How Is It Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history. You may have lab tests of your urine and discharge from the urethra and prostate gland.
For serious or repeated infections, you may need:
- An intravenous pyelogram . An IVP is a special type of X-ray of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder.
- An ultrasound scan to look at the urinary tract.
- A cystoscopy. This is an exam of the inside of the urethra and bladder with a small lighted instrument. It is usually done by a specialist called a urologist.
How To Prevent Utis
While some people are more likely to get UTIs than others because of their anatomy, there are things everyone can do to prevent UTIs.
Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. This will help flush your urinary tract, stopping bacteria from building up.
Always go to the toilet when you feel the need to urinate dont hold on. When it comes to timing, nature knows best!
After going to the toilet to poo or urinate, women and girls should wipe from front to back to make sure no bacteria are pushed from their anus towards their urethra.
Always urinate after having sex to flush out any bacteria that might have been pushed into the urethra. This goes for men and women.
Wear cotton underwear rather than silk, nylon or spandex, and avoid wearing tight fitting clothes that dont allow your downtown to breathe. Bacteria thrive in warm, moist areas, so wear loose-fitting cotton clothing to avoid setting up their ideal environment.
Only use mild soaps on your genitals. Fragrance-free soaps are best, and should be washed off immediately. Women you do not need to wash your vagina and you should never add artificial scents to this area.
Looking after yourself by eating a healthy diet, doing plenty of physical activity and getting good quality sleep will help your immune system stay strong and keep bacteria in check.
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.
See diagnosing kidney infections for more information
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Fluid And Electrolyte Replacement Is A Must
The main goal for the treatment of severe acute gastroenteritis is to manage the etiology. Since the patient presents with a possible enterotoxin-producing pathogen, addressing the specific bacteria will halt production of toxin and help decrease the time needed to recover. Common laboratory tests requested may include blood analysis of serum electrolytes and fasting blood sugar levels and stool analysis to identify the pathogen.
Homemade oral replacement therapy or clinical intervention with fluids are commonly done. Continuous assessment and monitoring of fluid levels are necessary until the patient is fully recovered. For any interested readers, the total fluid replacement can be calculated using a formula.
Formula to calculate the fluid deficit or amount of fluid replacement needed.
If the patients body weight and serum sodium are known, we can calculate the possible fluid deficit that needs to be replenished. Again, kindly refer to the Mr. Q’s case study for further discussion of the diagnostics and treatment protocol for electrolyte imbalance.
Quiz Time How Much Can You Remember
For each question, choose the best answer. The answer key is below.
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Symptoms In Children And Elderly People
While the typical range of symptoms for a kidney infection applies to most adults, older adults and young children may have different symptoms.
If youre over age 65, you may experience none of the typical symptoms of a kidney infection summarized above. Instead, you may only experience problems with your thinking, such as:
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Difficulty speaking
Children under 2 years old with a kidney infection may only have a high fever.
Caregivers of very old and very young individuals should know to seek help when these signs or symptoms occur.
How To Prevent A Kidney Infection
Preventing a kidney infection is really all about preventing urinary tract infections and getting prompt treatment if you ever get one. Sorry, but dont rely on cranberry juice or supplements for thisthe science is far too mixed to consider either of these a definitive UTI-prevention method. Instead, whenever you feel a bladder infection coming on, make it a habit to drink enough water every day to stay hydrated. That will ensure youre peeing often enough to help flush out bacteria that could lead to an infection. The NIDDK recommends peeing as often as you get the urge, but definitely at least every three to four hours, since urine hanging out in your bladder for too long may help bacteria to grow, the organization says.
Kaufman also stresses the importance of urinating like a fire hose after sex. It might even be helpful to skip peeing before sex as long as that doesnt make you uncomfortable, he says. This allows you to build up a forceful stream that may better help remove any bacteria that might have been pushed up there during sex.
Also, we referenced this above, but its important to reiterate: After you pee , you should be sure to wipe from front to back, as wiping back to front can spread harmful bacteria from your rectum to your urethra, where it can cause an infection.
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Diarrhea In Urinary Tract Infections
The urinary tract impinges directly on the digestive tract particularly where the bladder is in contact with the lower parts of the colon and rectum. Thus, an inflammatory process in the bladder will directly affect these structures. Theories include the heat resulting from the inflammatory process increasing motility in the intestines at points of contact or mediators of inflammation released in the urinary tract finding their way through locally shared blood pools to the digestive tract. The effect in either case will be increased secretions and motility in the intestines, leading to diarrhea.
