Some diseases of the excretory and urinary system The most common are nephritis, nephrosis, kidney stones, hepatitis, anhidrosis or prostatitis.
He excretory system is the system of the organism that is in charge of expelling from the human body all the wastes that this produces. This process is done through the urinary system, lungs, liver and skin.
The urinary system, also known as the renal system, is the part of the excreted system of the production, storage and elimination of urine.
The urinary system consists of two kidneys, two ureters, a urinary bladder and a urethra that performs the work of storing and then expel all liquid waste products from the body.
The correct functioning of these two systems is fundamental considering that it depends on the expulsion of waste. Therefore, when any of its organs or functions fail, the consequences affect the whole organism.
Most Common Diseases of the Urinary System and Excretory
Nephritis
Nephritis consists of inflammation of one or both kidneys. It is caused by the inflammation of different tissues of the kidney such as the glomerulus, the tubules or the interstitial tissue surrounding these organs.
It is often associated with different kinds of autoimmune diseases. In fact, lupus nephritis is a potentially serious condition in itself.
This is because in it the body's autoimmune system attacks the tissues of organs and cells of the body, producing pain and permanent damage to different parts of the body.
Its symptoms can be characterized by the presence of smelly urine, pain in the lower abdomen and blood in the urine.
It is usually treated with antibiotics but in those cases where the disease is caused by lupus, steroids can also be used.
Nephrosis
Nephrosis or nephrotic syndrome is the inflammation of the nephrons, that is, the basic unit of structure and functioning of the kidneys. There are mild and poorly symptomatic nephrosis, but in some cases they can become complex and destroy the kidneys completely.
It is caused by membranous nephropathy, disorders of the immune system, genetic problems, renal malfunction, adverse drug reactions or by infections such as hepatitis, mononucleosis or streptococcal pharyngitis.
This disease presents swelling, protein in the blood, high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Symptoms include swelling of the face, abdomen, arm and legs, foamy urine, weight gain associated with fluid retention, and loss of appetite.
The treatment of nephrosis is to attack the disorders that cause it. Likewise, it is necessary to change the patient's diet, therefore, cholesterol and triglyceride levels are controlled.
Kidney stones
Stones in the kidneys are deposits of calcium that can be seen in the nephrons. These usually vary in size and can also go down to the urinary tract causing extreme pain. On the other hand, they can also become infected causing greater complications.
The main cause of this disease is the change in the levels of salts and minerals present in the urine. This can cause coagulation and increase the size of the stones. However, it can also be a hereditary condition.
Its main symptoms are vomiting, nausea, painful urination, frequent urination, fever, chills, foul-smelling urine, blood in the urine, and severe pain in the back.
The treatment of stones in the kidneys consists mainly in the consumption of large amounts of liquids to expel them through the urine.
On the other hand, this mechanism is usually accompanied by analgesics to calm the pain in the patient.
Vesicoureteral reflux
Vesicoureteral reflux occurs when urine flows from the bladder into the ureters. This is a disease that occurs most frequently in children and with the advancement of age is observed the reduction of it.
The cause of this condition is the defective valve between the ureters and the bladder, a defect that may be present before birth. However, it is also caused by blockage in the urinary system or malfunctioning of it.
Its main symptoms are: pain and burning sensation when urinating, pain in the abdomen, increased frequency in the urine, small amounts of urine and fever.
Treatment for this disease varies by source. When caused by valve failure, it is repaired with surgery. In cases where the cause is urinary tract infection, it can be effectively treated with medication.
Cystitis
Cystitis refers to inflammation of the bladder. Most occasions this is caused by a bacterial infection and is considered as a urinary tract infection.
However, there may also be an adverse reaction to medications, continued use of the catheter for the treatment of other diseases, other underlying diseases or as a result of radiotherapy.
Its main symptoms are difficulty passing urine, foul-smelling urine, abdominal pain, cloudy urine and blood in the urine.
The treatment of this disease usually consists of antibiotics to attack the bacteria that cause the infection.
However, the other causes that caused the inflammation should also be eliminated if there are any.
Bladder cancer
Bladder cancer occurs when bladder cells uncontrollably grow into a tumor.
The causes of the cancer are not clear, however, a number of factors can be mentioned that increase the risk of suffering it at some point. These include: smoking, radiation, parasitic infection and exposure to carcinogenic substances.
Its symptoms consist of: pain when urinating, back pain, pain in the pelvic region, frequent urination without urine, frequent urination and blood in the urine.
The treatment of bladder cancer is similar to that of other cancers that occur in different parts of the body.
Includes radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgeries. This sequence is determined on a case-by-case basis and there is no standard treatment applicable to all patients.
Ureteritis
Ureteritis is inflammation of the urethra, ie tubes that carry urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
Being a part of the body so exposed to external elements, the possibility of infection is greater than that of other organs of the system.
