Nephrologist (Kidney Specialist) Questions Nephrologist

Can a kidney infection get better on its own?

I have a kidney infection. Is it serious? Can a kidney infection get better on its own?

6 Answers

Yes, it can get better on its own if you drink a lot of water.
Rarely
Only if viral in origin
If it is a mild infection and your symptoms are mild.
Possible, if one is young, drinks lot of fluids and has no urinary tract disease, but whether to treat or not treat is going to be a decision between you and your doctor based on your history and risk factors for worsening of the UTI. In general it is best to treat the UTI.
In some occasions, a recurrent UTI with no symptoms and keeps coming back after treatment, may be left alone. But the person has to be with a good immune system and has not had a UTI that led to pyelonephritis or bacteria in the blood.
You never say never in medicine. Yet, if you believe that you have got a kidney infection, you should see your doctor and get appropriate treatment because kidney infections can get serious and even lead to blood infections.