What combination of symptoms typically indicates pyelonephritis?

Pyelonephritis, which is an infection and inflammation of the kidneys, typically presents with a combination of urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms alongside flank pain. UTI symptoms often include dysuria (painful urination), frequency, urgency, and sometimes hematuria (blood in urine). Flank pain indicates that the infection has ascended to the kidneys, causing discomfort in the area around the lower back, just below the ribs. This distinctive combination of symptoms—urinary issues coupled with flank pain—helps differentiate pyelonephritis from lower urinary tract infections that usually do not involve kidney inflammation.

While other options may describe symptoms that can occur in various medical conditions, they do not specifically indicate pyelonephritis. For instance, fever and cough might suggest a respiratory infection, whereas nausea and vomiting can be more associated with gastrointestinal issues or severe systemic infections. Headaches and dizziness are nonspecific and could relate to a myriad of different conditions but are not characteristic of pyelonephritis.