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Signs & Symptoms of Severe Kidney Infection

A kidney infection, also known as pyelonephritis, can be dangerous. Infection occurs when bacteria enter your urinary tract, travel through the urethra and multiply. Bacteria from other places in the body can also enter the bloodstream and infect the kidneys. This can happen rarely after kidney failure. Well-established treatments exist for kidney infection, and hospitalization is necessary for acute infections. Your doctor will determine which course of treatment is best for you after diagnosis.

  1. Acute or Chronic Infections

    • Signs and symptoms can occur either very quickly or very slowly during a kidney infection. An acute kidney infection starts rapidly and symptoms subside quickly. A chronic kidney infection grows worse with time and symptoms resist treatment for a longer interval. Chronic kidney infection can eventually lead to kidney failure. Conditions like pregnancy, diabetes, cancer, kidney stones, and abnormalities of the urinary tract lower immunities and make you more susceptible to the type of bacteria that causes kidney infection.

    Symptoms and Signs

    • Symptoms and signs usually come on very quickly and include fever, chills, pain, upset stomach, low back pain, vomiting, constant need to urinate or an inability to urinate, blood or pus in the urine and painful urination. Other symptoms are malaise, nausea and abdominal pain. If you experience any of these symptoms, a doctor should examine you as quickly as possible. Hospitalization is necessary if you experience a severe kidney infection.

    Treatment

    • Antibiotics are used first to treat the infection. Although you will begin to feel better a few days into treatment, you must still take the whole course of antibiotics to ensure complete recovery. During hospitalization, you will receive medicine intravenously. The duration of your treatment depends on your condition at arrival. Recurrent kidney infections require the care of a specialist, either a nephrologist or urinary surgeon (urologist). Surgery may be required for complete healing.

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