31/08/2024
Symptoms of kidney infections
The symptoms of a kidney infection usually develop quite quickly over a few hours or days.
Common symptoms include:
pain and discomfort in your side, lower back or around your ge****ls
high temperature (it may reach 39.5C or 103.1F)
shivering or chills
feeling very weak or tired
loss of appetite
feeling sick or being sick
diarrhoea
You may have other symptoms if you also have cystitis or urethritis (an infection of the urethra). These additional symptoms may include:
pain or a burning sensation during urination
need to urinate frequently or urgently
feeling that you're unable to urinate fully
blood in your urine
cloudy or foul smelling urine
pain in your lower abdomen
Children
Children with a kidney infection may also have additional symptoms, such as:
a lack of energy
irritability
poor feeding and/or vomiting
not growing at the expected rate
abdominal pain
jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)
blood in the urine
unpleasant smelling urine
bedwetting
When to seek medical advice
Contact your GP if you have a high temperature, persistent pain, or if you notice a change to your usual pattern of urination. Contact your GP immediately if you think your child may have a kidney infection.
If you have blood in your urine, you should always see your GP so the cause can be investigated.
Kidney infections require prompt treatment with antibiotics to help relieve symptoms and prevent complications developing.
Your GP can carry out some simple tests to help diagnose a kidney infection.
Causes of kidney infections
A kidney infection happens when bacteria infects your kidneys. The bacteria are usually a type called E. coli, which live in your bowel.
The bacteria get in through the opening of the urethra and move upwards through your urinary tract, first infecting your bladder and then your kidneys.
It's thought the bacteria can get into your urinary tract by accidentally spreading from your a**s to your urethra. This can happen if you wipe your bottom after going to the toilet and the soiled toilet paper comes into contact with your ge****ls. It can also happen during s*x.
In rare cases, a kidney infection can develop if bacteria or fungi infect the skin and the infection spreads through your bloodstream into your kidney. However, this type of infection usually only occurs in people with weakened immune systems.
Who's most likely to get a kidney infection?
Women and children are most at risk of developing a kidney infection, as well as other urinary tract infections (UTIs) such as cystitis.
In women, the urethra is closer to the a**s than in men, making it easier for bacteria from the a**s to enter the urethra accidentally. The female urethra is also much shorter than the male urethra (which runs through the p***s). This makes it easier for bacteria to reach the bladder and move into the kidneys.
Other factors can also put you more at risk of developing a kidney infection, including:
having a condition that blocks, or obstructs, your urinary tract, such as kidney stones or an enlarged prostate – children with constipation can also be at an increased risk
being born with an abnormality in your urinary tract
having a condition that prevents you emptying your bladder fully, such as an injury to your spinal cord – this can allow bacteria in your bladder to multiply and spread
having a weakened immune system – for example, due to type 2 diabetes or as a side effect of chemotherapy
having an infection of the prostate gland called prostatitis – the infection can spread from the prostate gland into the kidneys
having a urinary catheter (a thin, flexible tube inserted into your bladder to drain away urine)
being female and s*xually active – s*xual in*******se can irritate the urethra and allow bacteria to travel into your bladder
being a man who has a**l s*x – bacteria can travel up the urethra into the bladder
being pregnant – this can cause physical changes that slow the flow of urine out of your body and make it easier for bacteria to spread to the kidneys
having undergone female ge***al mutilation (FGM) – an illegal practice where a woman's ge****ls are deliberately cut or changed for cultural, religious and social reasons
Diagnosing kidney infections
To work out if you have a kidney infection, your GP will ask you about your symptoms and your recent medical history.
They will usually also assess your general health by taking your temperature and measuring your blood pressure.
Urine test
A urine test can help to establish whether you have a urinary tract infection (UTI). The test involves taking a small sample of urine and checking it to see if there are any bacteria in it.
You'll be given a container and told how to collect the urine, which you can do in the surgery or at home. If you do it at home, you'll need to label the container, seal it in a plastic bag and store it in the fridge. Ideally, hand it in to the surgery within four hours.
