Signs of kidney infection

Overview A kidney infection is more likely than a lower UTI to suddenly make you feel sick, give you a fever or cause pain in your lower back or side. What is a kidney infection (pyelonephritis)? A kidney infection (pyelonephritis) is a type of Kidney infections can be more serious than lower UTIs. See a healthcare provider if you have symptoms of a kidney infection. How common are kidney infections? About 1 in 2,000 people get a kidney infection every year in the U.S. How can you tell the difference between a kidney infection and a UTI? A kidney infection is a type of urinary tract infection (UTI). But when people say “UTI,” they often mean a lower urinary tract infection, or infection of their bladder or Symptoms and Causes What are the signs and symptoms of a kidney infection? Symptoms of a kidney infection include: • Fever. • Chills. • Pain in your lower back or side. • • Bloody or cloudy pee ( • Urgent or What causes kidney infections? • E. coli. • Proteus mirabilis. • Enterobacter. • Staphylococcus. How do you get a kidney infection? Your kidneys make pee (urine) to get rid of waste. The pee moves through tubes (ureters) to your bladder (a pouch that holds your pee until you go to the bathroom). From there, it moves through another tube (urethra) to leave your body. This usually cleans out any bacteria or other germs with it. Sometimes, bacteria can move upwards into your body and infect parts of your urinary tract, including your urethra, bladder ( What are the risk...

Symptoms of kidney infection usually appear two days after infection. Your symptoms may vary, depending on your age. Common symptoms include: • pain in your abdomen, back, groin, or side • nausea or vomiting • frequent urination or the feeling that you have to urinate • burning or pain while urinating • pus or blood in your urine • bad-smelling or cloudy urine • chills • fever Children under 2 years old with a kidney infection may have only a high fever. People over 65 may only have problems like mental confusion and jumbled speech. If the infection is not treated promptly, symptoms could worsen, leading to • fever • chills • rapid breathing and heart rate • rash • confusion You have two fist-sized kidneys in your upper abdomen, one on each side. They filter waste products out of your blood and into your urine. They also regulate the water and electrolytes contained in your blood. Kidney function is essential for your health. Most kidney infections are caused by bacteria or viruses that enter the kidneys from the urinary tract. A common bacterial cause is Escherichia coli ( E. coli). These bacteria are found in your intestine and can enter the urinary tract through the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine out from your body. The bacteria multiply and spread from there to the bladder and kidneys. Other causes of kidney infections are less common and include: • bacteria from an infection somewhere else in your body, such as from an artificial joint, that sprea...

A kidney infection, also called pyelonephritis, is when bacteria or viruses cause problems in one or both of your kidneys. It’s a type of urinary tract infection (UTI). Your Your urinary tract is made up of your: • Kidneys. These clean waste from your • Ureters. These thin tubes, one for each kidney, carry urine to your bladder. • Bladder . This stores urine. • Urethra. This tube carries urine from your bladder to outside your body. If any of these parts gets germs in it, you can get a But if the bad bacteria or viruses travel up your ureters, you can get a Kidney Infection Symptoms • Blood or pus in your pee • • Loss of appetite • Pain in your lower back, side, or groin • Upset stomach or vomiting • You may also have some of the symptoms of a bladder infection, such as: • Burning or pain when you pee • A constant urge to pee, even soon after you empty your bladder • Cloudy or bad-smelling urine • Pain in your lower belly • Peeing much more often than usual Call your doctor if you have these symptoms, especially if you have a bladder infection and you’re not getting better. Kidney Infection Causes Kidney infections usually start with a E. coli are most often the cause. Other bacteria or viruses can also cause kidney infections. It’s rare, but an infection can also get in through your Kidney Infection Risk Factors Anyone can get a kidney infection. But just as women get more bladder infections than men, they also get more kidney infections. A woman’s urethra is shorter than...

