Can You Treat A Kidney Infection At Home

How Can You Prevent A Kidney Infection

Kidney Disease: 8 Home Remedies for Kidney Infection without Antibiotics

A kidney infection generally results due to the advancement of preexisting bacteria from the lower urinary tract up to the kidneys. Thus, the ideal way to stave off the threat of kidney infections is by not having bacteria in the urethra or bladder.

The following preventive steps can help in this regard:

Keep your body sufficiently hydrated by drinking plenty of water. The higher your water intake, the higher your chances of flushing out bacteria from the urethra while passing urine.
Holding off on the need to urinate is a complete no-no. Find a toilet to answer the call of nature as soon as you feel the urge. Develop a habit of going to the bathroom every 4â6 hours to urinate.
Emptying your bladder after having sexual intercourse can help eliminate any bacteria festering in the urethra. It is also recommended to wash the genitals before and after sex.
It is recommended to wipe the genitals from front to back after passing stools or urine, to reduce the risk of spreading bacteria to the urethra.
Eat plenty of fiber so that stools come out easily and do not irritate or cause skin lesions. Constipation increases the risk of developing a kidney infection.
Refrain from using feminine products that can irritate the urethra, such as deodorant sprays and douches.

Try Taking A Probiotic

Introducing a probiotic to your system may help to replenish the naturally occurring, healthy bacteria that live in the gut. It is thought that probiotics may prevent harmful bacteria from attaching to the urinary tract cells, and may also lower the urine Ph, making it less hospitable to harmful bacteria. And, if you have taken an antibiotic to treat a UTI, taking a probiotic is a great way to build up the healthy bacteria that may have been killed during your course of treatment. Probiotics are found in supplement form , or they occur naturally in some types of food, including certain yogurts, kombucha, or kefir.

What Are The Causes Of Kidney Infection

A kidney infection is caused by bacteria, often E. coli. They get into your urethra and move up to your bladder and ureter and then into your kidneys. Often you will have a urinary tract infection or cystitis at the same time or before you have a kidney infection. However, you can develop a kidney infection without a UTI or cystitis if you have kidney stones, diabetes or a weakened immune system.

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Avoid Bladder Irritating Foods When You Have A Uti

Certain foods are known bladder irritants – citrus or very acidic foods, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, alcohol – these can all irritate the bladder, leading to bladder leaks. And, if you currently have a UTI, they may affect you even more. Try to watch out for these common bladder irritants to prevent further irritation to your bladder and UTI.

How To Get Rid Of A Kidney Infection: Can Natural Remedies Help

This article was co-authored by Zora Degrandpre, ND. Dr. Degrandpre is a Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is also a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007. This article has been viewed 46,736 times.

A kidney infection is a type of urinary tract infection that settles in one or both kidneys. It usually starts in the urethra or bladder and works its way up into the kidneys. This sounds scary, but fortunately, these infections are easy to treat with antibiotics and should clear up without any lasting problems. However, they definitely require medical treatment. Some natural remedies can prevent the infection from getting worse and complement the treatment youre receiving, but they wont cure the infection on their own. Together, medication and lifestyle treatments can heal your infection in no time.

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How To Treat Kidney Infection Naturally At Home 15 Tips

The kidney is the important organ in our body, which helps your body flush out the toxin and waste product from your body through urine. Moreover, it also does other functions such as regulating other parts of your body, maintaining the acidity, producing urine, filtering the blood. However, sometimes the kidney is infected and cannot function well and properly. If kidney infection is not treated soon, it can lead to kidney failure and some other life-threatening problems. In this article, it is time for me to introduce to you some effective home remedies and natural techniques on how to treat kidney infection naturally at home.

Effective Home Remedies For Kidney Infection

A kidney infection is a bacterial infection that occurs in one or both of your kidneys. Also known as pyelonephritis or renal infection, it starts as a bladder infection or urinary tract infection that eventually affects your kidneys.

Kidney infection happens when a bacteria called Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli, attacks the lower part of your urinary tract and then spreads to the upper section.

This is a serious medical condition and requires immediate treatment. Some home remedies for kidney infection may also help reduce the symptoms.

Remember, these natural remedies are complementary treatments that may help you to get rid of the pain and discomfort. You need to seek medical attention if the condition becomes severe.

This article looks into some natural home remedies that may help soothe the symptoms of kidney infection.

What Does Chronic Pyelonephritis Entail

As far as chronic pyelonephritis is concerned, the outlook of this condition tends to vary from patient to patient. For the majority of patients, the condition is characterized by occasional bouts of kidney infection without any major discomfort or pain. Others require regular monitoring by a kidney specialist.

