A kidney infection typically feels like a sudden onset of several symptoms, often within a few hours, including:
- Fever and chills
- Pain in the lower back, side, or groin, often described as sharp, stabbing, or a dull ache
- Feeling sick, nauseous, or vomiting
- Pain or burning sensation when urinating
- Frequent or urgent need to urinate, sometimes with cloudy, dark, bloody, or foul-smelling urine
- General feeling of being unwell or shivery
- In some cases, loss of appetite and diarrhea
Children under 2 may only have a high fever and feeding difficulties, while older adults might experience confusion or changes in mental function instead of typical symptoms
. Because a kidney infection can lead to serious complications like sepsis if untreated, it is important to seek medical help promptly if you experience these symptoms, especially if you have persistent fever, severe pain, or worsening condition
. In summary, a kidney infection feels like a combination of fever, chills, significant pain in the back or side, urinary discomfort, and general sickness.
