A kidney infection is a dangerous ailment that can afflict you with pain and long term health consequences. Untreated, it can severely damage your kidneys and cause you to lose the necessary functions of your kidneys. To avoid these long term complications, you need to pay attention to kidney infection symptoms so that you can treat it as soon as you recognize it.
Key Points
- Frequent urination and a burning sensation when you pee can be symptoms of a kidney infection.
- A kidney infection won't go away on its own, so it's important that you seek treatment.
- Drinking lots of fluids and practicing good hygiene will help prevent kidney infections.
Kidney Infection Symptoms
There are several generic kidney infection symptoms that you should pay attention to. You may not experience all of them, but likely you will experience one or more of them if you have a kidney infection. You might suffer from frequent urination, along with a strong and persistent feeling that you need to urinate. You may experience a burning sensation when you urinate. Your urine may be cloudy and have a very strong odor. You may find that you have to urinate during the night more often. You may experience a pain in your back, in your side, or in your groin area. These may be accompanied by a fever.
In more severe cases, kidney infection symptoms include a high fever, chills, sweating, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, or confusion. If you are experiencing any of these severe symptoms, then you need to seek medical treatment immediately.
Kidney infection symptoms differ by age group. In infants and young children, you should pay attention to irritability, loss of appetite, loose bowel movements, and bed wetting. For older adults, sometimes confusion and other mental changes may be the only kidney infection symptoms detected.
If you think you or someone in your family is suffering from these kidney infection symptoms, then you should seek medical treatment. With proper treatment, long term complications can be avoided.
Prognosis for a Kidney Infection
Kidney infections are generally treated with a course of antibiotics. You'll generally need to take these antibiotics for two weeks, but you may need to take them for longer if the infection is particularly severe. While taking your antibiotic regimen, you'll be instructed to drink plenty of fluids and to practice good hygiene.
If a kidney infection is treated within a reasonable amount of time, long-term kidney complications will be avoided. It's important that you don't ignore your symptoms. While you may not want to go to the doctor, avoiding or ignoring your health problems will only make them worse. A kidney infection won't go away on its own, so treatment is critical.
To prevent future infections, there are a few steps you can take. Always remain hydrated. Drinking a lot of fluids will flush your kidneys and keep bacteria from building up. You should practice good hygiene, and should pee after sex or after having an orgasm. If you sweat heavily, change your underwear.
Do not take the content of this article as professional medical advice. It's important to exercise due diligence when obtaining relevant information in matters pertaining to your health. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any medical decisions.