A urine test can't tell whether the infection – if you have one – is in your kidneys or another part of your urinary system, such as your bladder.
For your GP to be confident you have a kidney infection, you need to have a positive urine test plus certain symptoms, such as a fever or a pain in your side.
Hospital scans
You may be referred to hospital for further testing if:
your symptoms fail to respond to treatment with antibiotics
your symptoms suddenly get worse
you have additional symptoms that aren't usually associated with a kidney infection
you're at risk of complications of a kidney infection
Children with recurrent UTIs will also be referred to hospital for further testing.
In these circumstances, scans can check your urinary tract for signs of problems. This may include:
a computer tomography (CT) scan – where a scanner takes a series of X-rays and a computer is used to assemble them into a detailed image of your urinary tract
an ultrasound scan – which uses sound waves to build an image of the inside of your body
an isotope scan – where a dye is injected into the bloodstream and a series of X-rays are taken
Treating kidney infections
Most people with a kidney infection can be treated at home with a course of antibiotics, and possibly painkillers as well.
See your GP if you have a fever and persistent tummy, lower back or ge***al pain, or if you notice a change to your usual pattern of urination.
All children with symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) or kidney infection, including cystitis, should see their GP or out-of-hours emergency service.
Medication
Antibiotics
If you're being treated at home, you'll usually be prescribed a course of antibiotic tablets or capsules that lasts between seven and 14 days.
For most people – apart from pregnant women – antibiotics called ciprofloxacin or Co-amoxiclav are recommended. However, other antibiotics may also be used.
Common side effects of ciprofloxacin include feeling sick and diarrhoea.
Co-amoxiclav can make the contraceptive pill and contraceptive patches less effective, so you may need to use another form of contraception during the course of treatment.
A 14-day course of an antibiotic called cefalexin is recommended for pregnant women.
Usually, you'll start to feel better quite soon after treatment starts and you should feel completely better after about two weeks.
If your symptoms show no sign of improvement 24 hours after treatment starts, contact your GP for advice.
Painkillers
Taking a painkiller such as paracetamol should help relieve symptoms of pain and a high temperature.
However, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen aren't usually recommended to relieve pain during a kidney infection. This is because they may increase the risk of further kidney problems.
Self-help tips
If you have a kidney infection, try not to "hover" over the toilet seat when you go to the loo, because it can result in your bladder not being fully emptied.
It's also important to drink plenty of fluids, because this will help prevent dehydration and will help to flush out the bacteria from your kidneys. Aim to drink enough so that you're frequently passing pale-coloured urine.
Make sure that you get plenty of rest. A kidney infection can be physically draining, even if you're normally healthy and strong. It may take up to two weeks before you're fit enough to return to work.
Treatment at hospital
Your GP may refer you to hospital if you have an underlying problem with your urinary tract, which makes you vulnerable to kidney infections.
It's standard practice to further investigate all men with a kidney infection simply because the condition is much rarer in men. Only women who have had two or more kidney infections tend to be referred. Most children with a kidney infection will be treated in hospital.
Hospital treatment may also be needed if:
you're severely dehydrated
you're unable to swallow or keep down any fluids or medications
you have additional symptoms that suggest you may have blood poisoning, such as a rapid heartbeat and losing consciousness
you're pregnant and you also have a high temperature
you're particularly frail and your general health is poor
your symptoms fail to improve within 24 hours of starting treatment with antibiotics
you have a weakened immune system
you have a foreign body inside your urinary tract, such as a kidney stone or a urinary catheter
you have diabetes
you're over the age of 65
you have an underlying condition that affects the way your kidneys work, such as polycystic kidney disease or chronic kidney disease
If you're admitted to hospital with a kidney infection, you'll probably be attached to a drip so you can be given fluids to help keep you hydrated. Antibiotics can also be given through the drip.
You'll have regular blood and urine tests to monitor your health and how effectively the antibiotics are fighting off the infection.
Most people respond well to treatment. As long as there are no complications, they're usually well enough to leave hospital within three to seven days. Treatment will usually switch to tablets or capsules after you stop receiving antibiotics through a drip.
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