Home remedies may help ease symptoms of a kidney infection when used in addition to prescribed treatment from a doctor. Kidney infections can be serious if not treated.
A kidney infection is a serious medical condition that requires prompt treatment. These infections often start as a urinary tract infection (UTI) or a bladder infection and then spreads to affect one or both kidneys.
While most kidney infections are easy to treat and recover from quickly, in rare cases, they can lead to serious health problems, especially if left untreated.
Not only that, but not properly treating an infection can leave you feeling pretty uncomfortable, as symptoms like painful urination are anything but pleasant.
You may be able to use home remedies together with your prescribed medical treatment to ease some symptoms and improve kidney health, but you shouldn’t try to treat yourself alone. Always go to a doctor first, for diagnosis and to discuss treatment options.
What is a kidney infection?
A kidney infection, also known as pyelonephritis, usually forms when a urinary tract infection spreads to one or both of your kidneys.
The kidneys filter waste products from your blood and into your urine and regulate the water and electrolyte content in your blood. These are both essential health functions.
Kidney infections are usually caused by bacteria that has entered your kidneys and bladder by way of your urinary tract. They can also be caused by bacteria from another infection elsewhere in your body, bladder or kidney surgery, or a blockage of urine flow such as by a kidney stone, tumor or enlarged prostate.
They can be either sudden or chronic and usually quite painful. They can also be serious and life threatening if not treated appropriately.
People assigned female at birth tend to be more susceptible to kidney infections because their urethras are shorter than those of people assigned male. This makes it easier for bacteria to enter their urinary tract, especially since it’s closer to the vagina and anus. Pregnancy increases this risk factor.
Other risk factors include:
- being prone to urinary tract infections
- having a weakened immune system
- having problems regularly emptying your bladder completely when urinating
Symptoms of a kidney infection
Kidney infection symptoms usually appear about 2 days after initial infection and can vary between children and adults. Common symptoms among adults include:
