Kidney Infection Treatment Options
Kidney infections are treated with antibiotics, pain relievers, and fever reducers. Uncomplicated kidney infection and few complicated kidney infections will be treated on an outpatient basis by a general practitioner, but people with a complicated kidney infection likely require hospitalization and intravenous antibiotics.. Pregnant women may require additional consultation with an obstetrician or gynecologist.
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Lets Start With A Symptom Check
Not everyone with a urinary tract infection develops symptoms, but most have at least a few tell-tale signs.
Do any of these apply to you?
- You experience a burning sensation when you urinate.
- You feel a strong, persistent need to urinate, yet only pass a small amount.
- Your urine is cloudy or contains blood.
- Your urine has a strong odor.
- You have pain in your back or lower abdomen.
- You experience nausea, vomiting and/or just feel ill.
Two or more? Time to see your doctor. And the sooner you get UTI treatment, the better. UTIs are no joke left untreated the infection could lead to serious complications.
Still Unsure Try An At Home Uti Test
At home tests are a great way to detect a UTI before going to see your doctor. Some, like AZO Test Strips®, are the same urinary tract infection tests used in many doctor’s offices. The most reliable, over-the-counter UTI home test available, AZO Test Strips® offer two UTI tests in one – including both Leukocyte and Nitrite tests. These tests performed together are more effective for detecting a UTI than testing for nitrite alone.
If you get a positive result, its time to call your doctor with the results. If your result is negative but you are experiencing symptoms, you should still call your doctor. A small number of people may not have detectable nitrites even though an infection is present.
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What Is The Urinary Tract
The urinary tract gets rid of extra fluids and waste. The kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra are the organs that make up the tract. The kidneys filter blood and make the urine, the urine travels through the ureters to the bladder which stores the urine and then the urine passes through the urethra and out of the body.
Top Best Answers To The Question Can I Give My Dog Azo For Urinary Tract Infection
Phenazopyridine, found in products such as Pyridium, is an OTC medication used to urinary tract infections and other urinary problems. This medication may be toxic to pets and should never be administered to animals.
Those who are looking for an answer to the question «Can i give my dog azo for urinary tract infection?» often ask the followingquestions:
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How To Use Azo
Take this medication by mouth, usually 3 times daily after meals or as directed by your doctor. If you are taking this medication along with antibiotics for symptoms related to a urinary tract infection, or are self-treating, do not take it for more than 2 days without talking to your doctor.
Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy.
Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.
What Is A Kidney Infection
Kidney infection, or pyelonephritis, is a bacterial infection of the kidneys that constitutes a medically urgent condition requiring immediate antibiotic treatment. Untreated kidney infection runs the risk of an abscess, kidney damage, loss of kidney function, blood poisoning , and, in a worst-case scenario, kidney failure.
Kidney infections are a commonly experienced type of kidney disease, accounting for over 250,000 cases per year. They are typically caused by an active urinary tract infection that begins in the bladder, called cystitis. Because women are at a higher risk for cystitis, they are also at a higher risk for kidney infection. Approximately 15-17 out of every 10,000 women are diagnosed with kidney infection annually compared to 3-4 out of every 10,000 men. Other risk factors include urinary system blockage, a compromised immune system, urinary catheters, or vesicoureteral reflux, a condition in which urine flows up from the bladder back into the kidneys.
Most kidney infections are the result of urinary tract infections caused by a bacteria called Escherichia coli, or E. coli, which normally lives in the colon. Bacteria that finds its way into the bladder and goes untreated can travel up the ureters, the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder, and spread to the kidneys and their collecting systems.
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Can I Take Azo
FDA pregnancy category B. Phenazopyridine is not expected to harm an unborn baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor’s advice if you are pregnant.
It is not known whether phenazopyridine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor’s advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.
What Is The Most Important Information I Should Know About Azo
You should not use phenazopyridine if you are allergic to it, or if you have kidney disease.
To make sure phenazopyridine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
- liver disease
- diabetes or
- a genetic enzyme deficiency called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
FDA pregnancy category B. Phenazopyridine is not expected to harm an unborn baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor’s advice if you are pregnant.
It is not known whether phenazopyridine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor’s advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.
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How Can I Take Care Of Myself
- Follow your healthcare providers treatment. Take all of the antibiotic that your healthcare provider prescribes, even when you feel better. Do not take medicine left over from previous prescriptions.
- Drink more fluids, especially water, to help flush bacteria from your system.
