Glomerulonephritis (GN) is inflammation of the glomeruli, which are knots of tiny blood vessels in your kidneys. GN can cause your kidneys to stop working properly. Treatment depends on the type of GN and the cause.

The glomeruli help filter your blood and remove excess fluids. Sometimes called nephritis, GN is a serious illness that can lead to kidney failure. This can be life threatening and requires immediate treatment.

GN can be acute (sudden-onset) or chronic (long-term). Doctors used to refer to the condition as Bright’s disease. Read on to learn what causes GN, how doctors diagnose it, and the treatment options.

GN is a kidney disease in which the kidneys’ blood filters, called the glomeruli, become damaged and scarred. GN can occur when your immune system starts attacking healthy tissue.

There are two main groups of glomerular disease, one of which is GN. The other group is glomerulosclerosis, which is when the blood vessels harden and scar, damaging the glomeruli.

GN can be mild or more severe. A doctor will explain a person’s outlook once they have diagnosed GN.

The causes of GN depend on whether it’s acute or chronic:

Acute GN

Acute GN can occur if your immune system overreacts to an infection such as strep throat or an abscessed tooth.

This form of GN can resolve without treatment. If it doesn’t, prompt treatment is necessary to prevent long-term damage to the kidneys.

Certain illnesses can trigger acute GN. These illnesses include:

Excessive use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve), may also be a risk factor.

It’s important to avoid exceeding the recommended dosage and duration of treatment with these medications without seeking advice from your doctor.

Chronic GN

The chronic form of GN can develop over several years with no or very few symptoms. This can cause irreversible damage to your kidneys and ultimately lead to complete kidney failure.

Chronic GN doesn’t always have a clear cause. A genetic disease called Alport syndrome can sometimes cause chronic GN. Other possible causes include:

Having the acute form of GN may also mean you’re more likely to develop chronic GN later in life.

Symptoms you may experience depend on what form of GN you have and how severe it is. They can include the following:

Acute GN

Early symptoms of acute GN include:

Chronic GN

The chronic form of GN can occur without any symptoms, or there may be slow development of symptoms similar to the acute form. Some symptoms include:

  • blood or excess protein in your urine, which may be microscopic and show up in urine tests
  • high blood pressure
  • swelling in your ankles and face
  • frequent nighttime urination
  • bubbly or foamy urine from excess protein
  • abdominal pain
  • frequent nosebleeds

Kidney failure

GN may be so advanced that kidney failure develops. Some symptoms of this include:

The first step in diagnosis is a urinalysis test. Blood and protein in urine are important markers. A routine physical exam for another condition can also lead to the discovery of GN.

More urine testing may be necessary to check for important signs of kidney health, including:

Blood tests may show:

  • anemia, which is a low level of red blood cells
  • abnormal albumin levels
  • abnormal blood urea nitrogen
  • high creatinine levels

Your doctor may also order immunology testing to check for:

Results of this testing may show that your immune system is damaging your kidneys.

A biopsy of your kidneys may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. This involves analyzing a small sample of kidney tissue that a healthcare professional takes with a needle.

To learn more, doctors may also request imaging tests such as the following:

Treatment options depend on the type of GN you’re experiencing and its cause.

One treatment is to manage high blood pressure, especially if that’s the underlying cause of the GN. Blood pressure may be very hard to manage when your kidneys aren’t working properly. If this is the case, your doctor may prescribe blood pressure medications, including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as:

Your doctor may also prescribe angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), such as:

  • losartan (Cozaar)
  • irbesartan (Avapro)
  • valsartan (Diovan)

Corticosteroids may also help if your immune system is attacking your kidneys, as these medications reduce the immune response.

Another method to reduce immune-triggered inflammation is plasmapheresis. This process involves removing the fluid part of your blood, called plasma, and replacing it with intravenous fluids or donated plasma that contains no antibodies.

For chronic GN, you may need to reduce the amount of protein, salt, and potassium in your diet and watch how much liquid you drink.

A doctor may recommend calcium supplements, and you may need to take diuretics to reduce swelling. Check with your general practitioner or kidney specialist for guidelines about diet restrictions or supplements. They may put you in contact with a renal dietitian to offer further advice.

If GN becomes advanced and you develop kidney failure, you may need to have dialysis. In this procedure, a machine filters your blood. Eventually, you may need a kidney transplant.

GN can lead to nephrotic syndrome, which causes you to lose large amounts of protein in your urine, leading to a lot of fluid and salt retention in your body. As a result, you can develop high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and swelling throughout your body.

Corticosteroids can treat this condition. Without effective treatment, nephrotic syndrome can lead to end stage renal disease.

The following conditions can also occur due to GN:

If caught early, acute GN can be temporary and reversible. Doctors may slow chronic GN with early treatment. If GN worsens, it will likely lead to reduced kidney function, chronic kidney failure, and end stage renal disease.

Severe kidney damage, kidney failure, and end stage renal disease may eventually require dialysis and a kidney transplant.

The following steps can help with GN recovery and preventing future episodes:

  • maintaining a healthy weight for your body type
  • quitting smoking, if applicable
  • restricting the following in your diet:
    • salt
    • protein
    • potassium

Participating in a support group may help with managing emotional stress you might experience if you have a kidney disease.

Glomerulonephritis (GN) is a kidney disease that can be acute or chronic. The acute form might occur due to your immune system overreacting to an infection. Chronic GN can be due to genetics, an immune condition, a history of cancer, or exposure to some hydrocarbon solvents.

You might not always have symptoms of GN. Doctors typically diagnose it during a routine urine test for other conditions.

If you have symptoms, it’s important to speak with your doctor and get a test for GN. Symptoms of acute GN include urinating less frequently, swelling in your face, or extra fluid in your lungs. Chronic GN could lead to blood or extra protein in your urine, swelling in your ankles or face, or even abdominal pain.

The cause of GN will determine the treatment. One treatment method is to manage high blood pressure. Another type of treatment is to lower immune-triggered inflammation. Reducing the amount of salt, protein, and potassium in your diet might be necessary.

GN that is advanced or untreated can lead to kidney failure. Other complications can include chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure, or congestive heart failure. Lifestyle factors and treatment can help with managing GN symptoms.