Understanding Kidney Infections, Symptoms, and Treatment - Legacy ER

A kidney infection is a type of urinary tract infection (UTI). It happens when harmful bacteria reach one or both organs. The condition, known as pyelonephritis, is a serious one. If kidney infection symptoms persist, severe complications may arise.

Kidneys are essential to your health. They filter waste and remove unwanted materials from the blood. The waste is then dumped out of your body as urine.

What Is the Cause of Kidney Infections?

Most UTIs do not involve the kidneys. It usually affects the bladder and urethra, where urine passes. However, the bacteria can sometimes reach the exit of the urethra and start spreading upward toward the kidneys.

A common bacterium that causes the infection is Escherichia coli or E. Coli, which resides in the intestines. One way bacteria travels to the kidneys is if someone wipes their anus back to front after a bowel movement. That motion enables the bacteria to touch the urethra. The bacteria can travel up the urinary tract until it reaches the kidneys.

Another way the kidneys can get infected is due to blockage. A stone, tumor, or problem in the urinary tract shape can prevent the flow of urine, causing an infection. Bacteria can also travel from anywhere else in the body to the bloodstream, ending up in the kidneys.

Who Are at Risk of Kidney Infections?

Anyone can get a kidney infection. However, women are more prone than men because the urethra in females is closely positioned to the anus. That gives E. Coli a higher chance of getting to the kidney. Another factor is that women have shorter urethras, making it faster for bacteria to travel.

Other risk factors for kidney infection are:

• A blockage in the urinary tract
• Damage to the nerves around the bladder
• Use of a urinary catheter
• A weakened immune system due to other health conditions

How to Identify Kidney Infection Symptoms?

There are several potential kidney infection symptoms that people experience with this condition. Some are more common than others, but the primary concern starts when urine becomes abnormal.

One of the symptoms of kidney infections is a burning pain when urinating. Another is having the urge to urinate only to find a few drops being expelled. Foul-smelling urine is also another common symptom.

Observing urine for kidney infection symptoms is very effective. Other signs to look out for are:

• Fever
• Chills
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting

What Is the Best Kidney Infection Treatment?

Kidney infection treatment depends on the severity of the condition. The doctor can prescribe oral antibiotics for mild infections. The type of antibiotics would depend on the bacteria or symptoms of the patient.

Antibiotic treatment would last for two to three weeks. After taking all the medication, the patient takes another round of tests to ensure that the bacteria is gone.

Visit Legacy ER & Urgent Care for Kidney Infection Treatment

If you notice that you or someone close to you exhibits kidney infection symptoms, you should go to a doctor immediately. That is a condition you do not want to neglect. The more time it has to cultivate, the more damage it can do.

Kidney infection complications include:

• Spreading the bacteria and infection through the bloodstream
• Kidney failure
• Renal scarring

Legacy ER & Urgent Care is here to meet your medical care needs by providing affordable pricing and quality care. As part of Intuitive Health’s innovative hybrid model ER and urgent care system, patients are only billed for the level of care they receive from professional and highly trained medical staff. With six facilities located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, emergent and non-emergent care are accessible and transparent, focusing on superb customer service.

Legacy ER & Urgent Care has six convenient locations in the DFW area:

• Allen – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 1310 W. Exchange Pkwy Allen, TX 75013, and may be reached at 972-526-5819.
• Coppell – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 330 S Denton Tap Rd Coppell, TX 75019 and may be reached at 469-702-9917.
• Frisco East – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 16151 Eldorado Pkwy Frisco, TX 75035 and may be reached at 972-526-7009.
• Frisco West – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 9205 Legacy Dr. Frisco, TX 75033, and may be reached at 972-526-7020.
• McKinney – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 2810 Hardin Blvd McKinney, TX 75072 and may be reached at 972-573-6688.
• North Richland Hills – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 8950 N. Tarrant Pkwy North Richland Hills, TX 76182, and may be reached at 817-663-1247