Kidney infections, or urinary tract infections (UTIs), affect women more than men due to the proximity of the anus to the urethra and the shorter length of the female urethra. Symptoms include frequent urination, burning sensations, and intense pain in the lower back or abdomen. Early treatment with antibiotics and fluids is crucial to prevent permanent kidney damage. Drinking cranberry juice may also help alleviate symptoms.
A kidney infection is a serious medical condition. Medically known as a urinary tract infection (UTI), kidney infections affect women more than men. About one in five women will experience a kidney infection. Common symptoms of urinary tract infection in women can be a strong urge to urinate frequently, a burning sensation when urinating, and more severe symptoms. If left untreated, a kidney infection in women can cause permanent kidney damage.
Urinary tract infections affect women more than men because a woman’s anus is closer to the urethra and therefore is susceptible to digestive tract bacteria, and a woman’s urethra is shorter than a man’s, allowing the bacteria to travel more rapidly to the urinary tract organs. Almost all UTIs are caused by bacteria, and the vast majority are caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli. A kidney infection in women could also be caused by bacteria entering the urethra during sexual intercourse, from scented soaps and bubble baths, or even by wearing tight-fitting clothing.
A kidney infection in women usually starts with cystitis or a bladder infection. The bacteria enter the urethra and travel back up into the bladder. Symptoms include feeling unwell, needing to urinate frequently, passing only small amounts of urine, and a burning sensation in the urethra. After the bacteria have climbed into the kidneys, symptoms include intense, radiating pain in the lower back, side, or lower abdomen; cloudy or bloody urine; fever; chills; and nausea or vomiting.
The symptoms of urinary tract infection in women should not be ignored. Kidney infections are easily treated with a regimen of fluid drinking and oral antibiotics, which cure over 90% of uncomplicated kidney infections in women. Some studies have shown that drinking cranberry juice, a highly acidic liquid that repels bacteria, is helpful in treating the early symptoms of kidney infection in women. Severe cases of urinary tract infections or extremely painful symptoms may require hospitalization and intravenous antibiotics.
Although serious, kidney infections in women are easily treated when symptoms are caught early. The most common symptoms of urinary tract infections, such as a burning sensation in the urethra and a general feeling of being unwell, are early indications of a kidney infection in women. When prompt treatment is sought, the discomfort of minor symptoms and the dangers of severe symptoms are quickly relieved.
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