What Should I Do If My Kidneys Hurt
If you have kidney pain that doesnt go away, the first thing you should do is call your healthcare provider to schedule an appointment or go to the emergency room if you have symptoms such as uncontrolled pain, severe nausea or vomiting, fevers or chills, or an inability to pee. In the meantime, here are some things you can do to ease discomfort:
- Stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water will help flush bacteria from your urinary tracts. Avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol.
- Use heat. Place a heating pad on your back, abdomen or side to help reduce kidney pain.
- Take pain relievers. To ease fever or discomfort, take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen .
How Can Urgent Care Help Treat My Uti
In the event that you need UTI treatment, please dont hesitate to reach out to any of our AFC Urgent Care Denver locations! Our providers are skilled in acute care as well as treating sudden infections like UTIs and even STDs!
Additionally, our urgent care Leetsdale clinic is our latest location so that patients can treat any ongoing UTI and STI symptoms that they may have. No need for an appointment! Simply check-in online to get started for get treatment via our walk-in clinic!
UTIs dont have to be a hassle to treat if you take the time to visit urgent care, diagnose symptoms, and coordinate a treatment option.
What Are The Signs Of A Kidney Infection And What Does A Kidney Infection Feel Like Anyway
Both bladder and kidney infections share some symptoms such as painful urination, frequency, and urgency, but usually only kidney infections present with back pain, nausea or vomiting, fever, and chills, Dr. Movassaghi says. This pain is known as flank pain in the medical community and usually presents on either side of your body between your upper abdomen and lower back. Youll likely notice a deep, dull ache in the area, which is where your kidney pain would likely manifest.
So if youre a young or middle-aged adult, the signs of a kidney infection are similar to what you might experience in the beginning stages of UTI symptoms with extra unpleasantness thrown on top. Heres a breakdown of what to look out for:
- Pain in your back, side, or groin area,
- Nausea or vomiting
An important FYI: Kidney infection signs can differ depending on your age. Adults over 65 might not have any of the typical symptoms and instead present with cognitive issues like confusion, hallucinations, and disorganized speech.
Babies and toddlers, especially girls and uncircumcised boys, can be prone to kidney infections too. And when children under two are affected, the only symptom they might have is a high fever, notes the NIDDK.
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How Do The Kidneys Become Infected
Acute kidney infections are typically caused by bacteria that has gotten into the urethra and traveled up through the bladder and ureters . Some medical conditions such as bladder dysfunction, bladder obstruction, neurogenic bladder or vesicoureteral reflux along with conditions that require the use of catheters can also increase the chances of kidney infection and damage.
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How Are Utis Treated
UTIs are treated with antibiotics. After several days of antibiotics, your doctor may repeat the urine tests to be sure that the infection is gone. Its important to make sure of this because an incompletely treated UTI can come back or spread.
If a child has severe pain when peeing, the doctor may also prescribe medicine that numbs the lining of the urinary tract.
Give prescribed antibiotics on schedule for as many days as your doctor directs. Keep track of your childs trips to the bathroom, and ask your child about symptoms like pain or burning during peeing. These symptoms should improve within 2 to 3 days after antibiotics are started.
Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids, but skip drinks that containe caffeine , such as soda and iced tea.
Most UTIs are cured within a week with treatment.
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How An Urgent Care Can Help
Emergency rooms are for just thatemergencies. Although painful, UTIs are not life-threatening and can usually be treated safely and cost effectively at an urgent care center. Common symptoms of UTIs that can be taken care of at an urgent care include:
- Strong or frequent urges to urinate
- Passing small amounts of urine
- A burning feeling while urinating
- Cloudy, red, pink or brown urine
- Urine with a strong smell
Most urgent care facilities will prescribe an antibiotic and give you information about how to manage your discomfort at home.
Kidney Infection Risk Factors
Anyone can get a kidney infection. But just as women get more bladder infections than men, they also get more kidney infections.
A womanâs urethra is shorter than a manâs, and itâs closer to their and . That means itâs easier for bacteria or viruses to get into a womanâs urethra, and once they do, itâs a shorter trip to the bladder. From there, they can spread to the kidneys.
Pregnant women are even more likely to get bladder infections. This is because of hormone changes and because a baby puts pressure on the motherâs bladder and ureters and slows the flow of urine.
