If you are seeing a doctor about pain or tenderness in your lower back, related to your kidneys and he or she thinks that you have a infection in your kidneys, there are some questions that you want to come prepared to ask:

1. What medical tests are you going to do to diagnose and to determine the cause?

2. What type of infection is it? (There are two common types of kidney infection, which we will discuss below)

3. What's the cause of the kidney problem? (see below)

4. What's the prognosis?

5. What treatment do you recommend? Are there alternative treatments that you recommend?

6. What medications, if any, will be prescribed? Are the side effects to the medicines? Are their other medicines that might be easier on my system or that are less toxic?

***Please notice that there is a "print" button on the bottom of this page that will make it easy to print out this page if you want to take it with you to your doctor.

There are two types of kidney infections that are commonly daginosed:

Glomerulonephritis and Bacterial Pyelonephritis

Acute glomerulonephritis is an inflammatory infection. It is thought to be related to antigen and antibody reactions which produces damage structures in the kidneys (such as the capillaries). This disorder usually involves scarring of the tissue. Unfortunately, if often develops over the course of many years and without symptoms.

Glomerulonephritis sometimes follows a strep throat infection, or a a skin infection. However it is usually diagnosed as an allergic or immune response reaction to an infection in another part of the body such as measles, hepatitis, pneumonia, syphilis or even malaria. The cause needs to be treated immediately, most often with antibiotics.

There is a "chronic" diagnosis of Glomerulonephritis as well, in which the kidneys stop functioning, usually are 20 or 30 years.

Pyelonephritis is an inflammation of one or both kidneys. It has multiple causes and various symptom manifestations. It is often related hypertension, chronic infection, renal problems and is caused by bacterial infection. Sometimes common disorders such as kidney stones, pregnancy and prostate issues can increase the likelihood of getting a Pyelonephritis kidney infection.

Symptoms and Diagnoses of the Kidney Infections

Symptoms of glomerulonephritis vary from person to person, thus the need to see a doctor. Symptoms of pyelonephritis are well known and easy to see such as fever, chills, back ache and back pain, as well as nausea and tenderness near the infected kidney.

Glomerulonephritis is diagnosed through tests of kidney function while Pyelonephritis is diagnosed by means of the symptoms listed above (fever, chills, back ache and pain). Definitive cause is determined by a bacterial test.

Treatment and pain relief for glomerulonephritis and pyelonephritis are different, but both treatments will likely include rest and antibiotics for any bacterial infections. Usually the treatment will last for several weeks, but certain people may have a structural issue and require longer-term treatment.

Again - please see your doctor if you feel you have questions or concerns about kidney infection or pain near your kidneys, lower back or other areas.