Kidney infections result from excess bacteria that have built up in the kidney. Doctors also call them pyelonephritis. Kidney infections can require hospitalization to treat severe symptoms, and so home remedies alone usually are not enough to treat them.
Kidney infections are often the most serious of urinary tract infections (UTIs) because they have the most potential to damage the kidneys and spread to other body areas. Other UTIs may affect the bladder, ureters, or urethra, but are less likely to cause as significant damage.
If a person suspects they have a kidney infection, they should see their doctor straight away.
Are home remedies safe for kidney infections?
Kidney infections can cause severe symptoms and lead to kidney damage, and so a person will need antibiotics to treat the infection.
However, a person can use home remedies to support their recovery further and reduce the likelihood that the kidney infection will come back.
Before taking any supplements as a home remedy, a person should check with their doctor to make sure they do not interfere with any other medications they are taking.
The following are some home remedies and self-care tips that may help reduce kidney infection symptoms:
Drink plenty of water
Flushing bacteria from the kidneys is an important goal when a person has a kidney infection. Drinking at least six to eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day can help, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
If a person has kidney failure, they may need to decrease this amount of fluid based on their doctor’s recommendations.
Drink cranberry juice
The idea of drinking cranberry juice to boost kidney health is controversial among some experts. However, some studies support the idea that cranberry juice may help to reduce the number of bacteria when a person has a UTI.
Take green tea extract or drink green tea
A 2013 study in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology suggests that taking green tea extract may have an antibacterial effect on common bacteria strains are known to cause UTIs.
The researchers took green tea extracts and applied them to bacterial cultures in a laboratory. Over time, they found the green tea inhibited bacterial growth.
Because the study was in a laboratory and involved samples, it is hard to know if the results would be the same in humans. However, the possibility remains that green tea could have potential health benefits when a person has a UTI.
Read the full article at Medical News Today