If you have a kidney infection (pyelonephritis) for two weeks without treatment, you risk serious complications like permanent kidney damage, abscesses, or even life-threatening sepsis (blood poisoning), leading to organ failure or death, especially in vulnerable people. Symptoms, including fever, chills, severe back/side pain, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue, usually worsen, and prompt antibiotics are essential to prevent these severe outcomes, as the infection won't typically resolve on its own and can become chronic.
How long does a kidney infection last? With treatment, you can feel better from a kidney infection in a few days (though you need to finish the course of antibiotics). But if your infection is harder to treat, it could last for several weeks.
Symptoms of kidney infection in children
have blood in their pee. wet the bed. feel unwell with a high temperature.
See a GP if you or your child have:
pain, burning or stinging when you pee. needing to pee more often and urgently than usual. pee that's dark or cloudy. kidney infection symptoms that have not gone away after treatment with antibiotics.
What Are the Symptoms of an Acute Kidney Infection? Signs and symptoms vary with age: Newborns: no fever but poor feeding and vomiting. Children <2: may have a fever (but not always), a poor appetite, vomiting and diarrhea.
Kidney infection symptoms include : diarrhea. nausea and vomiting. chills or shivering.
Recognising the symptoms of sepsis
Hospitalization (Severe Cases): Severe kidney infections may require hospitalization, especially if you are experiencing high fever, severe pain, vomiting, or signs of sepsis. You can receive intravenous antibiotics and other treatments under close medical supervision in the hospital.
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.
A UTI can escalate into a kidney infection in a matter of days if left untreated, but the good news is that this is preventable with early detection and prompt treatment.
Typical signs of kidney failure can include: Decreased urine output. Fluid retention, leading to body swelling. Decreased energy.
Your child needs to take the full course of antibiotics. Have your child drink plenty of water each day. This helps your child urinate often, which clears bacteria from the system. If your child has a condition that makes you have to limit fluids, talk with your child's doctor.
Other Common Urinary Issues in Kids
You may be referred to hospital for further testing if: your symptoms fail to respond to treatment with antibiotics. your symptoms suddenly get worse. you have additional symptoms that aren't usually associated with a kidney infection.
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.
drink plenty of fluids so your pee is pale, water is best - this helps to flush out the bacteria from your kidneys.
In fact, most people recover fully with proper antibiotics and rest. Acting quickly can prevent complications like sepsis, a rare but dangerous condition that can develop in as little as 24 to 72 hours if the infection spreads.
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.
Hospitalization for severe kidney infections
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.
A severe kidney infection can lead to dangerous complications. They may include blood poisoning, damage to the body's tissues or death. Seek medical care right away if you have kidney infection symptoms and bloody urine or nausea and vomiting.
Symptoms of sepsis
Fast, shallow breathing. Sweating for no clear reason. Feeling lightheaded. Shivering.
About sepsis
A kidney infection often brings on a noticeable fever, usually 101°F to 103°F or higher. Many women describe feeling chilled or shivery even when they're bundled up. Shaking chills and sudden temperature swings show your body is reacting to a more serious infection beyond the bladder.