Any problem in your urinary tract that keeps pee from flowing as it should can raise your chances of a kidney infection, such as:
- A blockage in your urinary tract, like a kidney stone or enlarged prostate
- Conditions that keep your bladder from completely emptying
- A problem in the structure of your urinary tract, like a pinched urethra
- Vesicoureteral reflux , which is when pee flows backward from your bladder toward your kidneys
Youâre also more likely to get an infection if you have:
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First See If You Can Get A Prescription For Asthma Medication
The most effective way for people with asthma to avoid the emergency room is by managing the condition with medication so it doesnt escalate to emergency status. Experts are even recommending stocking up on a three-month supply if you can. Even if its hard for you to get affordable asthma medication in normal times, it may be somewhat more accessible during the pandemic.
Health care professionals are doing their best right now to help make essential medications more accessible so we can keep people out of the E.R., Dr. Chinthrajah says. As Dr. Chinthrajah points out, in early April, the Food and Drug Administration approved a generic form of an inhaler to help make this in-demand medication easier for people to get.
So the first thing you need is a prescription for asthma medication. You may be able to get one online. The telemedicine service Galileo has waived its fees for people who need prescriptions in hard-hit COVID-19 areas like California, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington State.
You could also try calling a local pharmacy. Dr. Cohn explains that many pharmacists are more likely to refill a past prescription for asthma medication during the pandemic, or at least coordinate with a doctors office to make it happen. Everything is very different right now, she says.
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Treatment For More Severe Utis
Kids with a more severe infection may need treatment in a hospital so they can get antibiotics by injection or IV .
This might happen if:
- the child has high fever or looks very ill, or a kidney infection is likely
- the child is younger than 6 months old
- bacteria from the infected urinary tract may have spread to the blood
- the child is dehydrated or is vomiting and cannot take any fluids or medicine by mouth
Kids with VUR will be watched closely by the doctor. VUR might be treated with medicines or, less commonly, surgery. Most kids outgrow mild forms of VUR, but some can develop kidney damage or kidney failure later in life.
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When To Go To The Er For Kidney Stones
When to Go to the ER
When you suddenly experience severe pain in the abdomen, your mind races to what could be causing the problem is it your gallbladder, a cyst , or your kidneys? Has your time on this earth finally reached an end? While that last question may be a little dramatic, most people experiencing sudden, extreme pain usually only think about one thing while in the moment how to make the pain stop.
When the cause is kidney stones, a trip to the emergency room is typically your best bet. But, what if youre not yet experiencing excruciating pain? How do you know when severe is severe enough?
What Are The Best Treatments For Kidney Infection Pain
A kidney infection is considered serious and usually needs to be treated by a medical professional to prevent it from spreading into the bloodstream. Most doctors start the treatment with antibiotics to get rid of the infection, but there are also kidney infection pain remedies that can be used at home to get rid of symptoms like nausea, pain during urination, and lower back tenderness until the antibiotics take effect. Drinking both cranberry juice and lots of water can help reduce pain, as can taking supplements like vitamin C. Of course, rest and hot compresses also often work, and can be done from home after getting medical treatment.
One of the main ways to start reducing pain from a kidney infection is to get antibiotics from the doctor. Most people are offered oral antibiotics to treat the issue, but some severe cases call for intravenous intake at a hospital or doctors office. Some people prefer to use garlic or Echinacea to help get rid of the bacteria, as these are both considered natures antibiotics, but a doctor should be consulted before anyone uses these in place of prescription antibiotics.
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Bacteria Are To Blame
UTIs are usually caused by E. coli, bacteria that are normally found in the digestive tract and on the skin around the rectal and vaginal areas. When the bacteria enter the urethra, they can make their way up into the bladder and cause an infection.
Some people seem to get frequent UTIs, but they often have other problems that make them more prone to infection, like an abnormality in the urinary tract structures or function. The most common functional problem of the urinary tract is called vesicoureteral reflux , a condition in which some urine flows backward, or refluxes, from the bladder into the ureters and even up to the kidneys.
Bacteria can get into the urethra several ways. During sexual intercourse, for example, the bacteria in the vaginal area may be pushed into the urethra and eventually end up in the bladder, where urine provides a good environment for the bacteria to grow. This is the reason why females who are sexually active often get UTIs .
Bacteria may also be introduced into a girlâs bladder by wiping from back to front after a bowel movement, which can contaminate the urethral opening. The use of spermicides and diaphragms as contraceptives also may increase the risk of UTIs.
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Help Please When Should You Go To The Emergency Room For A Kidney Infection
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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 .
