How to Treat Kidney Infection
Kidney infection or pyelonephritis is an infection of the kidneys, which can cause several symptoms, one of which is bloody urine. Kidney infection is a serious medical condition that can cause permanent kidney damage. As a precaution, it is important for you to know the things that can cause kidney infections and how to treat kidney infection.
Kidney infections are generally caused by bacteria. These microorganisms can spread from infection in other places, such as the urethra and bladder. Kidney infections can be experienced by anyone, be it adults or children.
A specific symptom that appears due to a kidney infection is the discharge of blood or pus in the urine. Other symptoms that follow are painful urination, unusual urine odor, lower back pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and fever.
Causes of Kidney Infection
The most common cause of kidney infection is the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli). These bacteria come from the intestines and can be excreted in the feces. If you don't maintain good hygiene, these bacteria can enter through the urinary opening, multiply in the urethra, and cause urinary tract infections.
If a urinary tract infection is not treated promptly, bacteria can spread and cause a bladder infection. From here, the bacteria have a great opportunity to spread to the kidneys.
Apart from lack of hygiene, the risk of kidney infection can also be caused by the following factors:
- There is a blockage in the urinary tract, for example due to an enlarged prostate gland or kidney stones
- Have a disease that makes it difficult to urinate (urinary retention), such as spina bifida or multiple sclerosis
- Have nerve damage around the bladder
- There are abnormalities in the shape of the urinary tract, such as urethral stricture
- Having an abnormality in the valves in the bladder that can cause vesicoureteral reflux, which is the back of urine from the bladder into the kidneys
- Long-term use of a urinary catheter
- Undergoing medical procedures, such as a cystoscopy examination or urinary tract surgery
- Have a weak immune system, for example due to diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or side effects of taking immune system-suppressing medicines
Also read articles about: How to Keep the Immune System Healthy
How to Treat Kidney Infection
If the lab test results show that you have a kidney infection caused by bacteria, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics, such as: Ampicillin, Co-trimoxazole, Ciprofloxaine, or Levofloxacin.
Antibiotics are given to drink and some are given in the form of an infusion. Antibiotics taken must be taken according to the doctor's prescription, even though complaints of kidney infection have improved after a few days.
In addition to treating the main cause of kidney infection, doctors also need to treat the risk factors that trigger the infection. This is to prevent kidney infections from recurring. If the trigger for a kidney infection is kidney stones, an enlarged prostate, or a deformity of the urinary tract, your doctor may suggest surgery to treat it.
After getting the right treatment, most of the bacteria that cause kidney infections will disappear. However, preventing infection would certainly be better. Ways that can be done are starting from drinking enough water, avoiding holding back urination, cleaning the genital organs properly after every urination and defecation, and getting used to urinating after having intercourse.
That's an explanation of how to treat kidney infection. If you often have urinary tract infections or have other conditions that can cause kidney infections, such as kidney stones or an enlarged prostate, you should immediately consult a doctor to find out what treatments you should undergo to prevent kidney infections.
