Consume Apples And Apple Juice
Apples are also nutrient-dense. Their high acid content may help the kidneys to maintain acidity in the urine, possibly inhibiting further growth of bacteria. They also have anti-inflammatory properties, which may be beneficial in helping the kidneys to heal following the infection. Learn more about the many health benefits of apples.
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.
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 The Infection Spread
It is difficult to spread a UTI between individuals, as the type of bacteria causing the infection is almost never contagious.
The most common way that a UTI is contracted is through the movement of bacteria from the anus to the urethra, either when wiping after going to the toilet or during sexual intercourse. Taking care during each of these activities can help to prevent the transfer of bacteria, which may then have the opportunity to overgrow.
Vigorous sexual intercourse may also lead to symptoms of UTI or cystitis in women , although there may be no bacteria present.
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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How Do You Treat A Kidney Infection Without Going To The Doctor
Do you need to go to the doctor to treat a kidney infection? You can get your kidney infection treated without going to the doctor by seeing the doctor online instead. Youll need a prescription for antibiotics in order to treat your kidney infection, luckily you can easily get one here for as little at $20.
Why Does Kidney Disease Cause Weight Gain
Kidney disease doesnt just affect the kidneys, it affects the whole body. In the early stages, it can cause weight loss, while in the later stages it can cause weight gain. These variations are the result of different aspects of the disease. Heres some information to help you understand the issue of kidney disease and weight gain, courtesy of Dr. Allen Lauer, of Associates in Nephrology.
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What Are The Causes Of Kidney Infections
Normally, bacteria are flushed out by the flow of urine. However, several problems can increase the risk of a kidney infection. These problems can include:
- Structural abnormalities blocking urine flow.
- An enlarged prostate gland compressing the urethra.
- Backflow of urine from the bladder to the kidneys.
- If your immune system is affected .
- Pregnancy, during which time the enlarging uterus can squeeze the ureters and reduce the flow of urine, allowing the bacteria to migrate to the kidneys.
- Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.
Treatment For Utis Vs Kidney Infection Treatment
UTIs, including kidney infections, can be treated with a course of antibiotics. The type of antibiotic can depend on the type of bacteria thats causing your infection as well as how severe your infection is.
The doctor will often start you on an antibiotic that works against a wide variety of UTI-causing bacteria. If a urine culture is performed, the doctor may switch your antibiotic to one thats most effective at treating the specific bacterium thats causing your infection.
Simple UTIs can be treated with short 3- to 5-day courses of antibiotics. Treatment for kidney infections generally lasts 7 to 14 days, depending on which class of antibiotic is prescribed.
You may begin to feel better after only a few days on antibiotics. However, you should still make sure that you complete your entire treatment course as prescribed. If you do not take all of your antibiotics, the stronger bacteria may not be killed, causing your infection to persist and flare up again.
If youre pregnant, your doctor may also request a repeat urine sample following a kidney infection, even if your symptoms have resolved. This allows them to check to see whether your infection has completely cleared.
If there are still bacteria present in the sample, you may need another course of antibiotics. Persistence of bacteria can potentially harm an unborn baby.
People with severe kidney infections may need to be hospitalized. In this case, you may receive antibiotics and fluids intravenously.
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Causes Of Kidney Infection
Pyelonephritis is more common among women than men. Escherichia coli, a type of bacteria normally in the large intestine, causes about 90% of cases of pyelonephritis among people who are not hospitalized or living in a nursing home. Infections usually ascend from the genital area through the urethra to the bladder, up the ureters, into the kidneys. In a person with a healthy urinary tract, an infection is usually prevented from moving up the ureters into the kidneys by the flow of urine washing organisms out and by closure of the ureters at their entrance to the bladder. However, any physical blockage to the flow of urine, such as a structural abnormality, kidney stone, or an enlarged prostate gland, or the backflow of urine from the bladder into the ureters increases the likelihood of pyelonephritis.
