Read up on Kidney infection treatment options at Consumer Reports Health.

Kidney infection

Key points about treatments

The usual treatment for a kidney infection is a drug called an antibiotic. There are lots of different antibiotics.

Antibiotics work by killing

bacteria
Bacteria are tiny organisms. There are lots of different types. Some are harmful and can cause disease. But some bacteria live in your body without causing any harm.

bacteria. They can be given as pills or as an

intravenous infusion
When a medicine or a fluid, such as blood, is fed directly into a vein, it's called an intravenous infusion (or IV). To give you an intravenous infusion, a nurse, technician or a doctor places a narrow plastic tube into a vein (usually in your arm) using a needle. The needle is then removed and the fluid is infused (or dripped) through the tube into the vein.

intravenous infusion (an IV for short). Most people take a course of pills at home.
If you have a more severe kidney infection, you may need to go into the hospital. You'll probably be put on an antibiotic IV and you may have pills as well.
There are lots of different antibiotics. The ones that have been tested for kidney infections all seem to work about as well as each other. However, some types of bacteria have become resistant to some antibiotics. This means that these drugs no longer kill some kinds of bacteria.
If you're pregnant, a kidney infection can cause you to go into labor too soon. You'll probably need treatment in the hospital.
There hasn't been much research on which painkillers work best for people with kidney infections. Drugs like ibuprofen (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs) aren't usually recommended because they can have harmful effects on your kidneys. To read more, see Painkillers for people with a kidney infection.

This information was last updated on Jan 08, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
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