When To Seek Medical Attention
If you experience any symptoms of a kidney infection or a UTI more generally, its important to see a health professional to have them evaluated right away.
This is true especially if certain symptoms seem to appear suddenly, indicating that your UTI is spreading or growing more severe.
A kidney infection that isnt treated effectively can become chronic , potentially causing permanent damage to your kidneys that impairs their function.
An untreated kidney infection can also lead to dangerous complications in the short term, such as a blood infection . Symptoms of sepsis include:
- Fever and chills
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Going For Urgent Care For Uti
When a patient visits an emergency room for urgent care for a UTI, the doctors may analyze the patients urine sample to look for bacteria. The doctors will also look for red blood cells or white blood cells. Doctors may also use a urine culture. This will involve growing any bacteria found in the urine to determine which bacteria have been causing the patients infection. This can help the doctor prescribe the most effective medications.
Generally, the first treatments for UTI infections are antibiotics. These can help to kill the bacteria that are causing the infection. The doctor will determine which type of antibiotics to use depending on the patients condition and what type of bacteria is causing this infection. Some medications can include Ceftriaxone and Nitrofurantoin.
What Are Potential Kidney Infection Complications
Most people recover 100% from a kidney infectionbut there is the possibility of serious complications if one is left untreated. As we mentioned, a kidney infection that doesnt get treated can cause a condition known as sepsis. This happens when your body responds overzealously to an infection, which can lead to a dangerous drop in blood pressure and cause the body to go into shock, according to the NIDDK. This can make your organs fail, which, in the most extreme cases, can lead to death.
Even in non-life-threatening cases, if you have a kidney infection that becomes chronic, you can wind up with permanent kidney damage that can cause problems like kidney disease or high blood pressure. In pregnant people, untreated kidney infections can also increase the risk of having a baby with low birth weight, notes the Mayo Clinic.
All of that sounds scary, but heres whats most important to know: A kidney infection is treatable. Its all about how soon you seek treatment once you start experiencing kidney infection symptoms.
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What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Utis
UTIs can cause such signs as:
- pain, burning, or a stinging sensation when peeing
- an increased urge or more frequent need to pee
- waking up at night a lot to go to the bathroom
- belly pain in the area of the bladder
- foul-smelling pee that may look cloudy or contain blood
If you have any symptoms of a UTI, you’ll need to go to a doctor right away. The sooner you begin treatment, the less uncomfortable you’ll be. Call your doctor’s office or clinic. If you can’t reach your doctor, you can visit an urgent care center or hospital emergency room. The most important thing is to take action as soon as possible.
What Causes Kidney Infections
The most common cause of kidney infections is when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the tube that carries urine from your body and multiplies and travels to the kidneys.
Bacteria from an infection elsewhere in your body also can spread through your bloodstream to your kidneys, such as if you have an artificial joint or heart valve that becomes infected. These instances are certainly more rare, but they can happen. Weve listed some common symptoms of kidney infections below.
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Is It Safe To Take Antibiotics Long
While there are some common side effects and risk for creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, it is safe to take antibiotics preventively under the guidance of your physician.
If you have recurring UTIs , you may benefit from a low-dose prophylactic antibiotic, Dr. Sussman said. Some may require intermittent treatment at the sign of symptoms, while others may require a single dose after sexual intercourse or when symptoms occur. However, its important you discuss the underlying causes with your doctor before being prescribed antibiotics prophylactically.
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When To Seek Urgent Care Or Go To The Hospital
Some symptoms point to a more severe infection that needs prompt medical attention.
Go to an urgent care center or hospital if you have any of the symptoms below, which may or may not occur alongside the other UTI symptoms listed above:
- back or side pain
- nausea or vomiting
Kidney infections can cause potentially serious complications. If you feel like something isnt right, dont hesitate to seek care as soon as possible.
Without treatment, a kidney infection can cause serious complications. These can include:
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You Are Not Taking Care Of Your Hygiene
The female anatomy was not built to our benefit, so more effort must be put in order to avoid infection. The female urethra is shorter than a male urethra, making the distance bacteria need to travel much shorter and easier. Bacteria like to grow in moist areas, so its important to keep our body clean and dry. During menstruation, pads and tampons should be changed often.
You Can Visit An Urgent Care Center For Uti Treatment
Its likely you trust your OB/GYN or primary care physician to help determine the best course of treatment when ailments arise. But demands for medical care can make it difficult for you to get in to see you doctor, not to mention if you develop symptoms for a urinary tract infection at a time when your physicians office is closed.
