Can kidney stones lead to an infection?

Recently, singer Dolly Parton experienced kidney stones that resulted in a kidney infection. While the country music icon made a full recovery, the scare raised an important question: How often are the two connected? 

The short answer? Sometimes.  

When a kidney stone forms, it can block the flow of urine. This causes urine to become trapped in your kidney, creating an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. That, in turn, leads to an infection. One that is often serious and can result in urgent surgery.  

How common are kidney infections?

“Not everyone with a kidney stone will get an infection,” says Dr. Fahad Chaus, a urologist at Advocate Health Care. “A small subset of people with kidney stones can get infections, and those are usually more serious.”  

While those cases can be concerning, most kidney infections start as urinary tract infections (UTIs) and are less common than many expect. Kidney infections lead to about 250,000 office visits and 200,000 hospital admissions each year. 

Kidney stones aren’t the only things that increase your risk of developing an infection. People with diabetes, who are immunocompromised or who don’t practice proper hygiene also have a greater risk. 

How can you prevent a kidney infection?

Simple habits like peeing after sex, wiping front to back and not holding your pee can go a long way in helping prevent an infection.  

“Kidney health is strongly influenced by your daily habits,” Dr. Chaus shares. “A lot of people don’t realize how important it is just to stay hydrated. Drinking water is really important for kidney health.”

He also recommends adding lemon juice to your water because the juice has citric acid in it and binds with the calcium in the urine to help prevent stones from forming.

Signs of kidney stones and/or infection

Both kidney stones and infections can escalate quickly. Symptoms like fever, chills, severe back or side pain, and confusion in older adults are all warning signs that shouldn’t be ignored. In severe cases, untreated kidney infections can lead to complications like kidney damage or sepsis, a dangerous infection that spreads throughout the body. 

“If you start to get stomach pain, back pain or any type of urinary symptoms, get yourself checked out, especially if you have a history of kidney stones, diabetes or recurrent UTIs,” shares Dr. Jennette Berry, a family medicine physician at Advocate Health Care. “Don’t delay seeing a doctor because you could develop other complications.”  

Do you need help managing kidney stones? Find a doctor in Illinois or Wisconsin.