Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments for Kidney Infection

Have you or someone you know had a kidney infection, also called pyelonephritis?Hi, I’m Dr. Griffin Rodgers, director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestiveand Kidney Diseases at NIH. Kidney infections are usually caused by bacteriathat start in your bladder and move upstream to the kidneys. Rarely, bacteria spread to the kidneys through your bloodstream. People with a bladder infection are at a greater risk for a kidney infection. So are pregnant women and people with diabetes. Signs of a kidney infection can include fever, vomiting, and pain in your lower back or groin. You may also have chills and frequent, painful urination. The good news is, kidney infections are treatable. If you think you have a kidney infection,
see your doctor right away. Your doctor will treat you with an antibiotic – make sure you take all the medication. For more information, follow us on Twitter @NIDDKGov. This is Dr. Griffin Rodgers with the NIH.