Your kidneys function as your body’s main filtration system. They clean out your blood and gather toxins so they can be flushed out of your body in the form of urine.
A kidney infection occurs when bacteria or a virus comes up through your ureters (tubes that connect the bladder to the kidneys), which usually happens when a UTI or bladder infection goes untreated.
Here are seven common signs and symptoms of a kidney infection:
- 1. Lower back pain
- 2. Painful and frequent urination
- 3. Fever and chills
- 4. Extreme Fatigue
- 5. Blood in urine
- 6. Nausea and vomiting
- 7. Loss of appetite
If you suspect you have a kidney infection, seek medical help right away. Kidney infections that aren’t treated quickly can lead to other serious medical problems.
Important note: Just because you have one or multiple of the symptoms list above doesn’t automatically mean you have a kidney infection. Many of the these symptoms occur in a wide range of illnesses and health issues. Visit your doctor to rule out this option, or receive treatment if it is indeed a kidney infection.