No, you absolutely cannot wait out a kidney infection; it's a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention and antibiotics to prevent severe complications like kidney damage, chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure, kidney failure, sepsis, or even death. While lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) might sometimes resolve, a kidney infection (pyelonephritis) is more serious and needs prompt treatment, usually with a full course of antibiotics, to clear the bacteria and stop the infection from worsening.
About kidney infections
It's more serious than cystitis, a common infection of the bladder that makes urinating painful. If treated promptly, a kidney infection doesn't cause serious harm, but will make you feel very unwell. If a kidney infection isn't treated, it can get worse and cause permanent kidney damage.
Serious complications
Kidney infection can cause permanent kidney damage or lead to sepsis, which is a life-threatening complication of infection. If you're pregnant and you develop a UTI, avoiding treatment can increase your risk of premature birth or having a baby with a low birthweight.
A kidney infection can be serious if it's not treated as it can cause sepsis. Call 111 or get help from 111 online if you cannot speak to or see a GP, or your symptoms are getting worse.
It's usually caused when bacteria or a virus gets into the kidneys. The bacteria or virus can enter the kidney(s) from the bladder or from blood traveling from other parts of the body. Common causes for UTIs in children include: Not keeping the genital area clean and dry.
What are the symptoms of kidney disease in children? swelling in the feet, legs, hands, or face, called edema. increased or decreased urine output. Some children may have to urinate more often and may wet the bed at night.
Drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol and caffeine can help your kidneys while they fight the infection. But you shouldn't try to cure a kidney infection with a home remedy. Follow your provider's recommendations for taking any prescribed medications and for how to take care of yourself at home.
In some cases, sepsis can develop within 24 to 48 hours after the onset of severe symptoms, especially if medical intervention is delayed.
You should see your doctor if you have symptoms of a kidney infection, as you will usually need treatment with antibiotics. If you are very unwell, you may need to be treated in the emergency department or admitted to hospital for intravenous (IV) antibiotics.
Conditions that can mimic kidney stone pain
The "21-second pee rule" comes from a scientific study showing most mammals over about 3 kg (6.6 lbs) empty their bladders in roughly 21 seconds, a phenomenon explained by physics where longer, wider urethras in larger animals use gravity to maintain a similar flow rate to smaller ones, and it serves as a loose benchmark for human bladder health; significantly shorter or longer times can signal issues like overactive bladder or holding it too long.
If you're healthy and your UTI symptoms are very mild, you may wait a day or two before contacting your doctor, as long as symptoms don't get worse. But most UTIs still need antibiotics, and waiting too long can increase the risk of kidney infection or more serious illness.
On average, it can take between a few days to a week for a UTI to turn into a kidney infection if left untreated. However, this timeline can vary depending on individual factors such as your general health, age, and the bacteria causing the infection.
Symptoms or signs may include: Chills and high fever. Frequent, painful urination. Back, side (under the ribs), and groin pain.
You feel kidney pain near the middle of your back, just under your ribcage, on each side of your spine where your kidneys are. Your kidneys are part of the urinary tract, the organs that make and remove urine from the body. (pee). You may feel kidney pain on one or both sides of your back.
Immediate treatment is important
Untreated kidney infections can cause permanent kidney damage or spread to your bloodstream (sepsis), which can be life-threatening. Never wait to see if symptoms improve or go away on their own.
If your kidney infection is severe, you may need to go to the hospital. Treatment might include antibiotics and fluids through a vein in your arm.
See your doctor immediately or go to your local hospital emergency department if you have kidney pain and: you have a fever or feel very unwell. you are unable to pass urine. the pain is on both sides of your body.
Foods to avoid with a kidney infection
Too much sodium forces your body to retain water, raising your blood pressure and increasing the workload on your kidneys. Common culprits include processed foods such as crisps, canned soups, ready meals, and savoury snacks.
Early warning signs of sepsis include fever or low temperature, chills, rapid breathing or heart rate, confusion, slurred speech, extreme pain or discomfort, clammy/sweaty skin, and reduced urine output, with children potentially showing fewer wet nappies, vomiting, or a non-fading rash. These symptoms, often appearing after an infection, signal a severe body response and require immediate emergency care, as sepsis can rapidly worsen, according to the Mayo Clinic.
In mild cases, you might deal with discomfort for about a week or two, but this depends on your immune system's ability to fight off the infection. In other situations, untreated infections can persist for weeks, spreading to the kidneys and causing more severe health issues like pyelonephritis.
These infections are most often linked to sepsis:
Kidney stones can be tricky, since they may have many of the same symptoms as a UTI or a kidney infection – pain when urinating, needing to urinate often, and cloudy or strong smelling urine, blood in the urine, fever, nausea or vomiting.
Cranberries are low in potassium and high in vitamin C, making them another great choice for people with kidney disease. Cranberry juice has also been shown to help prevent urinary tract infections, which are typical for people with kidney disease.
While early kidney disease often has few signs, three key early warning signs to watch for are changes in urination (more/less frequent, foamy, or bloody), persistent fatigue, and swelling in hands, feet, or ankles, all pointing to the kidneys struggling to filter waste and excess fluid. These symptoms, along with others like itchy skin, poor appetite, or trouble concentrating, signal a need to see a doctor for proper testing.