Male urinary system Your urinary system includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. The urinary system removes waste from the body through urine. The kidneys are located toward the back of the upper abdomen. They filter waste and fluid from the blood and produce urine. Urine moves from the kidneys through narrow tubes to the bladder. These tubes are called the ureters. The bladder stores urine until it's time to urinate. Urine leaves the body through another small tube called the urethra. A kidney infection is a type of urinary tract infection (UTI). A kidney infection may begin in the tube that carries urine from the body (urethra) or in the bladder. The infection can travel to one or both kidneys. A kidney infection is also called pyelonephritis. A kidney infection needs prompt medical treatment. If not treated properly, an infection can cause lasting damage to the kidneys. Or the bacteria can spread to the bloodstream and cause a dangerous infection. Symptoms Symptoms of a kidney infection might include: • Fever • Chills • A burning feeling or pain when urinating • Having to urinate often • A strong, lasting urge to urinate • Back, side or groin pain • Nausea and vomiting • Pus or blood in the urine • Urine that smells bad or is cloudy • Belly pain When to see a doctor Make an appointment with your health care provider if you have symptoms of a kidney infection. Also see your provider if you're being treated for a UTI but your symptoms aren't getting better. A s...

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a very common type of infection, particularly in females. In fact, estimates suggest that Most UTIs affect the urethra or the bladder. However, if the infection spreads to the kidneys, it can become much more serious. In some cases, a kidney infection will require treatment in a hospital. In this article, we’ll discuss kidney infections in more detail, including the symptoms to look for and when to seek medical care. 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 • Urine changes. If you have a kidney infection, you may notice that your urine is • Urgent, painful urination. A UTI can irritate the lining of your urinary tract. As a result, you may feel the • Fever. People with a kidney infection typically develop a • Chills. • Nausea or vomiting. The infection may cause you to It’s 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. Kidney infections are serious and require timely care so that they don’t cause complications. According to a Deciding where you should go for medical treatment can be confusing, especially when you’re in severe pain. Below, we explain how to know when to see a doctor and when to go to the hospital. When to make an office appointment If you ha...

If you have a vagina, you have likely felt (or will probably eventually feel) the pain of a All that is to say: If you’re dealing with UTI symptoms and thinking, “Eh, I can wait a few more days to get those antibiotics,” you may want to reconsider. You’ll be better off dealing with the infection pronto. What is a kidney infection? A kidney infection, or what doctors call pyelonephritis, is a type of urinary tract infection that most often originates from the bladder (a lower urinary tract infection) and spreads up into one or both of the kidneys. These infections can be caused by bacteria or viruses, but the bacteria Escherichia coli ( E. coli) is a common culprit, according to the E. coli are usually harmless and found in your intestines, but the bacteria can wreak havoc when they make their way into the urinary tract, according to the Kidney infection versus UTI: What’s the difference? Kidney infections are a type of UTI, but it’s often more aggressive because the bladder infection has spread further up the urinary tract. So, if you hold off on seeking treatment, things can maybe start to get dicey. “This is a serious organ infection and people need to take care of it,” What causes a kidney infection and what risk factors should be considered? How do the bacteria get to your bladder in the first place, you ask? Well, usually the bacteria move from the anus (remember, E. coli is common in the GI tract) to the urethra, the small tube that carries urine out of your body—and...

For more than a decade, Ruth has written for multiple outlets providing patient education, including Health and Verywell. She has written for health student education companies, collaborating on an anatomy textbook project with McGraw-Hill. Ruth also enjoys writing for young audiences, as in her book on the changes of puberty. When writing for health professionals, Ruth minimizes unnecessary technical language in news and magazine pieces. For all audiences, Ruth provides highly accessible and relevant content. Symptoms in Children Generally, children over the age of five tend to experience similar kidney infection symptoms as adults. However, kidney infections and UTIs are often more difficult to diagnose in younger children. This may occur because children may not always know how to describe the pain they are feeling. Symptoms in Older Adults In addition to the hallmark kidney infection symptoms, older adults are also at risk of developing psychological and cognitive changes. This may include confusion, trouble thinking, issues with memory, or a change in mood. Even in adults who are cognitively sharp, psychological changes can occur quickly during an infection. A Quick Review A kidney infection—also known as pyelonephritis—is a type of urinary tract infection (UTI). Kidney infections develop in a minority of people who first get lower UTIs that affect the urethra or bladder. Those who develop kidney infections will experience UTI-related symptoms such as changes in urina...