uk Health & medical scares

What to do if…
you have sudden back or side pain with fever and urinary symptoms

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: 16 May 2026 Last reviewed: 17 July 2026 Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Get urgent medical advice today. Fever or shivers with pain in your back or side just under the ribs, plus urinary symptoms, can be a kidney infection and needs prompt assessment.

Do not do these things

Do not wait overnight to see if it settles if you have fever or shivers, back or flank pain, and urinary symptoms.
Do not take leftover antibiotics or someone else’s antibiotics.
Do not take extra doses of painkillers beyond the packet directions.
Do not take ibuprofen unless a doctor has advised it is safe for you.
Do not drive yourself if you feel faint, confused, very weak, or the pain is severe.
Do not ignore emergency warning signs such as confusion, very fast or difficult breathing, blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue, or a rash that does not fade when pressed.

What to do now

Seek urgent NHS advice now. Contact your GP for an urgent appointment, or use NHS 111 where available. In England, you can use 111 online or call 111. In Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, use your local urgent NHS route.
Say the key facts clearly. Say: “I have fever or shivers, pain in my back or side just under the ribs, and urinary symptoms such as burning, urgency, frequency, cloudy urine, or blood in urine.” Say when it started and whether the pain is one-sided.
Call 999 or go to A&E now if you have emergency warning signs. This includes confusion, drowsiness, difficulty speaking, very fast or difficult breathing, blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue, or a rash that does not fade when pressed. On brown or black skin, colour changes may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
Treat urgent kidney-infection symptoms as same-day urgent even if you are not at 999-level. Ask for urgent assessment today if you have pain in the back just under the ribs with fever or shivers, vomiting, blood in your urine, a very low temperature below 36°C, no pee all day or very little pee, or you are pregnant.
Collect what clinicians will ask for. If you can, note your temperature, when you last peed, whether you have vomited, whether there is blood in your urine, your usual medicines, and any allergies, especially antibiotic allergies.
Keep things simple while arranging care. Sip water if you can keep it down. Take paracetamol or other simple pain or fever relief only as directed and only if it is normally safe for you. Ask someone to stay with you or check in if you feel very unwell.

What can wait

You do not need to work out whether this is a UTI, kidney infection, kidney stone, or something else right now.
You do not need to decide about long-term treatment, prevention, supplements, or home remedies today.
Wider decisions about work, travel, and routine plans can wait until you know what medical care you need. Arrange only the practical cover you need to get assessed safely.

Important reassurance

This symptom combination can feel frightening and sudden. Getting same-day medical advice is a sensible protective step, not an overreaction.

Scope note

These are first steps only for the first hours. Later decisions, treatment, tests, or follow-up may need advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Important note

This is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis. If symptoms are severe, rapidly worsening, or you have emergency warning signs, call 999 or go to A&E.

Additional Resources

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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