What Causes A Kidney Infection
The bacteria or viruses that cause kidney infections usually come from another part of your urinary tract, such as your bladder, ureters or urethra and spread to your kidneys. Less commonly, the bacteria or viruses come from an infection elsewhere in your body.
Kidney infection can also happen if the flow of urine through your urinary tract is blocked. This can happen due to:
- Kidney stones
- An enlarged prostate
- A problem with the shape of your urinary tract that makes it harder for urine to pass through
A kidney infection is not contagiousyou cannot catch one from another person or spread a kidney infection if you have one.
What Happens If You Leave A Uti Untreated
- What Happens if you Leave a UTI…
Many people get a bladder infection and a urinary tract infection confused, but they are actually the same thing.
This common infection happens when bacteria finds its way into the bladder. Typically, the E. coli bacteria is the cause behind the infection.
The urinary tract is made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Because the anus is located so near to the urethra, E. coli is usually brought to the urinary tract from the bowels.
If you are suffering from a urinary tract infection, you may experience burning when you urinate. You might also need to use the restroom more oftensometimes with a sense of urgency.
So, what causes a UTI and what can you do to prevent one? Were sharing everything you need to know to avoid the painful infection.
What Are Symptoms Of Kidney Disease
Signs of Kidney Disease
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You Can Spread An Untreated Yeast Infection
Yeast infections are not contagious in the way a virus might be, and theyre not a type of STI. Every person has Candida on their body and in their mouth and digestive system, usually without causing problems.
Its normal to rub some of these tiny organisms onto another person when you hug, kiss, breastfeed, share a toothbrush, or have sex. But if you have a yeast infection, its possible that you can transfer more Candida than usual to someone that you touch.
Transferring Candida from one person to another isnt enough to make that person develop a yeast infection. However, if that person is already at risk for candidiasis , they can also develop their own yeast infection.
You can avoid spreading candidiasis by brushing your teeth before and after kissing not sharing towels, sex toys, bathing suits, or underwear using condoms and dental dams and pumping milk or abstaining from breastfeeding if your child has oral thrush.
What If The Infection Does Not Clear Up With Treatment
Most infections clear up with treatment. However, if an infection does not clear up, or if you have repeated infections, you may be given some special tests such as:
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a type of x-ray called an intravenous pyleogram , which involves injecting a dye into a vein and taking pictures of your kidney and bladder
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an ultrasound exam, which gives a picture of your kidneys and bladder using sound waves
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a cytoscopic exam, which uses a hollow tube with special lenses to look inside the bladder.
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How To Know When A Uti Turns Into A Kidney Infection
The main job of the kidney, a part of the urinary tract, is to remove waste and take extra water from your blood.
When bacteria or viruses create problems in either one or both of your kidneys, its known as a kidney infection.
This can easily happen when bad bacteria or viruses travel up your uterus.
When a kidney infection is left untreated, it can become life threatening, so its important that you seek medical attention immediately if you notice blood or pus in your pee, pain in your lower back, upset stomach or vomiting, fever and chills or loss of appetite.
Risk Factors For A Kidney Infection
There are a few things that can up your risk factor of contracting a kidney infection, according to the Mayo Clinic, and some you have zero control over:
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Having avagina. The urethra, that small tube that carries urine out of your body, is shorter in people with vaginas than it is in people with penises. That makes it easier for bacteria to travel from outside your body into the bladder. Your urethra is also close to your vagina and anus, which opens you up to more chances that bacteria from one of those areas will get into your urinary tract.
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Having something blocking your urinary tract. That can be anything that slows down the flow of urine or makes it hard for you to fully empty your bladder when you pee, like a kidney stone.
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Having a weak immune system. Having an underlying medical condition like diabetes or HIV, or using medications that tamp down on your immune system, can increase your risk.
Other potential risk factors include having damage to the nerves around your bladder, using a urinary catheter for the first time, and having a condition like vesicoureteral reflux, which causes urine to flow the wrong way, the Mayo Clinic says.
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What About Kidney Stones Are They Involved Here Somehow
Sort of. A kidney stone isnt an infection, but a collection of salt and minerals that hardens and turns into a stone. While some stones may be small others can be much larger. They may stay in the kidney, or begin to move into the ureter, the tube that connects the kidney and the bladder. When this happens, kidney stones can become extremely painful.