Urgent care centers, like GoHealth Urgent Care, routinely treat UTIs. With extended hours and same-day walk-in appointments, its easy to get answers and relief from a healthcare professional. At a GoHealth Urgent Care center, well perform a urine test, also known as a urinalysis, to determine if you do indeed have a UTI. On-site laboratories allow us to review urine cultures and ensure we prescribe, if necessary, the best course and type of antibiotic treatment for you.
If seeing your OB/GYN or primary care physician is not an option, and youre wondering whether to go to an urgent care center or the emergency room, you should consider these differences. Emergency rooms are usually reserved for just that emergency or life-threatening situations, like strokes, head trauma or difficulty breathing. UTIs, while painful, are not life-threatening, especially if caught and treated early. Plus, visiting an urgent care center for UTIs typically costs far less than an emergency room, and may be covered by your health insurance.
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Seek Immediate Medical Treatment
A urinary tract infection must be treated by a medical professional. At-home remedies never work, said Dr. Khan. They may slow the bacterial growth but they wont fully reverse the infection. Its not an invasive or difficult treatment, so come to Medco ER right away and get the help you need to get over the UTI.
If left untreated, a life-threatening condition of widespread infection, called sepsis, may occur. Or, the kidneys may be permanently damaged. If you are experiencing painful urination or have any of the above symptoms, come to Medco ER & Urgent Care right away.
For Uti Treatment Find A Southstar Urgent Care Near You
Its crucial for you to understand UTI symptoms and when to see a doctor. A UTI might be highly uncomfortable, but it can also present severe issues if left untreated. Seek medical care so you can prevent any complications and quickly get back to feeling better.
SouthStar Urgent Care providers are dedicated to providing exceptional and compassionate care for all patients. With a network of over 20 clinics, find a location near you and our friendly providers will address your concerns and get you on a treatment plan for quick relief.
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Signs Of A Possible Kidney Infection
Our kidneys are responsible for filtering our blood in order to produce urine, meaning they are a vital part of our urinary system. Two tubes carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, and from there urine travels out of the body through the urethra. Sometimes, bacteria can enter our bodies through the urethra and travel to our bladder and up the ureters to our kidneys. In fact, most kidney infections arise as complications of bladder infections, and require immediate medical attention.
A urinary tract infection, or UTI, have likely caused a large number of women to experience painful symptoms and look for immediate treatment. Public health experts suggest that 1 in 2 women will have at least one UTI in their entire lifetime, which means that finding the appropriate treatment option is key to keep your infection from worsening.
The good news is that urgent care centers and local walk-in clinics, are an ideal medical option for treating a UTI. Many patients may not realize that urgent care centers can help guide patients through a diagnosis, provide treatment, and continue care through an easily-accessible medical clinic.
So what do patients need to know about UTI treatment? How does an urgent care center help?
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When To Call Our Emergency Dentist
Our emergency dentist will be able to diagnose the underlying cause of your pain. For example, you may have an infected tooth if a cavity is deep enough to penetrate the pulp. Likewise, experiencing dental pain upon waking up could mean you grind your teeth at night. The only way to know for certain is to request an appointment with our emergency dentist.
Visit our dentist for these emergencies:
- Severe tooth pain
- A broken tooth or large piece of the tooth is missing
- A large chip or crack in the tooth
Dont put off seeing our emergency dentist. The sooner you seek urgent dental care, the sooner well be able to treat issues before they grow. This could mean the difference between you needing a filling and an emergency root canal. We always try to save as much natural tooth structure as possible. Yet, this can be difficult if you wait until the last minute to seek emergency dental care.
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How To Prevent A Kidney Infection
Preventing a kidney infection is really all about preventing a urinary tract infection and getting prompt treatment if you ever get one. While youve probably heard that guzzling cranberry juice or taking certain supplements can keep UTIs away, the science is far too mixed to consider either of these a definitive way to prevent UTIs, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Heres a more science-backed tip to take note of: Whenever you feel a potential bladder infection coming on, make it a habit to drink enough water every day to stay hydrated. That will ensure youre peeing often enough to help flush out bacteria that could possibly lead to a urinary tract infection. The NIDDK recommends peeing as often as you get the urge, but definitely at least every three to four hours, since urine hanging out in your bladder for too long may help bacteria to grow.