In some patients, the infection causes significant damage to the kidneys, resulting in a significant impairment of kidney function leading to kidney failure. In such extreme cases, the patient may require long-term dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Can Kidney Infections Be Prevented

How to Effectively Treat a Kidney Infection at Home naturally!!!

You can reduce your chances of developing a kidney infection by keeping your bladder and urethra free from bacteria. This can include drinking plenty of fluids, keeping your genitals clean and treating any constipation.

The symptoms of a kidney infection usually develop quite quickly over a few hours or days.

Common symptoms include:

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Home Remedies For Kidney Infections

Mayar, Facty Staff

Your kidneys are one of the most important organs in your body. Kidneys get rid of the toxins and waste present in the blood. The kidneys filter your blood and keep it clean. For this reason, you should take a kidney infection very seriously. Many circumstances put you at risk of developing a kidney infection. Keep in mind that youâll need to see your doctor if you suspect that youâve got a kidney infection. You shouldnât try to treat yourself with advice found on the web. An internet search isnât the same thing as a medical degree. However, there are a few useful home remedies for kidney infections you can try while following your doctorâs advice.

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Up Your Vitamin C Intake

Theres some scientific evidence that increasing your vitamin C intake can help your body fight off infections, including those in the urinary tract. Thats because vitamin C can increase urine acidity, giving it antibacterial capabilities.

In one study, pregnant women who took 100 mg of vitamin C had less than half the risk of developing a UTI than the control group.

If you want to use vitamin C to treat or prevent a UTI, talk to your provider, who can help you decide how much to supplement. Another way to increase vitamin C intake is by eating foods that are rich in the vitamin, like red peppers, kiwi, and citrus fruits.

If you have a current UTI, citrus fruit and juice may irritate your bladder, so be sure to monitor your symptoms if you decide to up your vitamin C intake.

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Health & Wellnesswhy Some Women Get Kidney Infections From Uti And How To Protect Yourself

While treating UTIs at home might not be as easy as having a glass of cranberry juice, the experts say women can stop urinary infections from happening. The most basic way to prevent UTIs is to wipe in the right direction after using the toilet women should always wipe from front to back.

Thats kind of a common sense thing, Greves said. If you wipe from back to front, what if there is fecal material, which has e-coli or other bacteria? They could be introduced to the urinary tract.

Women also might want to urinate after intercourse.

We often tell people that, but theres little specific data, Giugale said, that says that those things are going to prevent urinary tract infection.

However, its another low-risk way to lower the chance of getting a UTI. Urinating after sex might help the body dispel some bacteria moved around during intercourse.

Sometimes there can be e-coli involved in it and the thought is to urinate afterwards, Greves said.

If UTI symptoms dont dissipate after a few days or women notice blood in their urine its time to contact a doctor. Untreated UTIs can become more severe or spread into the kidneys, which might require treatment with intravenous antibiotics.

The ultimate thing is theres a bacterial infection growing and festering, Greves said, and they need to talk to their doctor to go on some antibiotic and fight this so it doesnt spread up into the kidney.

What Are Utis And Kidney Infections

UTIs occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract the urethra, bladder and kidneys. Normally, your body flushes out harmful bacteria with urine. However, sometimes bacteria can still travel inside and infect the urinary tract. Infections can develop after having sex, using vaginal douches or spermicides, or when the bladder doesnt empty.

Women get UTIs more frequently than men because a womans urethra is shorter than a mans, which allows bacteria to reach the bladder more easily. However, men can still get UTIs. People with diabetes and those with weakened immune systems may also be at higher risk for UTIs.

Kidney infections are a type of UTI. Most kidney infections occur when bacteria that infect the lower urinary tract travel to one or both kidneys. Kidney infections can be serious, and its important to treat them soon to avoid getting very sick.

UTIs cause pain or burning during urination. You may also have:

Cloudy, bloody or foul-smelling urine
Difficulty urinating

A kidney infection can also cause the symptoms listed above, as well as:

Pain in the back, side or groin

Your doctor is ultimately the best person to decide if you have a UTI or kidney infection, Dr. Watson says. At your exam, discuss any ongoing symptoms, and your doctor will arrange for testing.

Doctors typically will order a urine test, which involves taking a small sample of urine and sending it to a laboratory to be analyzed for bacteria and white blood cells.

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Drink Plenty Of Water

Flushing bacteria from the kidneys is an important goal when a person has a kidney infection. Drinking at least six to eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day can help, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases .

If a person has kidney failure, they may need to decrease this amount of fluid based on their doctors recommendations.

