Pyelonephritis
To work out ifyou havea kidney infection, your GP will ask you about your symptoms and your recent medical history.
They will usually also assess your general health by taking your temperature and measuring your blood pressure.
A urine test can help to establishwhether you have a urinary tract infection (UTI) . The test involves taking a small sample of urine and checking it to see ifthere areany bacteria in it.
You'll be given a container and told how to collect the urine, which you can do in the surgery or at home. If you do it at home, you'll need to label the container, seal it in a plastic bag and store it in the fridge. Ideally, hand it in tothe surgery within four hours.
For your GP to be confident you have a kidney infection, you need to have a positive urine test pluscertain symptoms, such as a fever or a pain in your side.
You may be referred to hospital for further testing if:
Children with recurrent UTIs will also be referred to hospital for further testing.
In these circumstances,scans can check your urinary tract for signs of problems. This may include:
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A kidney infection (pyelonephritis) is a painful and unpleasant illness caused by bacteria travelling from your bladder into one or both of your kidneys
The symptoms of a kidney infection usually develop quite quickly over a few hours or days.
A kidney infection happens when bacteria enters and infects one or both of your kidneys.
To work out if you have a kidney infection, your GP will ask you about your symptoms and your recent medical history.
Most people with a kidney infection can be treated at home by taking a course of antibiotics, and possibly painkillers as well.
Most kidney infections are treated successfully without any complications, although some people may develop further problems.
The best way to prevent a kidney infection is to keep your bladder and urethra free from bacteria.