HOW TO TREAT KIDNEY INFECTION (PYELONEPHRITIS)?

by Vivek Choudhary Nice life

The urinary tract is made up of kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The kidneys’ main job is to remove waste and extra water from the body. If any part of the urinary tract gets bacteria in them, a person can get a urinary tract infection (UTI). If the bacteria travel from the bladder to the ureters, you can get a kidney infection which is a serious problem. A kidney is also called ‘pyelonephritis’ sometimes. It can also be referred to as acute pyelonephritis. The infection generally takes place very suddenly and severely. It can cause the kidneys to swell and can even permanently damage them. This problem can even prove to be life-threatening. The chronic form of the same infection is rare and happens when the attacks occur repeatedly and persistently. This happens more in children and people who have urinary obstruction.

Symptoms

Symptoms of pyelonephritis show up within 2 days of the infection. Some symptoms are a fever greater than 102 degrees F, pain in the abdomen, back, or groin, cloudy urine, pus or blood in urine, painful urination, urgent urination, fishy-smelling urine, shaking or chills, vomiting, fatigue, moist skin, mental confusion.
These symptoms may differ in people in different age groups and people with chronic pyelonephritis may experience only mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.
It is advisable to pay a visit to a kidney hospital in Chandigarh if you experience any or all of these symptoms.

Causes

The bacteria enter the body through the urethra and spread up to the bladder from there, causing a UTI. The bacteria then travel to the kidneys through ureters, causing the infection. E.coli form of bacteria is usually responsible for the infection but the best kidney doctor in Chandigarh suggests that any serious infection in the bloodstream can also travel to the kidneys, causing acute pyelonephritis.

Treatment

Acute pyelonephritis can lead to life-threatening problems if it is not treated right away. It is, hence, advisable to visit a multispeciality hospital in Mohali as soon as you suspect that you might have the infection.
Given below are a few of the treatments that may be administered to you for removing this infection.

1. Antibiotics

These are usually the first course of action against the problem. The type of antibiotic chosen by your doctor will depend on whether the bacteria can be identified or not.
Antibiotics can cure the infection within 2 or 3 days but they should be taken for the entire prescription period of 10-14 days. The antibiotics that are usually used are levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, co-trimoxazole, and ampicillin.

2. Hospital admission

When drug therapy is ineffective for a severe kidney infection, the doctor may admit you in the hospital. Treatment usually includes intravenous hydration and antibiotics. Blood and urine are monitored by the doctors and 10-14 days’ worth of antibiotics may be administered on release from the hospital.

3. Surgery

When kidney problems occur recurrently, that may be a result of some other underlying problem. In such cases, surgery is usually required to correct any problems.
A nephrectomy may be necessary in cases of severe infection, where a surgeon removes part of the kidney.

Pyelonephritis can be a serious condition so it is always advisable to visit the best kidney specialist as soon as you see any symptoms of UTI.