The cause of this infection is usually associated with sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea or chlamydia.
Its main symptoms are very acute pain when urinating, itching of the genitals, pain even without urination, difficulty in the onset of urination, frequent urination, blood in the urine or semen and pain in sexual relations.
The treatment of ureteritis is mainly antibiotic. However, the exact micro-organism that causes each disease is unknown, therefore a broad spectrum of antibiotics is used for treatment.
Urethral stricture
Urethral stenosis consists of the narrowing of the urethra caused by scarring within the urethra. This phenomenon blocks the passage of urine to the outside and occurs more frequently in women than in men.
This disease can be caused by infection of the urinary tract and injuries caused by pelvic fracture.
Its main symptoms are pain when urinating, reduced urine flow, retention of urine in the bladder, need for more time to urinate, feeling of never emptying the bladder and blood in the urine.
The treatment of the stenosis consists of a process of cutting and elimination through a laser. In severe cases, it is usually necessary to do a reconstruction of the affected area, while in mild cases the area heals naturally.
Uremia
Uremia consists of the accumulation of toxic substances in the blood flow as a result of the lack of a kidney that performs the function of processing and expelling the waste through the urine.
Therefore, this disease can be caused by any condition that decreases renal function. This is the case of medical conditions such as bright disease, chronic hypertension and diabetes mellitus.
On the other hand, it can also be caused by diseases that hinder the proper expulsion of urine. For example, urinary calculi or enlargement of the prostate glands can cause uremia.
The main symptoms of uremia are fatigue and loss of mental concentration. It can also present itching, muscle spasms, dry, yellowish and scaly skin. The mouth has a metallic taste and the breath has a distinctive odor.
In the more severe stages of uremia, the accumulation of waste products within the bloodstream and tissues can cause a wide range of effects.
These include edema, hypertension, seizures, heart failure and even death.
The treatment of this disease is based on the identification and elimination of the disease or the underlying cause that causes it.
In the case of patients who are waiting for a kidney transplant, it is combated through the application of dialysis.
Prostatitis
Prostatitis consists of inflammation of the prostate. There are four different types of prostatitis: acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, chronic prostatitis, and asymptomatic prostatitis.
Each of these conditions has different causes and symptoms. Acute bacterial prostatitis is caused by bacteria whereas chronic bacterial prostatitis can be caused by different infections.
Chronic prostatitis, for its part, shares many of the symptoms of acute bacterial prostatitis; however, it is not caused by bacteria.
Finally, asymptomatic prostatitis is characterized precisely because it has no symptoms and can only be detected through a blood test.
The symptoms of all prostatitis differ from each other, however there are some that are more common: pain when urinating, pain when ejaculating, back pain, rectal pain and blood in the semen are some of them.
Anhidrosis
Anhidrosis or hypohidrosis occurs when the human body can not sweat normally, therefore it can not expel its toxins normally.
When the body does not perspire, it can not regulate its temperature and this can cause a heat stroke that can eventually become deadly.
Its causes can be very diverse. These include some skin lesions, certain diseases such as diabetes or adverse reactions to some medications. For this reason it is often difficult to diagnose and identify what causes it.
Anhidrosis has symptoms such as dizziness, muscle cramps, weakness, redness, and a feeling of warmth.
On the other hand, it is necessary to take into account that the lack of transpiration can occur in isolation in a single area of the body or in a generalized way.
When anhidrosis affects only one area of the body it should not be a cause for concern. In these cases the toxins are usually evacuated through the sweat of other areas, which allows the regulation of temperature to occur almost normally.
However, when there is generalized anhidrosis, it can be life-threatening. In these cases the treatment consists of detecting and attacking the cause of the disease.
However, it is also often used to external resources to lower body temperature.
Hepatitis
The liver is an organ that plays a fundamental role in the processing of toxins within the body. For this reason, although it is not properly an excretory organ, it is considered as a key part of this system.
Hepatitis consists of inflammation of the liver that is usually caused by a viral infection.
However, on other occasions it can also be caused by congenital conditions, reactions to medications or excessive consumption of certain substances such as alcohol.
Symptoms of hepatitis include general malaise, fatigue, poor concentration, fevers up to 39 °, muscle pain, headache and digestive symptoms such as poor appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
When the disease progresses, there are symptoms that account for flaws in the processing of toxins.
For example, jaundice may occur, consisting of yellowish pigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes, as well as urine and dark stools.
References
- Mayo Clinic Staff. (S.F.). Cystitis. Retrieved from: mayoclinic.org
- Med-Health. (S.F.). Diseases of Excretory System. Recovered from: med-health.net
- The editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2015). Uremia. Recovered from: britannica.com
- Web MD. (S.F.). What is Prostatitis? Recovered from: webmd.com
- Zimmermann, A. (2016). Urinary System: Facts, Functions & Diseases. Retrieved from: livescience.com.