Bright's Disease

Definition

Definition of Bright's Disease
Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. The term is no longer used, as diseases are now classified according to their more fully understood causes.

It is typically denoted by the presence of serum albumin (blood plasma protein) in the urine, and frequently accompanied by edema and hypertension.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Bright's Disease
Those symptoms most commonly associated with Bright's Disease were intense pain on either or both sides of the lower back. Fever might be present and intense edema, or retention of fluids, might cause the extremities to appear extremely swollen. Breath could be labored and difficult, particularly if kidney failure caused fluid to accumulate in the lungs, or was caused by metastasized cancer.

Causes

Causes of Bright's Disease
This condition is most often caused by bilateral kidney stones. The fact that these stones appear may be evidence of some underlying kidney problem. The stones are made from a type of salt and nutritional deficiencies may be one of the reasons they appear – in particular lack of vitamin D (more). It is also believed that certain foods increase the likelihood of these stones forming. When these stones form in the kidney they can cause a lot of mischief. They increase pressure in the organ and can interfere with the normal flow of urine. Anything that makes it hard for the body to eliminate waste products is dangerous.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Bright's Disease
Analysis of urine in diagnosing Bright's Disease might show extremely cloudy, dark or bloody urine. Those affected might also find eating difficult, or might have periods of nausea or vomiting. All of the symptoms meant a very serious disease, which was usually not treatable, particularly in the 19th century.

Treatment

Treatment of Bright's Disease
Acute Bright's disease was treated with local depletion (bleeding or blood-letting to reduce blood pressure), warm baths, diuretics, and laxatives. The disease was diagnosed often in diabetic patients. There was no successful treatment for chronic Bright's disease, though dietary modifications were sometimes suggested. See Hay diet, named after William Howard Hay MD, who suffered from the illness and supposedly cured himself after accepted medical methods of the early 1900s failed to do so. The diet involves promoting alkali and acid balance through consuming various foods and beverages, thereby lowering the kidney's involvement with blood pH balancing. Successful treatment for type II diabetes would reverse elevated glucose and insulin insensitivity problems throughout the body, especially in nerves and kidneys.

Prognosis

Prognosis of Bright's Disease
Consult with your doctor.

Prevention

Prevention of Bright's Disease
Consult with your doctor.