Kidney infections also known as pyelonephritis, this occur when urinary tract infections or bladder infection spreads to affect one or both kidney.

HOW TO PREVENT KIDNEY INFECTIONS

Vivian

kidney infection s a serious medical condition that requires prompt treatment. These infections often start a urinary tract infection or a bladder infection and then spreads to affect one or both kidneys. 

While most kidney infections are easy to treat and recover from quickly, in rare cases, they can lead to serious health problems, especially if left untreated. 

Not only that, but not properly treating an infection can leave you feeling pretty uncomfortable, as symptoms like painful urination are anything but pleasant.  

A bladder infections also known as  pyelonephritis usually forms when a urinary tract infection spreads to one or both of your kidneys. 

The kidneys filter waste products from your blood and into your urine and regulate the water and electrolyte content in your blood. These are both essential health functions. 

Kidney infections are usually caused by bacteria that has entered your kidneys and bladder by way of your urinary tract. They can also be caused by bacteria from another infection elsewhere in your body, bladder or kidney surgery, or a blockage of urine flow such as by a kidney stone, tumor or enlarged prostate. 

They can be either sudden or chronic and usually quite painful. They can also be serious and life threatening if not treated appropriately. 

People assigned female at birth tend to be more susceptible to kidney infections because their urethras are shorter than those of people assigned male. This makes it easier for bacteria to enter their urinary tract, especially since it’s closer to the vagina and anus. Pregnancy increases this risk factor. 

•	being prone to urinary tract infections 

•	having problems regularly emptying your bladder completely when urinating 

Kidney infection symptoms usually appear about 2 days after initial infection and can vary between children and adults. Common symptoms among adults include: 

•	pain in your abdomen, back, groin, or side 

•	frequent urination or the sensation of needing to urinate 

In children under 2 years old, a kidney infection may only come with a high fever as a symptom. Adults over 65 may only experience mental confusion and jumbled speech as their symptoms. 

If a kidney infection isn’t treated swiftly or appropriately, symptoms can become severe and result in sepsis, which is a life threatening condition. Sepsis symptoms include: 

When to seek immediate medical attention 

UTIs are uncomfortable, but they’re not an immediate medical emergency. Some people make the mistake of assuming the same is true with a kidney infection. 

Kidney infections are serious conditions that do require medical attention. Untreated, a kidney infection can quickly cause long-term kidney damage or kidney scarring. These infections can also cause sepsis, which can lead to sepic shock. 

Because of this, a kidney infection can be fatal if it progresses. It’s important to have it treated immediately by a healthcare professional. 

Note that kidney stones, if left untreated, can also cause a blockage that can lead to infection and sepsis. This may require a procedure done with intravenous antibiotics by a urologist. 

Antibiotics are always the first line of defence against a kidney infection. If the kidney infection isn’t severe, a doctor will likely give you oral antibiotics to take once or twice a day for 4 to 12 days  

It’s important to take the entire cause of antibiotics even if you feel better within several days. Stopping early could lead to antibiotic resistance or re-infection. A doctor will also encourage you to drink plenty of water   

In some cases, kidney infections may require going to the hospital. You’ll be given fluid antibiotics intravenously through an IV, both of which can help treat the infection. 

In addition, lab work and imaging may be done to determine the severity of the infection as well as the cause, such as a blockage due to a kidney stone or anatomical abnormality. 

If you have recurring urinary tract infection  that increase your risk of frequent kidney infections, a doctor will help you establish the cause of their frequency and help you prevent further infections from occurring. 

Home remedies and treatments for kidney infections 

Some people prefer to treat medical conditions with home remedies or complementary remedies. 

 Because of how serious kidney infections are, it’s important that you don’t rely on home remedies. Instead, take the prescription antibiotics a doctor gives you and use home remedies to help ease symptoms or pain. 

You can also use home remedies to avoid UTIs and improve kidney function. 