The risk of pyelonephritis is increased during pregnancy. During pregnancy, the enlarging uterus puts pressure on the ureters, which partially obstructs the normal downward flow of urine. Pregnancy also increases the risk of reflux of urine up the ureters by causing the ureters to dilate and reducing the muscle contractions that propel urine down the ureters into the bladder. Occasionally, a catheter that remains in the bladder can cause pyelonephritis by allowing bacteria to enter or remain in the bladder.
How Do I Detox My Kidneys
There is no scientific evidence that kidney cleansing has any effect on kidney health. The best way to detoxify the kidneys is to not toxify them in the first place. Drink plenty of fluids, eat a nutritious diet, avoid processed foods, reduce salt intake, quit smoking, and avoid alcohol, caffeine, and unnecessary medications.
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Main Symptoms Of Kidney Infection
A urinary tract infection usually begins in the bladder and the symptoms and signs of a bladder infection might stay the same after the infection spreads to the kidneys. These indications consist of: cloudy and dark urine that may appear red or pink from blood, unpleasant or burning urination, foul smelling urine, pain in the abdominal area, a heat that remains under 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the infection has spread to the kidneys the following additional signs can be expected: a heat that surpasses 101 degrees Fahrenheit, nausea, throwing up, and chills and shaking.
Usually, kidney infection symptoms will feel even worse during urination. A significant change to your typical pattern of urination accompanied with common symptoms and signs of kidney infection are good indications to call your doctor.
What Are Different Types Of Kidney Infection
Kidney infection, or pyelonephritis, may be classified as uncomplicated, complicated, or chronic kidney infection .
A complicated kidney infection refers to a kidney infection in which there is an accompanying condition that increases the risk of severe infection and ineffective treatment, such as abnormalities of the urinary tract, urinary obstruction, or diabetes. It can also mean there is severe involvement of the kidney, for example, abscess formation, obstruction, or enlarged kidney, or gas is seen in the kidney by an imaging study, such as a CT scan. In these situations, the symptoms may be more severe and less responsive to usual treatments.
A chronic kidney infection may refer to a recurring kidney infection that could be a result of a kidney stone obstructing the ureter or other structural abnormalities in the ureters . These conditions are usually associated with milder symptoms, but they may last longer.
The evaluation of complicated kidney infection and chronic kidney infection typically requires a more thorough evaluation and more extensive testing such as CT scans and X-rays.
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When To Use Antibiotics
Antibiotics are specific for the type of bacteria being treated and, in general, cannot be interchanged from one infection to another. When antibiotics are used correctly, they are usually safe with few side effects. Health care providers are able to assess each patient individually to determine the correct antibiotic, dose and length of treatment.
However, as with most drugs, antibiotics can lead to side effects that may range from being a nuisance to serious or life-threatening. In infants and the elderly, in patients with kidney or liver disease, in pregnant or breastfeeding women, and in many other patient groups, antibiotic doses may need to be adjusted based upon the individual patient. Drug interactions can also be common with antibiotics.
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.
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Preventing A Kidney Infection
There are numerous preventative care alternatives and natural home remedy that can be performed to lower kidney infection symptoms and avoid repeating infections. Typically, these methods involve minimizing the possibility of bacteria to go into the urinary tract and turn into an infection. Significant techniques beyond dietary factors to consider and proper hygienic regimens when cleaning consist of:
- Dont hold urine and try to completely empty your bladder without hurrying anything
- Urinate ASAP after sex
- Diaphragms prevent correct and total emptying of the bladder consider changing to various contraception methods
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Are Oral Antibiotics As Effective As A Combination Of Injected And Oral Antibiotics For Kidney Infections In Children
Acute pyelonephritis refers to infection of the kidneys and is the most severe form of urinary tract infection . Acute pyelonephritis causes high fever, vomiting, stomach pain, irritability and poor feeding in infants.
We wanted to find out if oral antibiotics were as effective as combined oral and injected antibiotics to treat children for kidney infection. This review updates our previous investigations published in 2003, 2005 and 2007. This review included evidence from 27 studies that involved 4452 children. The last literature search date was April 2014. This update included evidence from three new studies and from one study that was previously excluded.