- If you have a fever:
- Take aspirin or acetaminophen to control the fever. Check with your healthcare provider before you give any medicine that contains aspirin or salicylates to a child or teen. This includes medicines like baby aspirin, some cold medicines, and Pepto Bismol. Children and teens who take aspirin are at risk for a serious illness called Reyes syndrome.
- Keep a daily record of your temperature.
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The Status Of Methenamine Combination Products
The FDAs 2003 request for data and information alsotargeted a combination product containing methenamine, sodiumsalicylate, salicylamide, and benzoic acid.8 The FDAmentioned that the manufacturer would be required to make a newsubmission, as the old one from the 1970s was badly outdated. Theproduct most closely resembling this combination at present is Cystex.9Each tablet contains 162 mg of methenamine and 162.5 mg of sodiumsalicylate, with benzoic acid listed as an inactive ingredient. Thedosage is 2 tablets with a full glass of water 4 times daily.14None of these ingredients as dosed in the nonprescription product isproven to be safe and effective at preventing or treating UTIs at thepresent time.
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Nonprescription Products For Utis
When you have a UTI, it is vital to make a doctorsappointment. You should never try to treat it on your own with homeremedies or nonprescription products. Some women purchase OTC productswithout medical advice, such as those containing phenazopyridine . Purchasers may believe that this ingredient alone cancure the UTI. This is a common misconception, as the product may provideonly temporary relief of symptoms .
After obtaining this relief, a woman may decide that theUTI is gone and that she does not need to see her physician after all.This is a mistake. Phenazopyridine does not act to kill bacteria, so anyrelief obtained is probably short-lived. The label warns against usingthe product for more than 2 days, and advises seeing a physician ifsymptoms last more than 2 days. Of course, the safest course of actionis to see a physician first, and ask whether this product should be usedalong with the antibiotic/antibacterial prescription product. Further,no herbal product or dietary supplement is proven safe or effective forpreventing or treating a UTI.
What Is Azo Urinary Pain Relief
AZO Urinary Pain Relief is a pain reliever that affects the lower part of your urinary tract .
AZO Urinary Pain Relief is used to treat urinary symptoms such as pain or burning, increased urination, and increased urge to urinate. These symptoms can be caused by infection, injury, surgery, catheter, or other conditions that irritate the bladder.
AZO Urinary Pain Relief will treat urinary symptoms, but this medication will not treat a urinary tract infection.. Take any antibiotic that your doctor prescribes to treat an infection.
AZO Urinary Pain Relief may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
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How Azo Is Used
Azo Standard is available as 95-milligram pills, and the proper dose is usually two pills up to three times a day, per the U.S. National Library of Medicine. A maximum-strength version is also available, which offers 97.5-milligram pills.
Doctors often recommend taking Azo for the first two days of antibiotic treatment to ease the pain and burning of urination while the antibiotic takes effect. However, you should read the package instructions carefully, and keep in mind that most doctors caution against taking Azo for more than two days, as it can mask the presence of a more serious problem.
- Azo Standard is available as 95-milligram pills, and the proper dose is usually two pills up to three times a day, per the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- However, you should read the package instructions carefully, and keep in mind that most doctors caution against taking Azo for more than two days, as it can mask the presence of a more serious problem.
Manufacturers Respond To The Fda
The FDA received at least three responses to its list ofphenazopyridine questions within a 6-month period. The ConsumerHealthcare Products Association asked the FDA to reviewphenazopyridine, but completely sidestepped the issue ofcarcinogenicity.11 A submission from PolymedicaPharmaceuticals asserted that urinarydiscomfort should be self-treatable, and further argued against warningpatients on product labels that they may need a concomitantantibacterial.12 Polymedica also claimed that phenazopyridinedosages of 190 to 195 mg are safe and effective, but did not submitclinical dosage studies to support its assertions. Polymedica arguedagainst including any carcinogenesis statement. In short, the submissionwas entirely laudatory about phenazopyridine, although it did notreport newly conducted clinical studies, as would have been required bythe FDA to establish safety and efficacy.
A brief submission from Johnson & Johnson made essentially the same arguments as Polymedica, denying theneed for carcinogenicity labeling.13 This submission also failed to include new clinical studies providing evidence of safety and efficacy.