The systemic upset seen in kidney involvement leads to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. This is on a much larger scale as the entire blood stream has to go through the kidneys for filtration.
- The urinary tract impinges directly on the digestive tract particularly where the bladder is in contact with the lower parts of the colon and rectum.
- Thus, an inflammatory process in the bladder will directly affect these structures.
Bloating Or Fullness Distended Stomach Frequent Urge To Urinate And Frequent Urination
- Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Reviewed on 10/9/2020
Many different conditions can cause the symptoms of bloating, distended stomach, and urinary symptoms. Some conditions like diabetes can increase the risk for infection, which can cause these symptoms. Other common causes can include gastrointestinal conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, or giardiasis. Talk to you doctor about any concerning symptoms to help determine the cause.
While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:
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Food Tastes Like Metal
Why this happens:
A build-up of wastes in the blood can make food taste different and cause bad breath. You may also notice that you stop liking to eat meat, or that you are losing weight because you just dont feel like eating.
What patients said:
Foul taste in your mouth. Almost like youre drinking iron.
I dont have the appetite I had before I started dialysis, I must have lost about 10 pounds.
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Holding In Your Urine
If you have to go, go! Holding our urine for 6 hours or more may make UTIs more common, as bacteria that does get into the bladder has lots of time to overgrow between voids, Dr. Hawes says. While traveling, for example, it may seem like a good idea to hold tight and keep driving until the next rest area, but do yourself a favor and stopthe extra miles arent worth the risk of a UTI.
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The Unexpected Case Of Mrs A
Let us meet Mrs. A, a 58-year-old lady who went for consult because of several episodes of relentless diarrhea and vomiting for four days. She reported that she ate Chinese food the day before she developed the symptoms. She thought that the condition would spontaneously resolve itself, so she did not immediately seek for medical advise. Her appetite started to diminish, and recently, she was unable to go to work. At this point, she was already generally feeling weak. A physical examination was done, and the pertinent medical tests were requested.
For most of us, Mrs. A’s case may not be considered an uncommon occurrence. In the past, we may have unknowingly eaten spoiled food and suffered from an upset stomach. As we examine this case further, we’ll find how this seemingly common infection caused an unusual complication, and as such, should not have been brushed off so easily.
In order to specify how we ended up with an impression of a simple gastroenteritis, we should first consider other types of diseases from other body systems. From there, we can analyze and safely rule them out as less likely causes.
Summary of body systems and disease classifications that manifest symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.
| Body System Involvement |
|---|
|
Uremia, Diabetic Gastropathy |
Do I Need To See A Doctor
Yes. Painful urination can be a symptom of a more serious problem. You should tell your doctor about your symptoms and how long youve had them. Tell your doctor about any medical conditions you have, such as diabetes mellitus or AIDS, because these could affect your bodys response to infection. Tell your doctor about any known abnormality in your urinary tract, and if you are or might be pregnant. Tell your doctor if youve had any procedures or surgeries on your urinary tract. He or she also need to know if you were recently hospitalized or stayed in a nursing home.
If your doctor thinks your pain may be from vaginal inflammation, he or she may wipe the lining of your vagina with a swab to collect mucus. The mucus will be looked at under a microscope to see if it has yeast or other organisms. If your pain is from an infection in your urethra , your doctor may swab it to test for bacteria. If an infection cant be found, your doctor may suggest other tests.
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How Are Acute Kidney Infections Treated
Children are typically given oral antibiotics to take at home. However, if the infection is advanced, a child may receive intravenous antibiotics in the hospital. Staying well hydrated is an extremely important part of treatment, and children should drink plenty of fluids during and after treatment. There is evidence that good hydration during recovery may help reduce long-term kidney damage.
Focus On The Main Symptoms: Diarrhea And Vomiting
Mrs. A’s initial complaint consisted of two primary symptoms: diarrhea, and vomiting. Using these symptoms, possible causes from different body systems were considered. Essentially, the primary consideration focuses on the gastrointestinal system due to the epidemiology and the coincidence of both diarrhea and vomiting as common symptoms under this banner. The second consideration includes metabolic derangements that may present with alterations in chemical balance that can also lead to said symptoms.
