Drink Lots Of Liquid Especially Water
Liquids can help flush bacteria from the urinary system. Water is best. Most healthy people should try to drink six to eight, 8-ounce glasses of liquid each day. If you need to drink less water because of other health conditions, such as bladder control problems, kidney failure or heart disease, ask your health care provider how much liquid is healthy for you.
Increase Vitamin C Intake
This vitamin is the most important nutrient from the list of home remedies for kidney infection as it can support your immune system in combating infection. It will increase the level of acid in the kidneys which will destroy the bacteria that trigger the development of infection.
Vitamin C
How to use:
- Consume 1 2 grapefruits, oranges as well as other citrus fruits every day.
- Also consume more foods which are rich in vitamin C such as broccoli, potatoes, peppers, sprouts, tomatoes, strawberries and kiwi.
- Another way is takingthe supplement of vitamin C once per day at the breakfast but only after consulting the doctor.
Note: Avoid taking the supplement of vitamin C in high dose as it might be linked with kidney stones, especially for men.
You might also sê vitamin C among Home Remedies for Dysuria.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Why do you think I got a kidney infection?
- How much water should I drink every day to stay hydrated?
- What is the best medicine for me to treat my kidney infection?
- Once I start medicine, how long will it take for my symptoms to go away?
- Since Ive had one kidney infection, am I likely to get another?
- What is the risk of a kidney infection leading to chronic kidney disease?
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Avoid Alcohol And Coffee
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 shouldnt be mixed, so avoid alcohol during your treatment for this reason as well.
Take Green Tea Extract Or Drink Green Tea
A 2013 study in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology suggests that taking green tea extract may have an antibacterial effect on common bacteria strains known to cause UTIs.
The researchers took green tea extracts and applied them to bacterial cultures in a laboratory. Over time, they found the green tea inhibited bacterial growth.
Because the study was in a laboratory and involved samples, it is hard to know if the results would be the same in humans. However, the possibility remains that green tea could have potential health benefits when a person has a UTI.
Green tea extract is available to purchase in stores and online.
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What Do I Need To Know About A Kidney Infection In My Child
A kidney infection is a type of urinary tract infection . A kidney infection, or pyelonephritis, is a bacterial infection. The infection usually starts in your child’s bladder or urethra and moves into his or her kidney. One or both kidneys may be infected. Kidney infections are more common in children younger than 3 years.
What Causes Kidney Infection
As the germ starts to enter your kidneys, it will cause this infection. That bacteria comes from another part of our urinary tract, including your ureters and bladder.
Then does it damage your health or not? Yes, it does! The bad news about this health issue is that the infections affect your kidney at one time or both of them at the same time.
Therefore, its crucial to curing these problems as soon as possible. If not, these infections might lead to the everlasting kidney damage.
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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.
Food For Kidney Infection
In addition to juice remedies, specific food items that support healing from infections are also worth knowing. Foods for kidney infection prevention include the items that can be used as juices: parsley, blueberry, and cranberry. The berries can be eaten whole with yoghurt in the morning and parsley is a good garnish for a variety of savory dishes.
Raw garlic cloves are another effective food item to start consuming today as a home remedy for kidney infection. Garlic has diuretic properties that force the kidneys to pass more salt and toxins in the urine garlic also works for pathogens resistant to antibiotic medications. Learn about the other benefits and uses of garlic.
Constipation can cause irritation and skin lesions that increase risk of urinary tract infections so eating plenty of fiber in combination with the increase of fluid intake is essential to prevent this condition. While it was once thought that keeping urine acidic was important to treating and preventing UTIs, evidence is emerging that this may not be the case. Nonetheless, high-fiber nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables can help you fight off infection. Cabbage is also high in fiber and helps with fluid-related issues that may affect the urinary tract.
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How Can I Prevent My Child From Getting A Kidney Infection
- Change your baby’s diaper frequently. Bacteria from bowel movements can enter your baby’s urinary tract.
- Have your child empty his or her bladder often. Make sure your child urinates and empties his or her bladder as soon as needed. Teach your child not to hold urine for long periods of time.
- Encourage your child to drink more liquids. Ask how much liquid your child should drink each day and which liquids are best. Your child may need to drink more liquids than usual to help flush out the bacteria. Do not let your child drink caffeine or citrus juices. These can irritate your child’s bladder and increase symptoms. Ask your child’s healthcare provider about giving your child cranberry juice. Cranberry juice can interfere with some medicines.
- Teach your child to wipe from front to back. Your child should wipe from front to back after urinating or having a bowel movement. This will help prevent germs from getting into the urinary tract through the urethra.
- Treat your child’s constipation. This may lower his or her UTI risk. Ask your child’s healthcare provider how to treat your child’s constipation.
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 suppressed – 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.
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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.
What Is The Function Of The Kidneys
The kidney is a vitally important organ that provides many important functions for the body. Some of its primary functions include:
- Filtration of waste products out of the blood
- Regulation of blood pressure through the excretion of waste products
- Maintaining electrolyte balance
- Production of blood cells
The kidneys are located near the lower back and are connected to the bladder with ureters. Each kidney is connected with one ureter, which is a long, connective tube. The function of the ureters is to help move urine through the urinary tract from the kidneys to the bladder, a process well-known as urination. Collectively, all of these connectors and organs comprise what is commonly referred to as the urinary tract.
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Can Kidney Infections Be Prevented
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:
- pain and discomfort in your side, lower back or around your genitals
- high temperature
- shivering or chills
- feeling very weak or tired
- loss of appetite
You may have other symptoms if you also have cystitis or urethritis . 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
Complementary Treatments You Can Do At Home
Some people prefer to treat medical conditions with home remedies or alternative remedies.