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What Are Side Effects Associated With Using Phenazopyridine
Common side effects of phenazopyridine include:
Serious side effects of phenazopyridine include:
- Pale skin
- Jaundice
- Urinating less than usual or not at all
- Drowsiness
- Shortness of breath
- Blue or purple coloring in your skin
This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects may occur. Call your doctor for information and medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Does Azo Cure Uti
Before you go to the doctor to get treatment for a urinary tract infection, you can take an over-the-counter medicine, known as AZO Urinary Pain Relief or AZO Urinary Pain Relief Maximum Strength. You can take these tablets for about 2 days to cure the painful symptoms of the UTI. But, make sure you tell your doctor if you are having this medication. You can take AZO Cranberry tablets once your UTI is cured in order to maintain the health of the urinary tract.
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How To Take Azo Urinary Pain Relief
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Your doctor will tell you how much to take and how often.
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Swallow the tablets whole, do not crush or chew.
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You may take the medicine with food to avoid an upset stomach.
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You may take the medicine with food to avoid an upset stomach.
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Swallow the tablets whole, do not crush or chew.
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Your doctor will tell you how much to take and how often.
What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture .
Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.
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What Are The Symptoms Of A Kidney Infection
Symptoms usually develop quickly, over a few hours or so, and may include:
- Pain in a loin or flank. .
- High temperature which may cause shivers.
- Feeling sick and/or being sick .
- Diarrhoea.
- Blood in the urine.
- There will also usually be symptoms of a bladder infection for example, pain on passing urine, and going to the toilet often.
Not all of the symptoms may develop, and sometimes a kidney infection can just cause vague symptoms. For example, just feeling generally unwell but not being able to say why.
In older people a kidney infection may cause confusion. This is why a urine test is often done when an elderly person suddenly becomes confused or appears generally unwell.
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Azo Plays Defense With Urinary Tract Infections
New AZO Urinary Tract Defense Helps Slow the Progression of Infection
CROMWELL, CT One-third of all women who have experienced a Urinary Tract Infection will get another one. Today, leading urinary and vaginal health brand AZO has announced the launch of new AZO Urinary Tract Defense, an over-the-counter drug that helps women play defense when UTI symptoms strike.
AZO Urinary Tract Defense features the only antibacterial UTI ingredient available without a prescription to help defend against the progression of an infection until a doctor can be consulted. One of the active ingredients in AZO Urinary Tract Defense helps fight the bacteria that can cause a UTI, said Board Certified OB-GYN Dr. Alyssa Dweck.^
Dr. Dweck^ regularly recommends AZO products to her patients and has started including AZO Urinary Tract Defense when they begin to experience UTI symptoms such as pain and burning when urinating, frequency and urgency to inhibit the infection from worsening until they can obtain treatment. The tablets also offer general pain relief to alleviate the discomfort associated with a UTI, she said.
For women who tend to experience UTIs, the painful symptoms are all too familiar and can often derail a busy work day or family and social obligations, said Sara Urbanek, marketing manager at i-Health, Inc. the distributor of AZO. AZO Urinary Tract Defense can help manage the infection, because life doesnt pause for a UTI.
About AZO:®®®®®®A
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How Should I Take Azo
Use exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Take Azo-Standard after meals.
Drink plenty of liquids while you are taking Azo-Standard.
Azo-Standard will most likely darken the color of your urine to an orange or red color. This is a normal effect and is not harmful. Darkened urine may also cause stains to your underwear that may be permanent.
Azo-Standard can also permanently stain soft contact lenses, and you should not wear them while taking this medicine.
Do not use Azo-Standard for longer than 2 days unless your doctor has told you to.
This medication can cause unusual results with urine tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using Azo-Standard.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Azo Urinary Pain Relief And Azo Maximum Strength
These are over-the-counter products that provide relief from the symptoms of a urinary tract infection. These products do not cure the infection, but only help in managing UTI symptoms.
The AZO Maximum Strength is said to contain more of the active ingredient and provides a maximum relief for UTI symptoms such as urinary urgency and painful or burning sensations while urinating.
Its main ingredient called phenazopyridine hydrochloride directly targets the exact area, which causes discomfort. After taking AZO, quick relief can be achieved within 20 minutes. Moreover, AZO’s active ingredient has been considered as the number one ingredient by doctors for any kind of urinary discomfort. Phenazopyridine is basically a dye, which works as a painkiller that soothes the lining of the urinary tract. This medicine can be orally taken three times a day after meals or as directed by the doctor. However, taking AZO also has accompanying side effects, which may include an upset stomach, headache, or dizziness.
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