Dr. Kaufman also says peeing after you have sex, if you can, might be helpful if you tend to develop UTIs after sex. Theres not a ton of evidence to back this up as a prevention strategy, but it doesnt do any harm to make a habit of it. For people with vaginas that get recurrent infections that only happen after sex, your doctor may recommend a single dose of a prophylactic antibiotic that you can take each time you have sex to help prevent infection.4
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How Dentists Treat An Abscessed Tooth
When you seek urgent care for tooth abscess, your dentist will treat it or refer you to an endodontist, a specialist whos trained to work with abscessed teeth. The goal is to drain the infection and try to save the tooth. The procedures involved are very safe and focus solely on your comfort, health, and full recovery.
- Draining the abscess: After applying anesthesia, your dentist will make a small incision to the affected area, and use suction to drain the abscess. In rare cases, dental surgery may be required.
- Root canal: The best way to save your tooth is to perform a root canal. This involves drilling into your tooth to clean the pulp and the root canals that go down into your gums. After filling the empty spaces, youll either get a tooth filling or a crown. In both cases, your restored tooth will look and feel just like all your other teeth.
- Tooth extraction: If your tooth cannot be saved, your dentist or endodontist will remove the affected tooth. They will then discuss options to replace your missing tooth and fix your smile. This may include dental implants.
After the procedure, you may be prescribed antibiotics, especially if the infection has spread beyond the jaw area. Apply a warm, moist compress to the area to help keep swelling down, and rinse your mouth with warm salt water several times per day to stimulate local blood flow and help relieve pain.
Who Is At Risk Of Getting Kidney Infections
Anyone can get a kidney infection. However, certain people are at a higher risk, such as
- Sexually active men and women who hold urine in or use spermicide and diaphragms.
- Postmenopausal women, men with an enlarged prostate gland, and people with health conditions like urinary incontinence and glycosuria .
- People with congenital abnormal anatomies, such as a misshapen urinary tract or vesicoureteral reflux .
- Certain people who are genetically predisposed to repeated kidney infections.
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Can Emergency Room Treat Abscessed Tooth
Any person, irrespective of age, can experience an abscessed tooth. An abscess is described as a pocket containing pus that is formed around the root of an infected tooth. If you or another person within your vicinity shows signs of having an abscessed tooth, it is crucial to know that it will not get better without medical help. You will need treatment from a specialist to ensure that your health is not compromised. If it is left unattended to, the infection can even spread beyond the jaw to the neck, head, or other parts. To avert this risk, it is essential to seek emergency services. Frontline ER would be an excellent option for those with an abscessed tooth or are feeling tooth pain.
An abscessed tooth is a threat to ones body thus making it an emergency
People do not visit their dentist as is prescribed
Customarily, people are advised to see their dentist regularly. However, people do not do so. Nevertheless, regular checkups would have allowed the dentist to detect the impending condition, and the tooth could have been removed. Alternatively, a root canal could have been performed to avert the loss of the tooth. Nevertheless, people tend to be reluctant or constrained by their financial circumstances to follow the proper dental care. Experiencing an abscessed tooth means that it has reached the emergency stage, and immediate attention to it is imperative. Visiting an emergency room as soon as possible will prove beneficial.
The dentist may be unavailable
When To See A Medical Provider
Contact a medical provider as soon as you experience symptoms of a UTI. Speaking with them will help to rule out other possible infections and can also determine the type and severity of UTI. The earlier you start treatment, the sooner you can start to feel better. Early treatment is also key to preventing the infection from spreading to your kidneys.
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Where You Go Can Affect Your Wallet
At the ER, your costs usually add up quicker than at urgent care.
- If you have insurance and already met your deductible: The amount youll pay varies by insurance plan. However, emergency care generally costs a lot more than urgent care. The average copay for a trip to urgent care is $40-65. And the average copay for a trip to the ER is $100-$150. The price also goes up if you have coinsurance.
- If you havent met your deductible or dont have insurance: Youll have to pay for some or all your visit. So youll want to go where costs tend to run lower. Try urgent care or the ER based on the chart above to get the right level of care. And for things that can wait a day or two, try to go to your primary care doctor.
How Can Urgent Care Help
When you arrive at the urgent treatment facility, a doctor will examine you or your child. Typically they will use an instrument called an otoscope to shine light into the ears. The throat and nose will commonly be examined as well. These examinations look for the build-up of fluid behind the ear, or a fullness of the eardrum, which signals the presence of an ear infection. Depending on the severity of the infection, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. If the infection is severe, the doctor may provide a referral to a specialist.
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