Your kidneys are located in the back of your abdomen, just below your rib cage, on either side of your spine, near your back. Kidney pain can be caused by trauma or disease, and sometimes other pains in the back can be confused with kidney pain.
What is the function of the kidneys?
The kidneys are bean-shaped organs that measure approximately 11 cm x 7 cm x 3 cm and are located against the back muscles in the upper abdomen. They are located symmetrically to each other on both the left and right sides of the body. But the right kidney is located slightly lower than the left kidney due to the liver.
The main functions of the kidneys are to remove waste products and excess fluid from the body, as well as to produce hormones (regulating blood pressure, red blood cell production, acid regulation and affecting calcium, sodium, potassium and other electrolyte metabolism) for maintaining body balance.
What are the symptoms of kidney pain?
It can be difficult to distinguish between kidney pain and back pain. Muscle pain in the back, which usually occurs after heavy lifting or a trauma, tends to be felt lower. Kidney pain, on the other hand, is felt just below the ribs, higher and deeper than back pain. The pain is sharp and may radiate to the groin or abdomen, depending on the cause.
Kidney pain can be observed along with some of the following symptoms:
- fire
- painful urination (dysuria)
- blood in the urine
- nausea
- vomiting
- dizziness
- constipation or diarrhea
- rash
- fatigue
- shake
Other symptoms and signs that may occur if kidney function is increasingly compromised include:
- metallic taste in the mouth,
- bad breath,
- symptoms such as swelling and shortness of breath.
Depending on the underlying cause, kidney pain may occur on the left or right side. Pain can sometimes occur on both sides of the back. Traumatic kidney injury (kidney laceration) can cause the above symptoms, but mild damage may initially show no symptoms. Severe kidney lacerations can cause abnormal blood pressure, pulse, and shock.
Kidney pain can be acute, relatively constant and sharp. This is called “renal colic”. This type of pain is usually seen when a kidney stone or other problem blocks the tube (ureter) that drains the kidney.
What causes kidney pain?
Many of the causes of kidney disease that cause kidney pain are due to underlying and acquired diseases that can affect kidney function acutely or chronically. Sometimes, kidney pain can occur due to congenital defects. For example, some people may be born with a genetically transmitted abnormality that affects the kidneys.
What are the causes of kidney pain?
Some of the causes of kidney pain include:
- urinary tract infections (UTI)
- bladder infection (cystitis)
- kidney infections (pyelonephritis)
- hydronephrosis (kidney enlargement)
- kidney stones (nephrolithiasis and/or ureterolithiasis)
- kidney cancer
- anything that compresses the kidney (for example, a large tumor)
- glomerulonephritis
- blood clots in the kidneys (renal vein thrombosis)
- polycystic kidney disease (congenital)
- congenital malformations of the kidney system: cause complete or partial obstruction of urine flow
- drugs or toxins that damage kidney tissue (for example, pesticide exposure or chronic use of drugs such as ibuprofen)
- pregnancy
- Renal laceration after penetrating (penetrating) trauma or blunt trauma
- end-stage kidney disease
Individuals should not delay seeing a doctor when they feel kidney pain. Although there are many diseases that resemble kidney pain, a doctor can help definitively diagnose the underlying problems that are causing kidney or other pain. The onset of any acute severe kidney pain should be promptly evaluated.
What are the pains similar to kidney pain?
The most common disorders that mimic kidney pain but are not actually related to the kidneys can be summarized as follows:
- muscle strains in the back
- spinal problems (fractures, abscesses)
- rib pain
- pleuritis (dry inflammation of the membrane around the lung)
- radiculitis (inflammation of the root of the nerves coming out of the spinal cord)
- retroperitoneal fibrosis
- area
- aortic abdominal aneurysm
- gynecological problems and many more reasons.
How are kidney diseases diagnosed?
kidney pain When you apply to your doctor for medical reasons, your doctor will first take a detailed medical history and conduct a physical examination. Generally, the first tests requested in patients presenting with kidney pain are complete blood count (CBC), kidney function (creatinine and BUN) and urine tests. If the patient's gender and age are appropriate and pregnancy is suspected, a pregnancy test may also be ordered. If the person's history is taken and the presence of a recent trauma is learned, your doctor may suspect a kidney laceration and may order additional tests for this.
In cases where kidney stones are suspected, a CT (Computed Tomography) imaging (renal protocol or spiral CT without contrast) or renal ultrasound is performed. Apart from this, abdominal X-ray may be requested if necessary. Recently, doctors prefer ultrasound studies for the benefit of the patient, because patients with a history of kidney stones and recurrent kidney stones will be exposed to harmful X-ray again if they are frequently X-rayed. Contrast or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and abdominal/pelvic CTs may be ordered to identify or differentiate between underlying renal (kidney) and other non-renal causes. Such studies are routinely performed if damage to the kidney is suspected from a traumatic event (such as an auto accident, penetrating injury such as a gunshot, or blunt trauma such as a hard blow during sports or other collisions).
How is kidney pain treated?
Treatment of kidney pain depends on the underlying medical cause of the pain. Kidney infections that cause pain can be treated with appropriate antibiotics. In addition, strong, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers can be prescribed for renal colic pain caused by kidney stones. In very severe pain, your doctor may prescribe painkillers sold with a special prescription, if necessary. However, pain relievers are a temporary solution and have no effect on the presence of the stone. The treatment required to drop the stone may vary depending on the size and location of the stone. Urological surgery may be required if kidney stones completely block the ureter or are approximately 6 mm in diameter or larger. Generally, recovery time is fast (same day or within a few days) when kidney stones are removed with retrograde surgical techniques. However, some serious kidney lacerations may require more extensive surgery. Recovery time for these surgeries varies from weeks to months.
However, patients with known kidney problems (kidney disease) and/or renal dysfunction should not be treated with pain relievers that are excreted by the kidneys or that could cause further kidney damage.
Those who have kidney diseases, especially kidney stone disease, should follow the recommendations of their doctors and make some life standard changes, as they are more likely to experience this problem again.
In general, to protect your kidney health, you should consume enough water, reduce your salt consumption, consume red and white meat in a balanced way, limit caffeine consumption, not use unconscious drugs, lead an active life rather than sedentary, and have a body mass index within normal limits.
Be the first to comment