1. Whisk the Pain Away
During and after a kidney infection, you should follow up with a health care provider to determine the best possible solution for your care needs. Antibiotics are very effective in managing kidney infections and are probably the most common way that kidney infections are treated. Consumers should be aware, however, that in recent years there has been an overuse of antibiotics, which in turn has caused antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that cause kidney infections. But there are still many bacteria that respond fairly well to antibiotics.
Follow the recommended course of prescribed medication even after symptoms disappear. Always seek medical advice if there is blood in the urine.
Antibiotics can also be used in combination with herbal remedies (under the advice of a physician) and nutritional supplements to help improve the antibacterial response. Oil of oregano, for example, has been proven to be effective in combination with prescribed antibiotics in treating and eliminating bacterial infections of the kidneys.
2. Sleep it Off
When faced with any type of infection, it is important that you get plenty of rest. Resting allows the body to recover from the infection. It is recommended that you take a few days off of work, if possible, to allow the body time to heal. Taking a break from working out also aids the body in the recovery process.
3. Drink Plenty of Fluids
Consuming plenty of fluid will help to prevent dehydration when faced with any type of infection. Dehydration often leads to urinary tract infections, and urinary tract infections can lead to kidney infections. Staying hydrated also helps the body recover properly and helps the medication or herbal remedies distribute themselves through your body more efficiently.
4. Remedies to the Rescue
There are several herbs that help tackle kidney infections. Goldenseal and Oregon grape both contain berberine which helps to kill bacteria and stimulate the immune response and the immune system. These herbs also appear to inhibit infection-causing bacteria from sticking to the wall of the bladder, and then traveling further into the kidneys.
Cranberry juice and cranberry supplements are also essential for preventing and treating kidney infections. Drinking 16 to 24 oz. of cranberry juice per day, or taking cranberry supplements by capsules, can help treat kidney infections.
Herbal products that have diuretic abilities, meaning that they increase the amount of urine that passes through the bladder, help to wash away bacteria and thereby prevent kidney infections. Herbs such as hydrangea, parsley and dandelion leaves are diuretics. Parsley seeds also contain a substance that is sometimes used to treat kidney infections; it also helps reduce inflammation.
5. Get a Vitamin Boost
Vitamins A and C are good sources for preventing kidney infections. Vitamin A, which usually comes in the form of beta-carotene in plants, helps make cells more resistant to invasion from unfriendly bacteria. Vitamin C helps the immune system by producing infection fighters. When consuming vitamin C, do so in smaller quantities as it increases urine's acidity. However, the bacteria that usually cause kidney infections do not survive well under acidic conditions, so vitamin C tends to inhibit them. Vitamin C supplements are great because you need to consume at least 5,000 mg of this nutrient to increase the acidity of your urine to ward off infections. One orange contains about 60 mg of vitamin C.
