Effective Remedies for a Kidney Infection (Pyelonephritis)

Effective Remedies for a Kidney Infection (Pyelonephritis)


Pyelonephritis, also known as kidney infections, is a type of urinary tract infection (UTI) that typically starts in the bladder and progresses to one or both kidneys. Numerous bacteria that form colonies and proliferate inside the urinary tract are the cause of UTIs, a common public health issue.

UTIs, one of the most prevalent types of infections in humans, affect 150 million people annually worldwide. Kidney infections can have a wide range of symptoms and causes, so you should always get medical help because they can lead to dangerous complications.

However, if you want to know how to get rid of a kidney infection, then read on. Our home remedies for kidney infection will help treat the condition.

Home Remedies for Kidney infection

Home remedies for kidney infections should not be used as a replacement for professional medical treatment in the event of complicated or uncomplicated UTIs but should always be used as an adjunct.

In general, however, our home remedies for a kidney infection can help your body combat the infection and prevent its recurrence. They can be a potent ally given the increasing rates of antibiotic resistance and the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains.

 

Stay hydrated


Unless you have a kidney failure, increasing the amount of liquids you consume each day can help your body get rid of the bacteria and flush out the other toxic waste products from your kidneys.

If you want to know how to get rid of a kidney infection, water is a good place to start. Drinking adequate amounts of water each day is crucial in protecting the health of your kidneys.

The additional water will also help to dilute your urine and prevent the minerals and salts in it from clustering into kidney stones. Your kidneys can also function more efficiently with an abundant supply of water; they incur more tissue stress when concentrated urine is produced.

Do consult your doctor to determine the optimum amount of water you should drink each day. For most individuals with a kidney infection, this should amount to 8-10 glasses of water each day.

Drinking fruit and vegetable juices can also help increase your vitamin intake and boost your immune system. Stay away from alcohol and coffee until you have fully recovered.

 

Consume probiotics


Physicians define probiotics as “live micro-organisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host” to broaden their traditional association with intestinal health.

In light of increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics and higher recurrence rates for UTIs, the medical community is advocating more studies that can conclusively determine the efficacy and limitations of probiotics in treating UTIs.

While probiotics have been recommended as a means to reduce bacterial colonization, alleviate the infection and remedy the problem of antibiotic resistance, additional studies with larger sample sizes with better methodological reporting are needed.

Using one or two capsules (which contain a combination of these two strains) vaginally each week throughout a year can thus significantly reduce UTI recurrence rates without any side effects or yeast infections.

 

Protect the health of your kidneys by maintaining a good diet

The correlation between the prevalence of chronic kidney diseases and an increased predisposition to end-stage renal disease and individuals of low socioeconomic status can be attributed to a malnourished diet. These conditions are also associated with diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.

A poor diet that is lacking in fruits and vegetables not only cause a micronutrient and fiber deficit; it also creates an acid-induced digestive system.

Furthermore, nearly all processed foods that often substitute for fresh fruit and vegetables contain sodium-based food additives. These additives account for up to 75% of your total sodium intake and are a major risk factor for chronic kidney diseases.

Opting for a diet that is low in sodium, salt, phosphorus, and potassium will help protect your kidney health in the long run.

You are also advised to lower your consumption of meat (since this creates additional strain on your kidneys) and to opt for healthier protein options (e.g. bread, lean meat, fish, and plant protein sources) to prevent fat from building up in your kidneys.

Opt for apples, peaches, green beans, carrots, cranberry juice, pasta, rice, and corn cereals.

 

Drink cranberry juice

Research has demonstrated the antibacterial effects of cranberry juice and its constituent organic acids (quinic, malic, shikimic, and citric acid) in combating UTIs caused by Escherichia coli.

Cranberry juice can reduce the bacterial count in your infected bladder and urinary tract.

Simply drink a glass of unsweetened cranberry juice each day.

Do not consume more than one liter of cranberry juice each day, since its ability to function as a urinary acidifier (even when consumed in moderate amounts) can be dangerous if it is drunk in excessive amounts.

 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is another great home remedy for kidney infections. Vitamin C is an antioxidant which is essential for reducing oxidative stress in the body and insufficient amounts in your diet are linked to a host of ailments.

However, vitamin C has been shown to increase the antioxidant enzymes in your kidneys and whats more, has been shown to reduce kidney scarring in the event of a kidney infection.

It is important to try and reduce kidney scarring as severe scarring is a common cause of UTI reoccurrence.

The great benefit of vitamin C as a home remedy is that it is present in so many healthy foods such as most fruit. As such it should be included in your diet as a preventative measure against the reoccurrence if kidney infections rather than just a treatment.

 

Parsley

Parsley works as a home remedy for kidney infections as it is a diuretic. Diuretics are substances that encourage the production of urine and as such, if they are not consumed alongside increased fluid intake, can lead to dehydration.

However, if plenty of water is consumed, then parsley will help flush out the kidneys and ensure your urine production is high.

If the urine production is high, this not only helps flush out more toxins from your system, but it also means that the concentration of your urine is low, diluted down with water. This helps take the load off your kidneys allowing them to recover quickly.

Parsley also acts as an antiseptic for your urinary tract as it has antifungal and antibiotic properties so it will not only help flush out your system, but will treat the cause of the kidney infection at source.

To use parsley as a home remedy for kidney infections, simply liquidize a large handful of the herb and add to your water consumption to treat the disease.

 

Baking Soda

Baking soda has many uses is also one of the best home remedies for kidney infection.

Studies on baking soda have shown that consumption of the compound can prevent kidney injury in patients that are suffering from long-term kidney disease.

Scientists studied ‘Contrast-induced nephropathy’ on patients (which is an impairment of the renal function or a kidney injury) and demonstrated that baking soda did help patients in the sample trial, reducing the incidence of damage in the kidneys.

However, they also alluded to the fact that the evidence was weak and further studies may be needed.

 

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