Because of how serious kidney infections are, its important that you dont rely on home remedies. Instead, you should take the prescription antibiotics your 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.
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Can You Prevent Kidney Infections
Prevention of urinary tract and kidney infection primarily focuses on reducing the associated risk factors. As mentioned earlier, the majority of urinary tract infections are caused by the bacteria gaining entry into the urinary system through the urethra. Therefore, personal hygiene plays an important role in preventing kidney infection.
Examples of preventative measures include:
- Emptying the bladder after sexual intercourse or wiping from front to back after going to the bathroom may significantly reduce the chance of developing kidney infection in women.
- Drinking plenty of fluids has been shown to be the single most effective measure for preventing urinary tract infections.
- In individuals with long-standing urinary catheters, routinely scheduled changing of the catheter as well as regular cleaning around the catheter’s entry into the urethra are important steps in prevention of urinary tract infections.
- If kidney stones are the predisposing factor to repeated kidney infections, the removal of the stone and preventing future stones from forming may be necessary. These individuals may be referred to a specialist for further evaluation and removal of kidney stones.
- Cranberries and cranberry juice can be beneficial in preventing kidney infections. It is important to note that cranberries may not treat an existing kidney infection, but have been found to be a simple preventive measure in addition to the other measures listed above.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Kidney Infection
Its estimated that up to 40 percent of women and 10 percent of men will have a kidney infection in their lifetime. The symptoms are so easy to spot that once a patient has had a UTI, its pretty easy to tell when an infection has returned. Some of the most common symptoms of kidney infection include burning with urination , flank pain , frequent urination or the feeling you need to expel your bladder but cant, blood in the urine, foul-smelling or cloudy urine, nausea and vomiting, fever, and chills.
It is also possible for children to have a kidney infection or UTI, and a child age 2 or under may have trouble expressing pain or other symptoms. In young children, a kidney infection may only present with high fever, so it is crucial to have a child with fever evaluated by a healthcare provider, particularly if you notice changes in their urination habits.
It is important to ensure that anyone of any age group gets treated for UTI as soon as possible. Kidney infections can progress to serious complications such as sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition. Symptoms of sepsis include:
- Rapid breathing
If you suspect you may have sepsis, go to the emergency room immediately.
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Causes Of Kidney Pain
There are a number of different things that can cause kidney pain, from infection to kidney stones and beyond. While alleviating your pain might seem like the #1 priority, never forego a doctor visit to get a treatment plan that will eliminate the source of the pain. Some common causes of kidney pain include infections along the urinary tract and kidney stones.
How Long Does A Uti Last
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If you have a UTI, its best to get it treated right away before any complications develop . Its possible for a UTI to get better on its own, but most of the time, it wont. While home remedies can help ease some of the discomfort, a doctor can prescribe you an antibiotic that is a much quicker and more effective treatment. An antibiotic will start working immediately and, depending on how complicated your UTI is, may clear it up in a matter of days. Be sure to always take your medication how your doctor prescribes.
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Prevention And Treatment Of Kidney Infection
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Antibiotics
-
Occasionally surgery
Antibiotics are started as soon as the doctor suspects pyelonephritis and samples have been taken for laboratory tests. The choice of drug or its dosage may be modified based on the laboratory test results , how sick the person is, and whether the infection started in the hospital, where bacteria tend to be more resistant to antibiotics. Other factors that can alter the choice or dosage of drug include whether the person’s immune system is impaired and whether the person has a urinary tract abnormality .
Outpatient treatment with antibiotics given by mouth is usually successful if the person has:
-
No nausea or vomiting
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No signs of dehydration
How Do You Treat A Kidney Infection
If your dog does have a kidney infection, your vet will most likely recommend that your dog stays a day in the hospital on IV fluids and IV antibiotics. This would help them successfully recover from this infection. After a few days, or in very mild infections, you may be able to treat your dog at home.
Your dog will need to take antibiotics for 4 to 6 weeks with many different urine tests to ensure that the infection is clearing up. Your dog would need to make sure that your dog is eating and drinking water every day to recover.
If your dog also has kidney disease along with their kidney infection, they may need to eat a kidney-focused diet. Hills, Purina, and Royal Canin make prescription diets for your dog to take.
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Kidney Infection Home Remedies
You can do some things at home to feel better while you have an infection:
- Drink plenty of fluids to flush out germs.
- Get extra rest.
- When you go to the bathroom, sit on the toilet instead of squatting over it, which can keep your bladder from completely emptying.
- Take a pain reliever with acetaminophen. Donât use aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen because these can raise your risk of kidney problems.
- Use a heating pad on your belly, back, or side.
When To Contact A Doctor
Home remedies can provide symptom relief and prevent recurring infections from occurring. Having said this, a full-blown kidney infection will require antibiotics from a doctor to completely clear.
Good indicators of when to see a doctor for kidney infection include a significant change to your usual pattern of urination accompanied by the symptoms and signs outlined above.
Generally, kidney infection symptoms will feel worse during urination. When this pain is accompanied with a fever and persistent genital, stomach, or lower back pain it is more likely to be a kidney infection than just a bladder infection and warrants prompt treatment.
People with recurring kidney infections despite medical and home remedies for kidney infections may have a structural problem in their urinary tract. In these cases, your doctor may refer you to a urologist who can advise on urinary tract problems in case surgery is required.
If you suffer any symptoms of a urinary tract or kidney infection, talk to a doctor immediately. The faster you act, the more effective the treatment and the lower the risk of complications.
If you experience any symptoms of a kidney infection, to set up a phone appointment with a top U.S. doctor today.
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