Diarrheal Diseases in Perspective
According to the World Health Organization and UNICEF, there are about two billion cases of diarrheal disease worldwide every year, and 1.9 million children younger than 5 years of age perish from diarrhea each year, mostly in developing countries.
World Gastroenterology Organisation, 2012
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Diarrhea And Kidney Failure
Diarrhea is one gastrointestinal tract symptom of kidney failure. Excessive accumulation of creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and other wastes in the patients body can cause many sick feeling such as fatigue, nausea, poor appetite. If left untreated, patients can develop serious vomiting, indigestion, diarrhea, low blood volume or even rapid decline of kidney functions.
Diarrhea can cause or worsen kidney failure. There have been many reports about renal failure after serious diarrhea. Diarrhea can be caused by food poisons and it can cause many complications if left untreated. Many organs can be involved and renal failure is one relatively severe complication.
Why diarrhea causes renal failure? Not all diarrhea will cause renal damages or renal failure. Here we refer to very serious diarrhea. In case of diarrhea, the whole bodys effective blood volume will experience sharp decline. Blood flow to the kidneys will be suddenly reduced and cause hypoperfusion in the kidneys. Unclean foods can cause gastrointestinal tract infections which can cause renal damages too. Besides, diarrhea can cause dehydration, electrolyte disorders, malnutrition and disturbed internal environment. As a result, kidneys will be impaired and kidney functions will be lost and kidney failure will occur.
Diarrhea Frequent Urge To Urinate Frequent Urination And Pain Or Discomfort
- Medical Author: Dan Brennan, MD
Reviewed on 6/15/2020
These symptoms are present in a wide variety of medical conditions, including urinary tract infections, food poisoning, and irritable bowel syndrome. Keep track of how you are feeling. Your doctor may need to run a test on a urine sample to make a diagnosis. If you are concerned about your symptoms, then you should contact your doctor right away.
While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:
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When To See A Doctor
If you have signs of a kidney infection, you should see a doctor right away. Again, a kidney infection is seriousit can sometimes lead to a dangerous, life-threatening health condition called , the NIDDK says. Even if your infection doesnt progress to that, a kidney infection can become chronic, i.e., long-lasting, and can cause permanent damage to your kidneys, the NIDDK says. Kaufman recommends heading to your local urgent care facility or emergency room if you have signs of a kidney infection.
Urinary Tract Infection Treatment
If you are a healthy adult man or a woman who is not pregnant, a few days of antibiotic pills will usually cure your urinary tract infection. If you are pregnant, your doctor will prescribe a medicine that is safe for you and the baby. Usually, symptoms of the infection go away 1 to 2 days after you start taking the medicine. Its important that you follow your doctors instructions for taking the medicine, even if you start to feel better. Skipping pills could make the treatment less effective.
Your doctor may also suggest a medicine to numb your urinary tract and make you feel better while the antibiotic starts to work. The medicine makes your urine turn bright orange, so dont be alarmed by the color when you urinate.
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Drink Plenty Of Liquids
Drinking plenty of liquids, particularly water, will help to wash bacteria from your bladder and urinary tract.
Drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry extracts may also help prevent urinary tract infections . However, you should avoid cranberry juice or extracts if you’re taking warfarin, a medicine used to prevent blood clots. Cranberry juice can make the effects of warfarin more potent, so there’s a risk of excessive bleeding.
Causes Of Urinary Tract Infections
Most urinary tract infections are caused by bacteria that live in the digestive system.
If these bacteria get into the urethra , they can cause infection. It’s thought the bacteria can spread from the skin around the anus to the urethra.
Women are more likely to develop a UTI than men. This is because a woman’s urethra is located closer to the anus than a man’s, which makes it easier for bacteria from the anus to reach the urethra.
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What Is A Urinary Tract Infection
UTIs are common infections that happen when bacteria, often from the skin or rectum, enter the urethra, and infect the urinary tract. The infections can affect several parts of the urinary tract, but the most common type is a bladder infection .
Kidney infection is another type of UTI. Theyre less common, but more serious than bladder infections.
Signs And Symptoms Of A Kidney Stone With Diarrhea
Kidney stones have a range of symptoms, including diarrhea, as the kidney stone begins to pass from the kidney into the bladder and out through the urethra 1. However, diarrhea and other symptoms relating to kidney stones are not necessarily specific to kidney stones 1. Always consult a doctor for a diagnosis.
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