Kidney stones can be tricky, since they may have many of the same symptoms as a UTI or a kidney infection pain when urinating, needing to urinate often, and cloudy or strong smelling urine, blood in the urine, fever, nausea or vomiting. And while stones often pass on their own, larger stones sometimes need to be broken up, or removed.
Sometimes, kidney stones can lead to a urinary tract infection or a kidney infection, so its important to get them checked out by your doctor. And, since the symptoms are so similar, getting a checkup is probably a good idea anyway just to rule out the possibility of an infection, and to make sure the stone is moving along as it should.
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How Is A Kidney Infection Diagnosed
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, do a physical exam, and likely run some diagnostic tests. Those include a urinalysis, to check your pee under a microscope for bacteria and white blood cells, which your body makes to fight infection, and a urine culture to help find out what kind of bacteria is causing the infection, the NIDDK says. Your doctor may even take a blood sample to check for bacteria or other organisms in your blood, the Mayo Clinic says.
Other tests that might come up include an ultrasound, a CT scan, or a form of X-ray called a voiding cystourethrogram, which involves injecting a contrast dye to take X-rays of your bladder when its full and while youre peeing, per the Mayo Clinic.
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Why You Should Never Ignore The Symptoms Of A Uti
According to the NIH, urinary tract infections are the most common infection in the U.S. Half of women have at least one UTI in their lifetimes. Men are susceptible, too, although their longer ureters protect their urinary tract from bacteria and other pathogens.
How do you know if you have a UTI? The experts at Rose Family Practice and Urgent Care in Vancouver and Battle Ground, Washington, recommend you contact them for a UTI evaluation if you experience symptoms such as:
- Strong, persistent urge to urinate
- Frequent urination, small amounts of urine at a time
- Urine thats pink, red, or brown
- Bloody or cloudy urine
- Burning sensation when you urinate
- Pain or pressure in your lower abdomen, lower back, or pelvis
- Urine that smells strange
- Fatigue, fever, or chills
Most UTIs can be resolved with a course of antibiotics. Not treating a UTI can spread the infection and cause serious and even life-threatening health issues.
Some UTIs dont have symptoms. If you already know that youre prone to UTIs, staying on top of your health with regular exams at Rose Family Practice will help keep infections in check, protect the health of your other organs, and minimize your risk for chronic UTIs.
If you do have symptoms, get help right way. Consequences of an untreated UTI include:
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How Do I Know If I Have A Uti Or A Kidney Infection
It may feel like all urinary tract infections are the same they all feel pretty uncomfortable! But a UTI can occur anywhere within your urinary system and its important to know what to look for in case it travels to your kidneys. Read on to learn more about UTIs and Kidney Infections, and how to tell the difference between them.
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What Should You Do If You Suspect A Kidney Infection
If you suspect you may have a kidney infection, dont ignore it. These symptoms will not just go away on their own. A kidney infection that is left untreated can result in:
- Kidney scarring
- Kidney failure
- High blood pressure
- Blood poisoning : If untreated, the bacteria from the kidney infection spreads into your bloodstream and can cause the infection to become life-threatening.
A kidney infection is a serious condition that deserves prompt medical care. Visit a doctor or urgent care unless your symptoms are severe.
How Are Utis Treated In Older Adults
Antibiotics are the first choice of treatment for UTIs. Mild UTIs often clear up in only a few days with the right antibiotic.
However, depending on the persons age and health plus the severity of the infection, treatment for a UTI may take several weeks and a longer course of antibiotics. In more severe cases, older adults may need to be hospitalized to receive IV antibiotics.
If your loved one has symptoms of a UTI, its important to make an appointment with their doctor right away. If symptoms are severe, call the doctor immediately to determine whether a trip to the emergency room is necessary.
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Ok So How Do I Make Sure I Never Get A Uti Or A Kidney Infection
As they say, prevention is the best cure! And there are many things you can do to ensure that youre reducing your risk for an infection, and preventing build up from occurring in the kidneys.
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Practice good hygiene. Always wipe from front to back, keep your genital area clean, wash before and after sex. Basically, do your best to keep bacteria from even having a chance of getting into the urinary system in the first place.
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Drink lots of water. If youre dehydrated, youre not only increasing your chance of a UTI, but youre also decreasing your urine output, meaning that more minerals have a chance to build up and settle in the urinary tract or kidneys.
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Make sure to urinate whenever you feel you have to go. Dont hold it in. This concentrates the urine allowing bacteria to build up and spread.