Review results suggested that children aged over one month with acute pyelonephritis can be treated effectively with oral antibiotics or with short courses of intravenous therapy followed by oral therapy. If IV therapy with aminoglycosides is needed, single daily dosing is safe and effective.
Urinary tract infection is one of the most common bacterial infections in infants. The most severe form of UTI is acute pyelonephritis, which results in significant acute morbidity and may cause permanent kidney damage. There remains uncertainty regarding the optimum antibiotic regimen, route of administration and duration of treatment. This is an update of a review that was first published in 2003 and updated in 2005 and 2007.
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Kidney Infection Treatment Options
Kidney infections are treated with antibiotics, pain relievers, and fever reducers. Uncomplicated kidney infection and few complicated kidney infections will be treated on an outpatient basis by a general practitioner, but people with a complicated kidney infection likely require hospitalization and intravenous antibiotics.. Pregnant women may require additional consultation with an obstetrician or gynecologist.
How To Feel Better
If your healthcare professional prescribes you antibiotics:
- Take antibiotics exactly as your healthcare professional tells you.
- Do not share your antibiotics with others.
- Do not save antibiotics for later. Talk to your healthcare professional about safely discarding leftover antibiotics.
Drink plenty of water or other fluids. Your healthcare professional might also recommend medicine to help lessen the pain or discomfort. Talk with your healthcare professional if you have any questions about your antibiotics.
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Which Antibiotics Are Used For The Treatment Of Complicated Acute Pyelonephritis
With complicated acute pyelonephritis, treat patients parenterally until defervescence and improvement in the clinical condition warrants changing to oral antibiotics. Complete the course of therapy with an oral agent selected on the basis of culture results. Acceptable regimens include the following:
- Ampicillin and an aminoglycoside
- Ceftazidime-avibactam
- Meropenem-vaborbactam
If the patient is allergic to penicillin, vancomycin should be substituted. Vancomycin or linezolid are options if enterococci are a consideration.
Meropenem-vaborbactam is a combination of the carbapenem antibiotic meropenem with the beta-lactamase inhibitor vaborbactam. Specifically, vaborbactam inhibits bacterial production of the Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase enzyme, which confers resistance to carbapenems. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved meropenem-vaborbactam for adults aged 18 years and older with pyelonephritis and other complicated urinary tract infections caused by designated susceptible Enterobacteriaceae: Escherichia coli, K pneumoniae, and Enterobacter cloacae species complex.
Shortness Of Breath After Very Little Effort
Why this happens:
Being short of breath can be related to the kidneys in two ways. First, extra fluid in the body can build up in the lungs. And second, anemia can leave your body oxygen-starved and short of breath.
What patients said:
At the times when I get the shortness of breath, its alarming to me. It just fears me. I think maybe I might fall or something so I usually go sit down for awhile.
I couldnt sleep at night. I couldnt catch my breath, like I was drowning or something. And, the bloating, cant breathe, cant walk anywhere. It was bad.
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How Are Kidney Infections Treated
A physician will treat the disease based on his or her examination. He or she may start the patient on the standard treatment of a course of antibiotics before the lab tests results are available. The medication may change once the exact strain of bacteria is revealed by the lab tests.
If the treatment is effective, the patient should feel better in two to three days. If not, your healthcare provider will start looking for additional problems. Most antibiotic treatments last for 14 days and it is essential that patients take the pills as recommended for the full 14 days even though symptoms may disappear after a few days. The disappearance of symptoms does not mean all bacteria are killed. Some may remain and the infection may reappear.
There is also a concern that those bacteria that remain may develop resistance to the medication. For some reason the disease is more difficult to treat in men and they may have to take medication for up to six weeks. Patients with severe illness, those that have significant nausea and vomiting, high fevers, significant pain and signs of dehydration may be hospitalized for a few days while the antibiotics are administered intravenously. Urine samples are taken after about six weeks of treatment and examined to insure the bacterial infection is eradicated.