Symptoms Of A Kidney Infection

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
burning or pain while urinating
blood or pus in your urine
cloudy or foul-smelling urine

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 isnt treated swiftly or appropriately, symptoms can become severe and result in , which is a life threatening condition. Sepsis symptoms include:

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How Do Doctors Treat A Kidney Infection

Doctors treat most kidney infections with antibiotics . Doctors will often first prescribe an antibiotic that fights the most common types of kidney infection because it is very important to treat a kidney infection right away. Then, they may change the type of antibiotic after they get the results of your blood or urine tests.

Doctors will prescribe an antibiotic medicine based on:

What type of bacteria is causing the infection
How severe the infection is
If you are you are pregnant
If you are older than 65
If you had problems from certain antibiotics in the past, such as allergic reactions

If you have a very serious infection, you may need to stay in the hospital to get antibiotics through an IV . You may also get medicine for pain.

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.

What Is The Treatment For A Kidney Infection

Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments for Kidney Infection

Antibiotics will usually clear the infection. An antibiotic is usually prescribed straightaway if a kidney infection is suspected, even before the result of the urine test is known. Some germs are resistant to some antibiotics. Therefore, sometimes a change of antibiotic may be needed if the urine test shows a germ which is resistant to the initial antibiotic. The course of antibiotics is for 7-14 days, depending on which one is used. Commonly used antibiotics for kidney infections include ciprofloxacin, cefalexin, co-amoxiclav or trimethoprim.
Painkillers such as paracetamol can ease pain and reduce a high temperature . Stronger painkillers may be needed if the pain is more severe. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen are not usually recommended for a person with a kidney infection. This is because they may possibly cause problems with the working of the kidney during a kidney infection.
Plenty of fluid should be taken to prevent lack of fluid in the body .

In many cases, the infection is not too severe, treatment can be taken at home and the infection will clear with a course of antibiotic tablets. If treatment is to be home-based, a doctor should be called if the symptoms are not improving after 24 hours, or the person is feeling more unwell.

However, some people need to be admitted to hospital – for example if:

Are There Any Complications From A Kidney Infection

Most people who develop a kidney infection make a full recovery if treatment is given promptly. Possible complications which occur in a small number of cases include:

Sometimes germs from a kidney infection get into the bloodstream, particularly if treatment is delayed. This may cause blood poisoning . This can be serious or even life-threatening.
In pregnant women who develop pyelonephritis occasionally, it may result in the baby being born early or with a lower birth weight.
A kidney abscess can develop. This is a collection of pus that forms within the kidney.
The infection can sometimes cause some permanent damage to kidney tissues.

These complications are uncommon but may be more likely if:

You become severely ill with the kidney infection.
You have kidney stones.
Your immune system is suppressedâ for example, if you have cancer, if you are taking medication such as steroids or chemotherapy, or if you have AIDS.
You have poorly controlled diabetes.
You are an older person .
You are pregnant.

Emphysematous pyelonephritis is also a rare complication. In this condition the kidney tissues are rapidly destroyed by the infection and the bacteria can release toxic gases which can build up in the kidneys. You become very unwell if you develop this complication. This complication seems mostly to affect people who have poorly controlled diabetes.

How Can You Improve Your Kidney Health

Lifestyle habits that benefit your overall health, like staying hydrated and exercising regularly, can be vastly beneficial to your kidney health.

Similarly, you shouldnt smoke, and you should go see your doctor for regular checkups to monitor your blood pressure. If youre at risk for kidney infections, you should have your kidneys tested and monitored.

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For Urinary Tract Infections

Since three of the most common causes of kidney discomfort occur in the urinary tract, here are some remedies to relieve pain in the kidneys related to the urinary tract:

1. Stay Hydrated

Hydration is key to relieving pain in the kidneys since water will help flush bacteria out of the body. Plus, staying hydrated will help clear out the urinary tract as a whole and work to eliminate any possible infections.

Many specialists recommend the 8×8 rule, meaning you should drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water a day. However, water intake is highly dependant on you and your health, so take this article into consideration when determining your daily amount of water intake.

2. Drink Cranberry Juice

While not scientifically proven, cranberry juice is known to be a remedy for urinary tract infections. If you choose to alternate between cranberry juice and water, be sure to choose a cranberry juice that isnt packed full of additional sweeteners. A cranberry supplement or pure cranberry juice is always the best way to go!

3. Take Probiotics

Its no secret that probiotics are beneficial for you, especially when it comes to fighting bacteria and kidney pain. Studies show that probiotics can improve kidney function and assist in processing waste too.

4. Drink Parsley Juice

You can also mix parsley into a smoothie to make drinking it more bearable. Check out these recipes for inspiration!