Causes of Swollen Kidneys and How to Overcome Them

Basically, the kidneys work by filtering waste products and toxins from the blood, then throwing them away with the rest of the body fluids in the form of urine. Urine will flow through the ureters to the bladder which is then stored until you urinate.

However, this process can be disrupted if there is a blockage in the ureteral canal. This blockage is what makes urine unable to get out or even back up to the kidneys. As a result, the kidneys become filled with urine and eventually experience swelling.

Swollen Kidney Symptoms

Swollen kidneys can usually occur in one kidney or even both kidneys. This swollen kidney condition does not only occur in adults, but also in infants. In babies, this condition can even be seen from before the baby is born through an ultrasound examination.

Swollen kidneys do not always show any symptoms. When they do appear, symptoms can progress rapidly over hours, weeks, or months.

Symptoms that may appear in sufferers of hydronephrosis include:

• Increased urge to urinate and frequent urination
• Urine cannot be excreted completely
• Weak urine flow
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever
• Pain in the back, pelvis, or stomach
• Pain when urinating
• There is blood in the urine

Causes of Swollen Kidneys

The causes of swollen kidneys can be different for each person and age. Following are some of the causes of swollen kidneys which are divided based on the patient's age:

1. In adults

Swollen kidneys that occur in adults are generally caused by:

• Kidney stone disease, in which the stones that form in the kidneys can flow with the urine and block the ureters
• Benign prostatic enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia/BPH)
• Ureteric narrowing
• Infection or cancer in the urinary system
• Pregnancy
• Blood clots in the kidneys or ureters
• Damage to the nerves that control the bladder

2. In infants

Swollen kidneys that occur in unborn babies are still not known with certainty the cause. However, it is suspected that in late pregnancy, the baby produces more urine which causes the kidneys to swell.

Apart from that, swollen kidneys in babies can also be caused by:

• Blockage or narrowing of the urinary tract.
• Vesicoureteral reflux, which is a condition in which the valve that controls the flow of urine from the ureter to the bladder doesn't work. This condition can also cause urine to flow back into the kidneys.

How to Overcome Swollen Kidneys

Treatment for swollen kidneys generally varies from person to person, depending on age, severity, and the cause of swollen kidneys.

To determine the cause of swollen kidneys, a physical examination by a doctor and support is needed, such as urine analysis, blood tests to assess kidney function, ultrasound of the kidneys, or a special X-ray of the urinary tract called cystourethrography.

Adults with severely swollen kidneys are often advised to undergo urinary catheterization as initial treatment. This procedure is done to remove urine in the kidneys, prevent further kidney damage, and reduce pain that occurs due to swelling of the kidneys.

2. in adults

After the urinary catheterization procedure is performed, the doctor will address the causes of swollen kidneys based on the cause, such as:

• Inserting a small tube (stent) in a patient who has a narrowed ureter
• Performing stone removal surgery in patients with kidney stone disease
• Perform prostate removal surgery in patients with prostate enlargement
• Providing radiotherapy or chemotherapy treatment to patients with cancer in the urinary tract
• Give antibiotics to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections due to urine that is difficult to pass

Swollen kidneys that occur due to pregnancy usually do not require special treatment, because this condition will improve within a few weeks after delivery.

2. In infants

Swollen kidneys in babies will usually improve as the baby gets older. However, swollen kidneys in infants still need to get a complete examination and periodic monitoring from a doctor.

Administering antibiotics and surgery can be an option if the swollen kidneys in the baby do not improve or are caused by congenital abnormalities in the urinary tract.

Swollen kidney is a condition that is dangerous for the health of the body. Therefore, take care of your kidneys by living a healthy lifestyle, maintaining blood pressure within normal limits, stopping smoking, avoiding consuming alcoholic beverages, fulfilling fluid intake, eating healthy foods, and maintaining an ideal body weight.

If you experience symptoms associated with kidney disease, see your doctor immediately.

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