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Can You Treat A Kidney Infection At Home?
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.
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.
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:
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:
In children under 2 years old, a kidney infection may only come with a high fever as a symptom. Adults over 65 may only experience mental confusion and jumbled speech as their symptoms.
If a kidney infection isn't treated swiftly or appropriately, symptoms can become severe and result in sepsis, which is a life threatening condition. Sepsis symptoms include:
UTIs are uncomfortable, but they're not an immediate medical emergency. Some people make the mistake of assuming the same is true with a kidney infection.
Kidney infections are serious conditions that do require medical attention. Untreated, a kidney infection can quickly cause long-term kidney damage or kidney scarring. These infections can also cause sepsis, which can lead to sepic shock.
Because of this, a kidney infection can be fatal if it progresses. It's important to have it treated immediately by a healthcare professional.
Note that kidney stones, if left untreated, can also cause a blockage that can lead to infection and sepsis. This may require a procedure done with intravenous antibiotics by a urologist.
Medical treatment for kidney infections
Antibiotics are always the first line of defense against a kidney infection. If the kidney infection isn't severe, a doctor will likely give you oral antibiotics to take once or twice a day for 7 to 14 days.
It's important to take the entire course of antibiotics, even if you feel better within several days. Stopping early could lead to antibiotic resistance or re-infection. A doctor will also encourage you to drink plenty of water.
In some cases, kidney infections may require going to the hospital. You'll be given fluids and antibiotics intravenously through an IV, both of which can help treat the infection.
In addition, lab work and imaging may be done to determine the severity of the infection as well as the cause, such as a blockage due to a kidney stone or anatomical abnormality.
If you have recurring UTIs that increase your risk of frequent kidney infections, a doctor will help you establish the cause of their frequency and help you prevent further infections from occurring.
Some people prefer to treat medical conditions with home remedies or complementary remedies.
Because of how serious kidney infections are, it's important that you don't rely on home remedies. Instead, take the prescription antibiotics a 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.
1. Drink a lot of water
Drinking plenty of water can help flush bacteria from the body, helping eliminate the infection faster. It can also help clear out the entire urinary system.
Drinking plenty of water can also help prevent UTIs that can lead to kidney infections, so it's a good practice to keep. You should aim to drink at least eight glasses of fluids daily.
2. Drink cranberry juice
Cranberry juice has long been used as a remedy for UTIs and bladder infections. There's some evidence that drinking cranberry juice may help or prevent UTIs in some people.
Many people prefer the sweet flavor of cranberry juice to water. However, cranberry juices full of added sweeteners aren't great for you. A cranberry supplement or pure cranberry juice is a better alternative to get the benefits of cranberries.
3. 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.
4. Take probiotics
Probiotics have two big benefits when it comes to treating kidney infections.
The first is that they'll help keep your body's healthy bacteria in check, even though the antibiotics may get rid of both "good" and "bad" bacteria.
There's also evidence that probiotics can aid in decreasing antibiotic-associated diarrhea in patients.
You can find probiotics at your local grocery store, online, or through a subscription service, like Uqora.
5. Get some vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect tissues in the body from oxidative stress, which can help promote kidney health.
There's also older animal-based research from 2003 and 2011 that shows that vitamin C can prevent kidney scarring during acute kidney infection and boost the enzymes within the kidneys.
6. Try parsley juice
Parsley juice is a nutrient-dense diuretic that can increase the frequency and amount of urination. This can help flush out the bacteria in the kidneys faster, making antibiotics even more effective.
If you don't like the taste of parsley outright, you can mix it into a smoothie with strong-flavored fruits, including cranberries or blueberries for best results.
7. Consume apples and apple juice
Apples are also nutrient-dense. Their high acid content may help the kidneys maintain acidity in the urine, possibly inhibiting the additional growth of bacteria.
8. Take an Epsom salt bath
Both Epsom salts and warm water can ease pain. This can help make the uncomfortable side effects of the kidney infection a little more tolerable while you wait for the antibiotics to take effect.
Since abdominal pain is sometimes a symptom of antibiotics, as well as kidney infections, Epsom salts could also help even after symptoms from the kidney infection are resolved.
9. Use non-aspirin pain relievers
Nonaspirin pain relievers can help relieve discomfort. Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can also help break fevers caused by the infection.
However, note that if you have kidney dysfunction or acute kidney injury as a result of a kidney infection, it's important to avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve).
10. Apply heat
While you wait for the antibiotics to kick in, you can use heat therapy to reduce pain. Apply a heating pad or a hot water bottle to the affected area, and keep it on for about 20 minutes at a time.
How long does a kidney infection last?
Most people start to feel better once they've been taking prescribed antibiotics for a few days. Antibiotics are typically prescribed for a course of 2 weeks. It's important to take the entire course even if you feel better before you're done.
Does your urine change color during a kidney infection?
You may sometimes experience dark reddish-brown or cloudy urine with a kidney infection. If you haven't seen a doctor or haven't been diagnosed, this is a telltale sign that you should get checked out.
How can you improve your kidney health?
Lifestyle habits that benefit your overall health, like staying hydrated and exercising regularly, can be vastly beneficial to your kidney health.
Similarly, you shouldn't smoke, and you should go see your doctor for regular checkups to monitor your blood pressure. If you're at risk for kidney infections, you should have your kidneys tested and monitored.
What To Know About Kidney Infections
Kidney infections (pyelonephritis) can occur when bacteria from the urinary tract travel up the urethra and affect one or both kidneys.
