Infections of the Urine System 367
Signs and treatment
Bladder infection signs:
• need to pass urine very often. (It may also feel as
though some urine is still left inside.)
• pain or a burning feeling while passing urine
• pain in the lower belly just after passing urine
• urine smells bad, or looks cloudy, or has blood or pus in it.
(Dark urine can be a sign of hepatitis. See page 277.)
urine
smells
bad
Kidney infection signs:
• any bladder infection signs
• fever and chills
• lower back pain, often
severe, that can go from the
front, around the sides, and
into the back
• nausea and vomiting
• feeling very ill and weak
If you have signs of both
a bladder and a kidney
infection, you probably
have a kidney infection.
Don’t worry
Lihua. I will help
you get to the
health center.
When a woman has a
kidney infection, she may
be in great pain and
feel very ill. This can be
very frightening. If this
happens to you, try to
get a family member or
a neighbor to help you
get to a health worker or
health post.
IMPORTANT If your signs are serious, start taking medicine right away. See the next page.
Treatment for a bladder infection:
Bladder infections can often be treated with home remedies.
Start treatment as soon as you notice the signs. A bladder
infection can sometimes travel quickly up the urine tubes into
the kidneys.
• Drink a lot of water. Try to drink at least one cup of
clean water every 30 minutes. This will make you pass
urine often. Sometimes the germs will wash out of
your urine system before the infection gets worse.
• Stop having sex for a few days, or until the signs have
gone away.
• Make a tea from flowers, seeds,
and leaves that are known to help
cure urine infections. Ask the
older women in the community
which plants will help.
Where Women Have No Doctor 2012