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Lifestyle and home remedies

By Mayo Clinic staff

To reduce pain or discomfort as you recover from a kidney infection, try to:

  • Apply heat. Place a heating pad on your abdomen, back or side to reduce feelings of pressure or pain.
  • Use pain medicine. For fever or discomfort, take a nonaspirin pain reliever that contains acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) as directed by your doctor, or take a prescription medication that he or she provides.
  • Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of fluids will help to flush bacteria from your urinary tract. Avoid citrus juices, coffee, alcohol and soft drinks with caffeine until your infection has cleared. These products can aggravate your frequent or urgent need to urinate.
References
  1. Pyelonephritis (kidney infection) in adults. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/pyelonephritis/. Accessed June 29, 2009.
  2. Urinary tract infections in adults. UrologyHealth.org. http://www.urologyhealth.org/adult/index.cfm?cat=07&topic=147. Accessed June 29, 2009.
  3. Schaeffer AJ, et al. Infections of the urinary tract. In: Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/146625683-4/0/1445/0.html. Accessed June 29, 2009.
  4. Masson P, et al. Meta-analyses in prevention and treatment urinary tract infections. Infectious Disease Clinics of North America. 2009;23:355.
  5. Norris DL, et al. Urinary tract infections: Diagnosis and management in the emergency department. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America. 2008;26:413.
  6. Neal DE. Complicated urinary tract infections. Urologic Clinics of North America. 2008;35:13.
  7. Urinary tract infections. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp050.cfm. Accessed June 30, 2009.
  8. Barbara Woodward Lips Patient Education Center. Urinary tract infection and kidney infection. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2004.

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Aug. 8, 2009

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