Sometimes, the bacteria that cause kidney, or renal, infections come from another part of the urinary tract, such as the bladder, ureters, or urethra.
Kidney infections most commonly affect people who already have a bladder infection, females, and those who are pregnant.
People who experience symptoms of a kidney infection should seek medical attention as soon as possible, as the condition may cause permanent kidney damage or spread to other parts of the body.
This article will explain the symptoms of a kidney infection and how doctors diagnose and treat it.
Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article will use the terms "male," "female," or both to refer to sex assigned at birth. Click here to learn more.
Males and females with a kidney infection may have similar symptoms.
The American Kidney Fund notes that females are more likely to contract a kidney infection. A female's urethra is typically shorter than that of a male. A female's vagina and anus are also closer to the urethra. This can make it easier for bacteria to enter the body via the urinary tract. Pregnant people are also more likely to develop a UTI or kidney infection.
A kidney infection develops due to bacteria or viruses entering the urethra and reproducing in the bladder, triggering an infection. Typically, a kidney infection results from a bladder infection that travels to the kidneys.
An infection may happen when pathogens transfer from the bowel to the genitals during sexual intercourse or through accidental transference of feces to the urethra while wiping with toilet paper after a bowel movement.
The American Kidney Fund notes that risk factors of kidney infection include:
If a person suspects they have a kidney infection, their doctor or another healthcare professional will likely recommend a urine test. The usual course of treatment for a kidney infection is antibiotics, though some people require other forms of treatment.
Antibiotics
If a person's symptoms suggest an infection, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics before the test results return. A person may also take pain relief.
It is essential to finish the whole course of antibiotics. When test results return, the healthcare professional may change the antibiotic to one that will treat the infection more effectively.
Types of antibiotics
The antibiotics a doctor prescribes depend on the individual and their medical history. Some people may be sensitivite to certain antibiotics. The first treatment usually involves a general antibiotic, with stronger medication available if the first one fails.
Antibiotics for the treatment of a kidney infection may include:
Fluids
When a person has a kidney infection, it is essential to consume plenty of fluids to help prevent fever and dehydration. Fluid intake recommendations may vary depending on the type of infection.
Hospital treatment
A person whose symptoms are not improving or who has more severe symptoms may require treatment in the hospital. Some people may need intravenous antibiotic treatment through a vein in their arm.
If a person experiences dehydration, fluids may be administered with a drip. According to the NHS, people will stay in the hospital for 3 to 7 days.
Surgery
A person who has a kidney stone or enlarged prostate that is blocking their urinary tract may require treatment through surgery.
What Is A Kidney Infection? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, And Prevention
Kidney infections can be caused by bacteria or viruses that spread in your urinary tract, but bacterial infections are much more common.
In fact, about 90 percent of kidney infections are caused by a single type of bacteria, Eschericia coli, or E. Coli. (2)
The infection is thought to occur from bacteria that travel from your gastrointestinal tract to your skin surface, through your urethra to your bladder, then through the tubes (known as ureters) that connect your bladder and kidneys.
Normally, urine flushes any potentially harmful bacteria out of your ureters before they can cause an infection. But sometimes this doesn't happen due to the following conditions:
It's also possible for bacteria from your bloodstream to enter your kidneys and cause an infection. This happens most commonly with staphylococcus, or staph, bacteria. (2)
Kidney infections that spread from your bloodstream tend to develop after surgery or as a consequence of another infection elsewhere in the body. For example, if an artificial joint or heart valve becomes infected, the kidneys can become secondarily infected.
It's very uncommon for kidney surgery to lead to a kidney infection. (3)
A number of factors can increase your risk of developing a kidney infection:
Being a Woman In women, the urethral opening — where urine exits the body — is close to the vagina and anus, which makes it easy for bacteria from these orifices to enter the urethra. In men, the urethral opening is further away from the anus.
Women's urethras are also shorter than men's, which makes it easier for bacteria to travel to the bladder and cause an infection. (3)
Being Sexually Active Especially for women, having sex can make it easier for bacteria in your genital area or anus to enter your urethra.
Using condoms with spermicidal coating also raises the risk that a woman will develop a UTI. (4)
Being Pregnant When you're pregnant, your enlarged uterus can press against and squeeze your ureters, reducing the flow of urine from your kidneys to your bladder.
This reduced urine flow can make it easier for bacteria in your bladder to migrate into your kidneys. (2)
Having Impaired Urine Flow The flow of urine throughout your urinary tract is an important barrier against infection. This flow can be slowed by a narrowed urethra, enlarged prostate, or kidney stone. (1)
Having a Weakened Immune System Your immune system can be weakened by health conditions such as diabetes, HIV, and cancer, or by certain drugs.
Wearing a Catheter Long-term use of a urinary catheter to drain urine from the bladder, such as during a surgical procedure or hospital stay, raises the risk of developing a UTI.
Having Nerve Damage If you have a spinal cord injury or nerve damage around your bladder, you may not notice when you develop a bladder infection, which can allow it to progress to your kidneys more easily.
Having Urine Reflux Problems A medical condition called vesicoureteral reflux results in small amounts of urine flowing backward from your bladder into your kidneys, potentially carrying bacteria with it.
Vesicoureteral reflux is most likely to be diagnosed during childhood.
Having Trouble Emptying Your Bladder If your bladder doesn't empty fully, known as urinary retention, the remaining urine can contribute to developing an infection. (3)
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