Have you had a kidney infection or can you describe in 3 words what a kidney infection/acute pyelonephritis feels like?
I am collecting words to build a word cloud (you can google to see examples) to share with pediatricians and pediatric nurses and help explain what children under 2 years of age must be feeling when they have a kidney infection. These babies and toddlers are too young to tell us...so will you help?
When we complete the project, I will share the cloud...hopefully it will be good!
Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.
I had a pt c/o kidney pain. She was a known drug seeker And drug addict.
To be honest...completely honest. While we're taught to believe pain is what the person says it is... I didn't believe her.
But the MD explained to me that kidney stones hurst very bad and we can't judge her pain. He gave her pain meds.
Another older client never complained. Perhaps d/t her mental illness or perhaps d/t her mental capacity. But she did display the common s/sx of kidney infection thru get altered level of consciousness. She just wasn't herself!!
I'm sure it's been answered already but I'm prone to kidney infections.
It feels like a very sharp, intense, stabbing pain located in the flank (on your back, outward from the spine, from the lower rib to the top of the pelvic bone).
Usually just one side for me. Generally feels like a hot knife. Comes in waves and sometimes makes me nauseous.
vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN
2,717 Posts
I had a pt c/o kidney pain. She was a known drug seeker And drug addict.
To be honest...completely honest. While we're taught to believe pain is what the person says it is... I didn't believe her.
But the MD explained to me that kidney stones hurst very bad and we can't judge her pain. He gave her pain meds.
Another older client never complained. Perhaps d/t her mental illness or perhaps d/t her mental capacity. But she did display the common s/sx of kidney infection thru get altered level of consciousness. She just wasn't herself!!