How Do I Know If I Have A Kidney Stone
It is not always possible to self-diagnose a kidney stone, though certain signs and symptoms may point to the likelihood that you have a stone. Keep in mind, kidney stones may cause virtually no symptoms early on. In fact, many patients are unaware that they have kidney stones until the stones begin to pass. Some of the most common signs and symptoms associated with passing a kidney stone include:
- Pain in the back or flank, typically on one side only
- Lower abdominal pain
- Fever, chills, or sweating
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, you may be attempting to pass a kidney stone. The only way to determine with certainty whether or not you have a stone, where in the urinary tract the stone currently is, and whether it has a high probability of passing on its own is to obtain a diagnosis from a medical professional using imaging studies and other diagnostic tools.
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When To Seek Medical Advice
Contact your GP if you have a high temperature, persistent pain, or if you notice a change to your usual pattern of urination. Contact your GP immediately if you think your child may have a kidney infection.
If you have blood in your urine, you should always see your GP so the cause can be investigated.
Kidney infections require prompt treatment with antibiotics to help relieve symptoms and prevent complications developing.
Your GP can carry out some simple tests to help diagnose a kidney infection.
See diagnosing kidney infections for more information
The Dos And Donts Of Sinus Infection Treatment
31 millionDo Get a Diagnosis
- The cold. Nasal and sinus congestion are hallmarks of the common cold. Even though the cold may cause sinus pain, pressure, or stuffiness, its caused by a virus and not bacteria. This distinction makes it important to get a doctors diagnosis before treatment.
- The flu. Like a cold, the flu is also caused by virus. Again, a virus requires a different course of treatment than a bacterial infection would. Even though the flu is most often seen in the cooler winter months, its still possible to catch the virus year-round.
- Allergies. Spring showers bring spring flowers and nasal allergies. Congestion from pollen, ragweed, pet, and other allergies can mimic a sinus infection. While both sinusitis and allergies cause similar symptoms, the two conditions have different treatments.
- The coronavirus. Nasal congestion can manifest as an early symptom of the coronavirus, or COVID-19. If you have nasal congestion accompanied by telltale symptoms such as a fever, cough, or shortness of breath, seek medical attention immediately.
Dont Ignore the SymptomsDo Follow the Medical Providers Directions
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What Are The Signs I Might Have A Uti
UTIs are caused by a bacterial infection in your urethra. For most people, symptoms include needing to urinate more frequently, cloudy or smelly urine, burning sensations when urinating, and pain in your abdomen.
In some cases, the bacteria that cause UTIs can travel up the urinary tract towards the kidneys. If you have blood in your pee, pain in your sides or lower back, a very high fever, or diarrhea, it may be signs of a kidney infection, which requires immediate treatment.
Women are more likely to develop UTIs because they naturally have a shorter urinary tract. Your risk of developing a UTI is also increased if you are sexually active, use spermicidal birth control, have a catheter, or have a suppressed immune system due to diabetes, HIV, kidney stones, or other diseases.
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Severe Kidney Infection Symptoms
Should I go to the ER for a kidney infection? Yes, if your symptoms are more advanced than those listed above. If you notice any of the following severe kidney infection symptoms, head to your nearest emergency room immediately:
- Pain in your back, side, or groin
- Nausea or vomiting
- Shaking and chills
Certain individuals including pregnant women, young children, or those with weakened immune systems may need more specialized care if exhibiting severe kidney infection symptoms. Feel free to call your primary care physician or nearest Complete Care facility if you have any questions on where to take your loved one for treatment.
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When To Go To An Emergency Room For Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections, as the name suggests, are infections that affect the urinary tract system. They can affect the bladder, the kidneys and the urethra. UTIs are very common in America and a lot of people confuse them with sexually transmitted infections which have almost the same symptoms.
Urinary tract infections can be very painful and invasive in life. They however are not as severe as sexually transmitted infections and will more often than not go away on their own. To help differentiate between STIs and UTIs, it is imperative to understand the symptoms, causes and preventive measures of the UTIs and know when to go to the emergency room for the urinary tract infections.
So, what causes urinary tract infections? Are the urinary tract infections transmittable? What are the symptoms of urinary tract infections that one should look out for? When should you go to the emergency room for urinary tract infections? How do emergency rooms treat urinary tract infections? Here is a quick guide on all you need to know about urinary tract infections
Causes of Urinary Tract Infections
UTIs are caused by a bacteria that attacks the inner lining of the urinary tract. The bacterial infection often starts at the opening of the urethra and slowly advances upwards towards the kidneys. The farther up the urinary tract system that the infection gets, the more serious the infection becomes.
Are urinary tract infections transmittable?
Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infections
Flank pain