Christina Applegate’s Shocking Battle with Kidney Infection: The Unseen Pain Behind Her Scream That Will Leave You Speechless

Ever had one of those moments where your body throws a curveball, and you just know something’s seriously off—but figuring out what feels like unraveling a mystery? That’s exactly what actress Christina Applegate, well-known not only for her roles but also for bravely sharing her journey with multiple sclerosis on the MeSsy podcast, recently experienced. Imagine waking up to a pain so fierce it makes you question if your appendix is bursting—only to find out it’s actually a kidney infection that landed you in the hospital. Yep, it’s a wild ride, and Christina’s story is packed with raw honesty, fierce self-advocacy, and eye-opening symptoms every woman should spot before things spiral. From Europe to emergency CT scans at 2 a.m., her experience is a powerful reminder: sometimes you have to push hard for answers and not settle until you do. Curious what signs to watch for and how a simple UTI can flip the script so quickly? Let’s dive in. LEARN MORE

Actress Christina Applegate, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and hosts the MeSsy podcast with fellow MS advocate Jamie Lynn Sigler, recently revealed she was hospitalized for a kidney infection. In the August 5 episode of their podcast, Applegate shared the intense pain she dealt with, her early symptoms and how she advocated for herself until her concerns were taken seriously. Here’s a look at her experience, including symptoms of a kidney infection every woman should know.

Christina Applegate was hospitalized for a kidney infection 

Applegate explained that the August 5 episode of her podcast was recorded from her hospital room before revealing to fans why she was admitted. “I’m not doing a podcast from the hospital because I felt like doing one from the hospital was an awesome idea,” said Applegate. “We just happened to have this scheduled and they won’t let me leave yet because things are, things are messy, but I’m going to be okay.”

She shared that her symptoms—which ultimately ended up being related to a kidney infection—began while she was out of the country. 

Applegate’s kidney infection symptoms

“So I went to Europe to see family, and I was not feeling good the whole time I was there, but not like the kind of bad where I had missed days,” said Applegate. “It would just be like up and down, like I’d be okay for a couple hours, and then I’d be having to go lay down because my stomach was really bad.”

When she returned home, she was worried her symptoms might get worse, so she decided to seek medical care as soon as she got off the plane. “I was like, I’m going to go, and I’m not leaving there until I have some f*****g answers,” said Applegate. “Like, I’m done. Think outside the box. Don’t just leave me there, give me meds and say, ‘You feel better now, you’re going home.’ I want to know why this is happening and I want it to stop so that I don’t have to keep coming here.”

After being admitted to the hospital, she began experiencing intense pain. “The next day… I start getting a pain that I’ve never felt before. So of course my brain’s like, oh, my appendix is bursting,” explaining that the pain radiated from her front to her back. “So much pain. I’m screaming, and they ordered me an emergency CT at 2 in the morning.”

Applegate needed IV antibiotics

Although she feared her appendix was the problem, a CT scan revealed the real issue: a kidney infection that had spread to her left kidney as well and required “intravenous antibiotics.” As for the cause? “Now they’re saying it could be from, here you guys go, makes me even more sexy, a UTI,” said Applegate.

Applegate said her medical providers believe her infection may have been caused by a UTI, and questioned her wiping technique. “Like, what am I back-wiping? Like, seriously, I’m 53,” Applegate said in frustration, revealing that during a previous hospital visit she’d been asked if she was wiping from front to back.

While she ultimately pushed through her discomfort and even cracked a few jokes on her podcast, Applegate revealed, “I’m holding in a bag o’ tears right now,” adding, “I sometimes fall into the nurse’s arms like a freako, just like crying.”

Today, she’s recovering at home. “I’m home and have been treated for the kidney infection,” Applegate shared in a statement to People the afternoon of August 5, via her representative. “As far as my ongoing stomach thing, it’s a work in progress. I was there 7 days.”

What is a kidney infection?

“A kidney infection is a urinary tract infection that has traveled ‘upstream’ from the bladder to one or both kidneys,” says Scott D. Miller, MD, MBA, a board-certified urologist and the Medical Director of Wellstar Urology in Atlanta. “Unlike a simple bladder infection, it can make you very sick, very fast and even affect your whole body.”

Dr. Miller suggests thinking of the urinary tract like a one-way street where urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder, then out of the body. “When bacteria reverse course, they inflame and swell the kidneys, causing pain and potentially serious illness,” says Dr. Miller. “The kidney can also be a route for the bacteria to travel through your bloodstream to the rest of your body.”

What causes kidney infections?

Dr. Miller says kidney infections often “start as a bladder infection caused by bacteria that migrate up the ureter (the tube that connects the kidney to the bladder) into the kidney.” But there are other risk factors that can lead to kidney infections, including: 

• Untreated or recurrent bladder infections
• Blockages (such as kidney stones or an enlarged prostate)
• Conditions that impair bladder emptying (such as neurologic disorders or severe constipation)
• A weakened immune system
• Female anatomy, since a shorter urethra (the tube through which urine exits the bladder) makes bacterial entry easier

Kidney infection symptoms you should never ignore

A severe kidney infection can be life-threatening, so quick action is important. Dr. Miller, says early warning signs to watch out for include:

• Fever or chills with urinary symptoms (such as a burning pain when urinating or the frequent urge to urinate)
• Pain in the back, side or under the ribs
• Nausea or vomiting accompanying bladder symptoms
• Blood in the urine

“If you have [or think you may have] a bladder infection and develop fever, back pain or vomiting, seek medical care immediately,” adds Dr. Miller.