Women's Health

Kidney Infections

If your immune system is damaged you may be more prone to kidney infections. It's a common problem with pregnant women 

particularly, but diabetics and people with HIV or cancer have lowered immune systems and can often get kidney infections too.

For women, sexual intercourse can sometimes cause a bladder infection which will migrate to the kidneys and cause infections there too. Bladder infections can also be gotten easier by women who do not wipe properly after a bowel movement.

There are also catheter tubes used in hospitals which are inserted into the bladder and used to drain urine. If these are left in too long they can cause bladder infections, and the germs from that infection can travel to the kidneys and multiply into an infection there as well.

Some kidney infections come on quite fast, and these are known as acute kidney infections. They often have severe symptoms of pain, fever, vomiting, and the constant urge to urinate but being unable to. Acute kidney infections often come to an end quickly.

Chronic kidney infections however, often start slowly and sometimes show no symptoms at all for a while. It does continue growing and getting worse though, and can lead to kidney failure if left untreated. Chronic kidney infections often take awhile to clear up too.

Keeping plenty of fluids moving through your body is one of the best ways to prevent kidney infections. When fluid is constantly being moved through, the germs are unable to stay around and multiply because they're flushed out of your body instead. Simply drinking a minimum of two quarts of water each day is usually enough to help most people avoid getting kidney infections. If you develop a bladder infection however, it's a good idea to double your water intake until that infection has cleared up.

Cranberries and cranberry juice are also wonderful natural treatments for keeping the kidneys healthier, as is lemon juice.

If you need help flushing fluids through your kidneys and urinary tract system, you can use medications known as diuretics. These medicines help your body produce more urine, and thus carry more toxins out of your system. Prescription diuretics have some side effects however, one of which is the depletion of potassium levels in your blood. Natural diuretics don't have this problem though, because the two best: Kelp and Parsley, are also naturally high in potassium.

Kelp gives you the added benefit of increased infection fighting, because it's high in natural iodine and it stimulates your thyroid. The thyroid uses the extra iodine from the Kelp to help fight the germs and bacteria which are causing an infection in your body.

Juniper Berries is another herb which is excellent for caring for your kidneys. This herb helps clear conjestion from both the kidneys and the bladder, plus it helps heal the urinary passageways. Uva Ursi is an herb which helps stimulate, strengthen and tone the kidneys too.

Note: Some statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice.

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