When to Go to the Hospital for a Kidney Infection | Tennessee Valley Urology Center
Did you know? UTIs are a very common type of infection. In fact, between 50 and 60 percent of women will experience one at some point in their lives.
If a UTI goes untreated, you run the risk of developing a kidney infection, which can cause much more serious health complications and can even send you to the hospital.
Read on as our team at Tennessee Valley Urology further elaborates on kidney infections.
What Is a Kidney Infection?
A kidney infection, which is medically known as pyelonephritis, is a type of UTI. Certain bacteria and viruses can cause these infections.
Experts believe that many kidney infections start as an infection of the lower parts of the urinary tract, such as the bladder or urethra. If you aren’t sure whether you’re experiencing a kidney infection, we’ve listed some of the most common symptoms below.
Pain. This is often a dull, aching type of pain that most commonly affects the back, side or abdomen.
Painful urination. UTIs and kidney infections irritate the lining of your urinary tract, which causes the urgent need to urinate and a painful, burning sensation when you do so.
Fever. People with a kidney infection typically develop a high fever. A raised temperature is one of your body’s ways of trying to fight the infection.
Changes in urine. If you have a kidney infection, your urine will likely become cloudy, smell bad or contain blood.
So, When Should You Seek Emergency Care?
Many kidney infections can be adequately treated after scheduling an appointment at our urology center, but some signs, which we’ve listed below, experienced alongside the above-mentioned symptoms point to a more severe infection that needs urgent or emergency care.
- Back or side pain
- Chills
- Nausea or vomiting
Kidney infections aren’t something to take lightly. If you believe you have a kidney infection, don’t hesitate to make an appointment at Tennessee Valley Urology Center to get the care you need!