Drinking plenty of water can help flush bacteria from the body, helping eliminate the infection faster. It can also help clear out the entire urinary system. 

Drinking plenty of water can also help prevent urinary tract infection  that can lead to kidney infections, so it’s a good practice to keep. You should aim to drink at least eight glasses of fluids daily. 

Cranberry juice has long been used as a remedy for UTIs and bladder infections. There’s some evidence that drinking cranberry juice may help or prevent UTIs in some people. 

Many people prefer the sweet flavor of cranberry juice to water. However, cranberry juices full of added sweeteners aren’t great for you. A cranberry supplement or pure cranberry juice is a better alternative to get the benefits of cranberries.   

The kidneys’ most important role is to filter out harmful substances and toxins, and both alcohol and caffeine can require extra work from the kidneys. This may hinder the process of healing from an infection. 

Alcohol and antibiotics  also shouldn’t be mixed, so avoid alcohol during your treatment for this reason as well. 

Probiotics  have two big benefits when it comes to treating kidney infections. 

The first is that they’ll help keep your body’s healthy bacteria in check, even though the antibiotics may get rid of both “good” and “bad” bacteria. 

There’s also evidence  that probiotics can aid in decreasing antibiotic-associated diarrheal in patients. 

You can find probiotics at your local grocery store, online, or through a subscription service. 

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect tissues in the body from oxidative stress, which can help promote kidney health. 

 There’s also older animal-based research from 2013 and 2011 that shows that vitamin C can prevent kidney scarring during acute kidney infection and boost the enzymes within the kidneys. 

You can take vitamin c supplements or eat food that are dense in this nutrient. 

Parsley juice is a nutrient-dense diuretic that  an increasing the frequency and amount of urination. This can help flush out the bacteria in the kidneys faster, making antibiotics even more effective. 

If you don’t like the taste of parsley outright, you can mix it into a smoothie with strong-flavoured fruits, including cranberry  or blueberry  for best results. 

Apple are also nutrient-dense. Their high acid content may help the kidneys maintain acidity in the urine, possibly inhibiting the additional growth of bacteria. 

They also have ant-inflammatory properties, which may be beneficial in helping the kidneys heal following the infection. 

Both Epsom salt and warm water can ease pain. This can help make the uncomfortable side effects of the kidney infection a little more tolerable while you wait for the antibiotics to take effect. 

Since abdominal pain is sometimes a symptom of antibiotics, as well as kidney infections, Epsom salts could also help even after symptoms from the kidney infection are resolved. 

Nonaspirin pain relievers can help relieve discomfort. Ibuprofen  (Motrin, Advil)and  acetaminophen  (Tylenol) can also help break fevers caused by the infection. 

However, note that if you have kidney dysfunction or acute kidney injury  as a result of a kidney infection, it’s important to avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve). 

While you wait for the antibiotics to kick in, you can use heat therapy to reduce pain. Apply a heating pad or a hot water bottle to the affected area, and keep it on for about 20 minutes at a time. 

Apple cider vinegar is one of the most popular home remedies, no matter what type of condition you’re trying to treat. It’s touted by some as a remedy for kidney infections, too, thanks to its antibacterial properties. 

That being said, there’s no evidence or research available that supports this usage. 

Baking soda  is sometimes used as a home remedy for kidney infections, with some believing that it can help detoxify the kidneys by helping them filter better. There’s no evidence to support this, either. 

On the contrary, it may even be dangerous to attempt to use baking soda for this purpose. One 2013 study found that misuse of baking soda actually led to hospital admission for some people for electrolyte imbalances, respiratory depression, or metabolic alkalosis. 

How to reduce your risk of kidney infections 

Anyone can get a kidney infection. However, since UTIs can turn into kidney infections, you can lower your risk of kidney infection by lowering your risk of a UTI. 

Tips for reducing your risk in urinary tract infection  include: 

•	staying away from scented bath products, douches, and pads or tampons if you have a vagina 

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