To confirm that you have a kidney infection, you\u2019ll likely be asked to provide a urine sample to test for bacteria, blood or pus in your urine. Your doctor might also take a blood sample for a culture \u2014 a lab test that checks for bacteria or other organisms in your blood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other tests might include an ultrasound, CT scan or a type of X-ray called a voiding cystourethrogram. A voiding cystourethrogram involves injecting a contrast dye to take X-rays of the bladder when full and while urinating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Antibiotics are the first line of treatment for kidney infections. Which drugs you use and for how long depend on your health and the bacteria found in your urine tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Usually, the signs and symptoms of a kidney infection begin to clear up within a few days of treatment. But you might need to continue antibiotics for a week or longer. Take the entire course of antibiotics recommended by your doctor even after you feel better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your doctor might recommend a repeat urine culture to ensure the infection has cleared. If the infection is still present, you\u2019ll need to take another course of antibiotics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your kidney infection is severe, your doctor might admit you to the hospital. Treatment might include antibiotics and fluids that you receive through a vein in your arm (intravenously). How long you\u2019ll stay in the hospital depends on the severity of your condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An underlying medical problem such as a misshapen urinary tract can cause you to get repeated kidney infections. In that case, you might be referred to a kidney specialist (nephrologist) or urinary surgeon (urologist) for an evaluation. You might need surgery to repair a structural abnormality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To reduce discomfort while you recover from a kidney infection, you might:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll likely start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. If your doctor suspects your infection has spread to your kidneys, you might be referred to a doctor who treats conditions that affect the urinary tract (urologist).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you make the appointment, ask if there\u2019s anything you need to do in advance, such as restrict your diet for certain tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make a list of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take a family member or friend along, if possible, to help you remember the information you\u2019re given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For kidney infection, questions to ask your doctor include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t hesitate to ask other questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your doctor is likely to ask you questions, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Diagnosis To confirm that you have a kidney infection, you\u2019ll likely be asked to provide a urine sample to test for bacteria, blood or pus in your urine. Your doctor might also take a blood sample for a culture \u2014 a lab test that checks for bacteria or other organisms in your blood. Other tests\u2026 Read More »<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}