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Alter your diet if you find youre prone to kidney stones. Cut down on certain meats and shellfish and opting instead for more vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Avoid consuming too much sugar. Cut back on sodium, and eat more oxalate-rich foods .
And if you do start experiencing any of the symptoms above, be sure to see a doctor right away. UTIs, kidney infections, and kidney stones can usually be treated fairly easily, but its important to seek medical attention before any complications develop.
What Are The Effects Of Untreated Acute Prostatitis
Acute prostatitis is a type of infective prostatitis. It is caused by a bacterial infection of the prostate gland. Acute prostatitis presents as an acute urinary tract infection . It is usually associated with predisposing risk factors, including bladder outlet obstruction secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia or an immunosuppressed state.
Acute prostatitis is an infection that causes severe symptoms. It is the most serious and least common type of prostatitis. Men with this illness are usually very sick, and their symptoms come on suddenly. Approximately 5% of cases of acute bacterial prostatitis progress to chronic prostatitis. If you left your acute prostatitis untreated, it would lead to serious problems. Then what are the effects of untreated acute prostatitis?
chronic prostatitisDiuretic and Anti-inflammatory Pill
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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 Does A Kidney Infection Feel Like
Generally speaking, the symptoms of a kidney infection tend to come on over a period of several hours to a day. The symptoms may include:
- Pain. This is often a dull, aching type of pain that most commonly affects the back, side, or abdomen.
- Urine changes. If you have a kidney infection, you may notice that your urine is cloudy, smells bad, or contains blood.
- Urgent, painful urination. A UTI can irritate the lining of your urinary tract. As a result, you may feel the urgent need to urinate and experience a painful, burning sensation when you do so.
- Fever. People with a kidney infection typically develop a fever, which can often be high. A raised temperature is one of your bodys ways of trying to fight the infection.
- Chills.Chills are a feeling of being cold without any apparent cause. For example, you could be wrapped up under a blanket and still shiver or feel very cold. In extreme cases, chills may lead to episodes of strong, uncontrollable shaking, which are known as rigors.
- Nausea or vomiting. The infection may cause you to feel nauseated or to vomit.
Its important to note that you may not have all of the above symptoms with a kidney infection. If you develop concerning symptoms that may point to a kidney infection, seek prompt medical care.
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Signs Of A Kidney Infection To Know And When To Go To The Hospital
Youre probably not constantly on the lookout for signs of a kidney infection. But getting a urinary tract infection can open you up to also getting an infection in one or both kidneys, which means this is an illness that should be on your radar. Yep, it’s an unfortunate truth: A urinary tract infection can lead to a kidney infection, which is medically known as pyelonephritis and can be incredibly serious. So if youre experiencing symptoms of a UTI and thinking, Eh, I can wait a few more days to get those antibiotics, think again. Heres what you need to know about the signs of a kidney infection, its underlying causes, why its so important to get treatment as soon as you can, and more.
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Treatment Of Kidney Infection
Most kidney infections need prompt treatment with antibiotics to stop the infection damaging the kidneys or spreading to the bloodstream.
You may also need painkillers.
If you’re especially vulnerable to the effects of an infection , you may be admitted to hospital and treated with antibiotics through a drip.
Most people who are diagnosed and treated promptly with antibiotics feel completely better after about 2 weeks.
People who are older or have underlying conditions may take longer to recover.
What Happens If A Uti Reaches The Kidneys
When a UTI reaches the kidneys, it is called pyelonephritis.
There is still a chance that the urinary tract infection can be wiped out by antibiotics even after it reaches the kidneys. However, the treatment may now be for 14 days rather than seven, and if patients have a high temperature or are too dehydrated, then a hospital stay may be necessary to help them recover from the kidney infection. If so, the antibiotics will be given intravenously along with the fluid needed to replenish the body.
When UTI-causing bacteria reach the kidneys, it can cause permanent damage. Damage to the kidneys may result in reduced kidney function, or even complete kidney failure. The latter occurs more often if patients already have some type of kidney problem. From the kidneys, the infection can spread to the bloodstream, causing sepsis, and this may be life threatening.
Pyelonephritis is an acute or chronic infection of the kidneys. It causes a painful swelling of the kidneys and can deposit bacteria into the bloodstream. During this stage there will usually be blood in the urine, little urine leaving the body, and low blood pressure.
After pyelonephritis, the patient can develop urosepsis. This occurs when the UTI spreads its bacteria into the bloodstream and affects other parts of the body. This condition is serious.
Its symptoms include:
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