While all UTIs require medical evaluation and treatment, a kidney infection can be quite serious and can lead to potentially severe complications. A kidney infection can share many symptoms with other types of UTIs. Symptoms common to any type of UTI can include:. There are also specific symptoms that can indicate that your infection has moved into the kidneys.
In addition to the symptoms above, a person with a kidney infection might also experience:. Your urinary tract is normally well equipped to prevent infections. The regular passage of urine helps to flush pathogens out of the urinary tract. When bacteria make their way into your urinary tract and begin to multiply, UTIs occur. This can lead to symptoms. These bacteria have often come from your gastrointestinal tract and spread from your anus into your urinary tract.
Women are more likely to develop UTIs than men. This is because the female urethra is shorter than the male urethra and closer to the anus. Bacteria have a shorter distance to travel in order to establish an infection. However, sexually transmitted infections STIs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea can also cause urethritis. If left untreated, UTIs can continue to spread upward into your kidneys. A kidney infection can lead to serious complications, including kidney damage or a life threatening condition called sepsis.
Although most kidney infections occur because another UTI has spread into a kidney, there are other possible causes. A kidney infection can also occur when a kidney stone blocks the urinary tract, which traps bacteria and leads to infection.
This can quickly become very serious and requires immediate medical attention, which may include a urological procedure to remove or break up the stone. First, the doctor will ask you about your symptoms. This information will help them differentiate between a simple UTI and a kidney infection. The doctor will diagnose a UTI by analyzing a urine sample. They can test the urine sample for the presence of substances such as bacteria, blood, or pus. Additionally, bacteria may be cultured from a urine sample.
Your doctor may also order certain blood tests to check for systemic signs of infection. These tests include a white blood cell count , blood cultures , and tests to check your levels of inflammatory markers. You may need surgery if the infection is caused by a problem with the structure of the urinary tract.
Most UTIs can be cured. Bladder infection symptoms most often go away within 24 to 48 hours after treatment begins. If you have a kidney infection, it may take 1 week or longer for symptoms to go away. Contact your provider if you have symptoms of a UTI.
Call right away if you have signs of a possible kidney infection, such as:. Diet and lifestyle changes may help prevent some UTIs. After menopause, a woman may use estrogen cream around the vagina to reduce infections. Bladder infection - adults; UTI - adults; Cystitis - bacterial - adults; Pyelonephritis - adults; Kidney infection - adults. Infections of the urinary tract. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Nicolle LE, Drekonja D.
Approach to the patient with urinary tract infection. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Sobel JD, Brown P. Urinary tract infections. Updated by: Linda J. Editorial team. Urinary tract infection - adults.
The infection can occur at different points in the urinary tract, including the: Bladder -- An infection in the bladder is also called cystitis or a bladder infection. Kidneys -- An infection of one or both kidneys is called pyelonephritis or a kidney infection. You might also need to have a blood test or imaging tests, such as an X-ray, ultrasound or CT scan. Kidney infections are treated with antibiotics. Your health care provider may tell you to take an antibiotic medicine that treats the most common types of infections, until your urine can be looked at to figure out the exact type of infection you have.
Once your urine test results are available, your health care provider might tell you to take a different type of antibiotic, depending on the type of infection you have.
If your kidney infection was caused by a problem with the shape of your urinary tract, you may need to have surgery to correct the problem and prevent future kidney infections. Donate Now. Give Monthly Give In Honor. Kidney infection - Symptoms, treatment and prevention.
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