations:

• clinical blood test;
• general urine analysis;
• radiography;
• Ultrasound of the kidneys.

The results of instrumental and laboratory diagnostics will help to create a complete picture of the disease, make the correct diagnosis, and select the necessary therapy.

What to do when your kidneys hurt after a sore throat

If, after suffering from a sore throat, symptoms appear indicating disturbances in the functioning of the kidneys, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Based on the collected complaints, the results of laboratory and instrumental diagnostics, the doctor will be able to determine the cause, the degree of damage to the kidney tissue, make the correct diagnosis, and then prescribe the necessary therapy.

Read also: What to do if your ear hurts with a sore throat

Treatment for diseases affecting the kidneys depends on the diagnosis. Complex therapy for any disease of the urinary system and kidneys consists of taking medications, following a diet, and a healthy lifestyle. The doctor can also recommend traditional medicine recipes that will complement the basic treatment and speed up the recovery period.

Drug therapy may include symptomatic and systemic medications to manage the cause and symptoms of the disease. This:

• antibiotics;
• uroseptics;
• anti-inflammatory drugs;
• herbal preparations;
• hormonal immunosuppressants.

The choice of medication always remains with the attending physician. Often, after tonsillitis and the risk of complications, Bicillin is prescribed, the administration of which will minimize the negative consequences. After administration, the active component of the drug retains its effect for a week.

Taking medications will eliminate the source of infection, improve kidney function, and prevent the disease from becoming chronic.

Treatment of kidneys after tonsillitis in addition to taking medications:

• bed rest in the first days of illness;
• take all medications prescribed by your doctor;
• drink plenty of fluids;
• follow diet number 7.

Important! If glomerulonephritis develops against the background of a previous sore throat, the amount of daily fluid should be reduced. For pyelonephritis - increase to two liters per day. Fruit drinks, herbal teas, and compotes are allowed as drinks. Coffee and any alcohol should be completely avoided.

After treatment, the patient may be prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures, therapeutic exercises, and kidney massage. All these techniques will help improve blood supply to the kidney tissues and improve their functionality. Sanatorium-resort treatment in latitudes with a warm climate, healing waters and mud will bring benefits.

If you detect kidney pathology that appears against the background of a sore throat in time and carry out the correct treatment, you can prevent the disease from becoming chronic, thereby avoiding problems in the future.

Prevention of complications

Sore throat is a bacterial disease, so taking antibiotics is mandatory. In addition to antibacterial therapy, the patient must take other medications prescribed by the doctor for oral or topical use.