Serious kidney infection sends Liam Payne to hospital – the warning signs and early symptoms to look out for

• If kidney infection is not treated with antibiotics it can cause permanent damage
• Symptoms include back pain, needing to pee, cloudy pee and fever, experts say

Liam Payne has been rushed to hospital with severe pain from a serious kidney infection 

The former One Direction singer, 30, fell ill on a trip to Lake Como in Italy with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy. 

The painful and unpleasant illness can cause fevers, back pain and a burning sensation when you pass urine.

If it is not treated it can cause permanent kidney damage.  

Here, MailOnline breaks down the early warning signs and symptoms of a kidney infection to look out for. 

Liam Payne has been rushed to hospital during a romantic holiday with his girlfriend after suffering with agonising kidney pain (pictured in Lake Como with Kate on Saturday)

What causes a kidney infection? 

A common bladder infection, known as cystitis, is usually the cause of a kidney infection. 

The initial infection can be triggered by a type of bacteria called E. coli getting into the urethra, a tube that carries urine out of your body.

E. coli usually lives in the bowels, but it can get transferred to the genitals during sex or when wiping after going to the loo. 

Although most people who get cystitis will not develop a kidney infection, sometimes bacteria travels up from the bladder to the kidneys. 

But in some cases, it can develop without a bladder infection if you have kidney stones or a weakened immune system. 

It is vital to get the infection treated with antibiotics straight away to avoid permanent kidney damage, according to the NHS. 

Fever

A fever is a common symptom of a kidney infection.

A normal body temperature is around 37C (98.6F), but when you have a fever it will be 37.8C (100F) or higher, the NHS says.

Feeling warm, shivery or cold are signs of a fever. 

The body uses a fever to fight infections, as they stimulate the immune system and make it harder for the bacteria and viruses behind infections to survive.

Wearing lose clothes, drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated and taking paracetamol can help improve the symptoms of a fever.

Liam Payne announced last month that he was cancelling a tour in South America due to a ‘serious kidney infection’ which left him in hospital 

Back pain  

Pain or discomfort in your lower back, side or genitals is also a sign of a kidney infection.

It can often feel like a dull ache that can get worse if it’s gently pressed.  

The pain can be felt just below the rib cage, where the kidneys are located. 

In some cases, only one kidney is infected causing just one side to be painful and tender, the NHS says.

Needing to pee suddenly 

Kidney infections can also cause symptoms of cystitis or a UTI.

This includes needing to pee suddenly or more frequently, according to the NHS. 

The bacteria in your bladder, which is causing the infection, can make the area swell and get irritated.

It is this swelling that causes the urge to go to the toilet more often and with more urgency, experts say. 

How to prevent a kidney infection

The NHS says the best way to prevent a kidney infection is to keep your bladder and urethra free from bacteria. 

This can be done by:

• drinking plenty of fluids (plain water is best)
• going to the loo as soon as you feel the need to, rather than holding it in
• going to the loo after sex
• wiping from front to back after going to the loo
• washing your genitals every day, and before having sex if possible
• treating any constipation – being constipated can increase your chance of developing a UTI
• not using a diaphragm or condoms coated in spermicide if you’re prone to getting UTIs – it’s thought spermicide can increase your risk of getting a UTI

Source: NHS 

Pain or a burning sensation when peeing

Not only do kidney infections cause you to pee more, they can also cause a pain or a burning sensation when you do. 

This is caused by the inflammation or swelling of the urinary tract, experts say. 

Kidney infections are more common in women because a woman’s urethra is shorter than a man’s, making it easier for bacteria to reach the kidneys. 

‘Younger women are most at risk because they tend to be more sexually active, and having frequent sex increases the chances of getting a kidney infection’, the NHS says.  

Smelly or cloudy pee

Usually pee is clear or a pale yellow, but if it becomes cloudy or smelly, it could be a sign of a UTI or kidney infection. 

That’s because the body sends white blood cells to fight the infection. 

Cells are usually excreted in urine, so when the white blood cells mix with urine it can cause a cloudy colour.   

Although a change in urine colour can be caused by dehydration or some medication, the NHS says if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as pain when peeing, it could be a UTI. 

‘Less often, smelly pee can be caused by other conditions such as type 2 diabetes or kidney stones’, the NHS says.

Blood in your pee 

Finding blood in your pee is another symptom of both a UTI and a kidney infection. 

But the NHS urges people to see their GP if the symptoms of a UTI have not improved in a few days, or if they have blood in their pee.

‘Blood in your pee could come from anywhere in the urinary tract – the bladder, kidneys or urethra’, the NHS says.

A doctor will usually prescribe antibiotics for an infection to stop the infection from entering the bloodstream.

Most people who are diagnosed and treated promptly with antibiotics feel completely better after about two weeks. 

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