{"id":6448,"date":"2019-05-07T02:57:15","date_gmt":"2019-05-07T02:57:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=6448"},"modified":"2021-04-05T17:12:51","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T17:12:51","slug":"14-warning-symptoms-of-pyelonephritis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-warning-symptoms-of-pyelonephritis\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Warning Symptoms of Pyelonephritis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Pyelonephritis, more commonly known as a kidney infection, is a certain kind of urinary tract infection that takes hold in either the urethra or bladder before making a journey to either on or, if you\u2019re really unfortunate, both of your kidneys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to kidney infections, there\u2019s no room for time-wasting and medical attention must be sought as a matter of urgency. Without proper treatment, kidney infections can cause irreversible damage to the kidneys, with the potential for bacteria from the infection to infiltrate the bloodstream, which can have catastrophic and sometimes even fatal effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usually, a course of intravenous antibiotics, administered following hospitalization will be enough to get a person on the road to recovery, but steps to avoid kidney infections in the first place are a better idea than treatment. Prevention is better than a cure. There are some early warning symptoms associated with Pyelonephritis that people should be on high alert for. These are listed and detailed below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.     Fever and chills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An early warning sign that is well worth watching out for, pyelonephritis <\/a>indicating fevers can rise to above 100.4\u00b0F (38.0\u00b0C), readings which are pretty typical of acute pyelonephritis. In mild cases of pyelonephritis, a fever may not present at all, even in the early stages and so noticing that someone has started to run a fever could be indicative of a pretty nasty kidney infection on the way. Typically, the fever will present like most other fevers, with the affected person complaining of being too cold, whilst sweating profusely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These chills can last up to an hour, and whilst they will potentially respond to over the counter fever reducers and bed rest, it is still very important to seek medical advice whenever kidney infection is suspected. If the fever has heralded the arrival of pyelonephritis, the fever could end up lasting anywhere up to 4 or 5 days, which can be pretty grim on top of all the other symptoms that a person is likely to experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2.     Back, side and abdominal pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most people will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, in fact, it is the most common reason that people go to see a doctor. The vast majority of back pain is either as a result of overuse, overstretching or a muscle strain or spasm<\/a>, which usually resolves by itself in a couple of days with periods of rest and regular movement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back pain that indicates kidney infection can often be misdiagnosed as a muscle issue, given its location deep beneath the lumbar section of the spine, which just so happens to be the part of the spine that causes the most people, the most grief. A nagging ache in the early stages, kidney infection-related just doesn’t go away and, if anything, gradually worsens as time goes on. Patients are encouraged to keep pestering their medical professionals if they feel the back pain is kidney related, as the sooner it is identified, the sooner appropriate treatment can begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3.     Frequent urination and persistent urge to urinate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A kidney infection is essentially a type of URI or a urinary tract blockage. This is categorized as anything that is capable of slowing down the flow of a person’s urine or inhibits a person’s ability to adequately empty their bladder when going to the bathroom (peeing). Sometimes, issues like this can indicate that a significant block, such as kidney stones is present, whereas in most cases it is indicative of pyelonephritis and should be treated as such until proven otherwise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Particularly annoying is the feeling or sensation of constantly needing to urinate, which comes hand in hand with this symptom. Whether or not the bladder <\/a>is empty, a person may be left with the permanent sensation that they need to urinate. This is incredibly distracting to a person’s daily life, but also potentially embarrassing, as it could lead to accidents in the workplace or out and about in public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4.     Muscle aches and pains<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you overdid it in the gym a couple of days ago and your muscles ache<\/a>, you\u2019re probably not going to worry about a little pain every now and then, maybe a twinge here and there and an ache that suggests you maybe did a little too much. For older people who are not as active as they once were, a little muscle ache every now and then is to be expected, it\u2019s all part of the aging process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When these muscle aches and pains persist for more than a few days though, with little explanation, they could be a sign of something going wrong with the kidneys. Particularly if these muscle pains are felt in the abdomen or around a person’s side, however, pyelonephritis has been known to cause muscle aches and pains all over the body, affecting some people in the neck and others in the backs of the legs. As with all of these symptoms, if it doesn\u2019t seem right, get it checked out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5.     Nausea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nausea <\/a>can be a fairly common warning sign that a kidney infection is taking hold, but it is fairly difficult to identify for a number of reasons. Firstly, nausea can be indicative of a hundred and one other illnesses and ailments, and so pinning it down to kidney infection is tricky. Secondly, the fact that someone feels nauseous could be a complete coincidence, happening in conjunction with the onset of kidney infection. It\u2019s where kidney infections become potentially fatal, that nausea is very important to monitor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a person develops the potentially fatal, but thankfully rare condition called Emphysematous pyelonephritis, the kidney tissues are destroyed at an alarming pace by a particularly ferocious type of bacteria. The toxic gas, released by the infection can cause a host of more serious symptoms with nausea being a particularly noticeable inclusion. Again, this development is very rare, however, it shows the amount of attention that needs to placed on picking up the early warning signs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6.     Vomiting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Again linked to more serious complications and developments of kidney failure, if a person begins vomiting <\/a>and kidney infection is even remotely suspected, emergency medical assistance needs to be sought as a matter of emergency. If you’re lucky, the person will have eaten well throughout the period leading up to the episode of vomiting, meaning that there will be something in the stomach to bring up, as grim as that sounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a person hasn’t had their usual appetite, the vomiting symptom could be a lot more painful for the person to experience, with bile, blood and stomach acid the only things they’re able to produce. Kidney infections and vomiting are not always bedmates, but just like nausea, this early warning sign could indicate a particularly bad case of pyelonephritis, so call the doctor. There really is no time to waste with red flags like this. They are the \u2018shark in the water\u2019 signs at the beach, not to be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7.     Changes in urine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When people think of kidneys, they usually associate them with urine<\/a>. Gross, right? Yep, it is pretty gross, but keeping an eye on your urine could make all the difference when it comes to working out if you\u2019ve got a kidney infection or not. The mantra of health professionals about everyone’s favorite subject, urine, is that it should belong, clear and strong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To break that down further means that the urination should last at least 20 seconds, it should be fully diluted by water in the system and therefore appear as clear and that the flow should be as strong as a powerful garden tap, with no need to force it. If however, a person notices that their urine is particularly strong, with no apparent reason, or that pus or blood is present in the urine, it could be time to seek medical advice. Urine that smells bad or that is a dark yellow color and cloudy could also be an early warning sign of a kidney infection.
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8.     Headaches<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The types of headaches that can indicate a kidney infection is on the way are characterized by some pretty unpleasant features. Confusion is the first part of the triangle of headache symptoms, where a person will become unsure of themselves or their surroundings. This can happen to people of any age, and not just the elderly as one might expect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alarmingly, the headaches can come with hallucinations <\/a>as well, though this is one trip that no one wants to take, as it is further proof that the kidneys are under attack. The third and final strand to a kidney infection indicating headache is jumbled or slurred speech. People can actually seem as though they\u2019re intoxicated, with ruffled brows and slurred words giving them the full look of a drunk. The combination of these three headache symptoms is a particularly unpleasant experience for someone to have to endure, but it is a useful marker for pyelonephritis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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