Glomerulonephritis (pronounced: glow-mare-you-lo-neh-fry-tiss), also called nephritis (pronounced: neh-fry-tiss), is an inflammation of the glomeruli, the kidney's filtering units. Nephritis may be caused by an infection, taking certain drugs or toxic chemicals, or by a reaction by the body's immune system that has damaged the kidneys.
When they are inflamed (swollen and irritated), the kidneys pass protein and red blood cells into the urine. Urine can turn brownish from the blood, almost the color of cola. Sometimes nephritis can cause pain in the side, back, or belly, but most of the time it doesn't.
Doctors aren't always sure what causes a person to get nephritis. Sometimes it follows a bacterial infection, such as a streptococcus (or strep) infection like strep throat. When nephritis comes on quickly as it often does following an infection, doctors refer to it as acute nephritis. Drugs are the most common cause of acute nephritis.
Most people who get nephritis get better. However, if it's not treated, the kidneys can sometimes be damaged or even stop working altogether. (Occasionally, the kidneys may stop working even if the nephritis is treated, but that's not common.)
With nephrotic syndrome, also called nephrosis (pronounced: neh-fro-siss), a person's glomeruli are damaged. Instead of filtering only wastes and excess water out of the blood to become urine, the glomeruli allow a lot of protein to come out of the blood and into the urine. Without sufficient protein in the blood, a person may develop edema (pronounced: ih-dee-muh). Edema is swelling in areas such as the feet and legs and the area around the eyes that is caused by excess fluid buildup in the tissues.
People with nephrotic syndrome may have swollen and puffy eyes, especially upon waking up. By the end of the day, their feet may be swollen and their shoes might not fit. They also will produce much less urine than usual and what urine is produced may look frothy. Other symptoms of nephrotic syndrome include feeling weak or ill and loss of appetite.
Nephrotic syndrome might develop as a part of another disease, such as lupus, or it can happen in some types of nephritis. But most of the time, doctors don't know exactly what causes it. If nephrotic syndrome is caused by another disease, the doctor will treat that disease, which may reduce the symptoms of nephrotic syndrome.
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Kidney Disease