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
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
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
Kidney Infection Treatment Antibiotics for kidney infections 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. Usually, the signs and symptoms of a kidney infection begin to clear up within a few days of\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\/98"}],"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=98"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}