Various diseases of varying severity can be behind kidney pain. Disorders of kidney function are often discovered during routine blood or urine tests. Sometimes, however, back pain or pain in the kidney area also leads to a visit to the doctor. In that case, the doctor must clarify whether the pain is coming from the back or the paired kidney.
Kidney pain: where? Right, left, bilateral
Kidney pain occurs in the flanks, specifically in the renal pelvis. Depending on whether one or both kidneys are affected, kidney pain can occur on the right, left or both sides. While back pain affects movement and often leads to a bent-over posture, this is not necessarily the case with kidney pain. If a light tap with the edge of the hand, about two to three fingers wide above the iliac crest, triggers or intensifies pain, this indicates a kidney problem. A urine test can confirm the diagnosis. Kidney pain can also occur during pregnancy, and it is not initially clear whether it is back pain or kidney pain. Kidney pain occurs during pregnancy when pressure on the urinary tract causes urine to back up into the renal pelvic system. This is called kidney congestion, which should be treated quickly. Kidney pain: what is the cause behind it?
Possible cause of kidney pain
Anyone who has kidney pain should definitely see a doctor. They can indicate serious diseases. These diseases include, for example:
- Renal pelvic inflammation due to “high migrated” cystitis.
- Renal inflammation
- Cystic kidney disease
- Kidney cancer
- Kidney stones
- Kidney gravel
- Renal colic
Kidney stones as a cause of kidney pain
Kidney stones occur when urine is supersaturated with stone-forming substances such as calcium, oxalate, phosphate, uric acid and cystine. Therefore, people who are prone to stone formation should avoid drinks such as coffee, black tea, and alcohol, as these enrich the urine with stone-forming substances. Normally, certain substances (for example, calcium-binding citrate) make it more difficult for a urinary substance to precipitate out of the urine that is supersaturated with it. However, if these inhibitors are only present in small quantities, this further promotes the formation of initially tiny crystals called semolina. If conditions are favorable, larger kidney stones will form from this semolina over time.
Renal colic as a result of kidney stones
As long as they are urinary semolina or small stones, they can be excreted to 80 percent by means of large amounts of drinking (over weeks) through the ureter and urinary bladder, without causing severe pain. Additional home remedies are moist loin compresses and hot baths. If, on the other hand, a large stone migrates out of the kidney, painful colic often occurs. Drinking plenty of fluids alone is not enough. The stones are either crushed with shock waves from the outside. The fragments come off on their own. Or the stones are removed by endoscope or open surgery. In some cases, they can also be dissolved with medication.
Symptom of renal pelvic inflammation
Kidney pain can be a symptom of renal pelvic inflammation (pyelonephritis). Renal pelvic inflammatory disease is an acute or chronic inflammation of the kidney connective tissue, most often caused by a bacterial infection. It can occur, for example, as a result of cystitis. However, certain medications and other infections can also lead to acute or chronic renal pelvic inflammation. In acute renal pelvic inflammation, in addition to kidney pain, high fever and a sudden severe feeling of illness occur. After taking antibiotics, acute renal pelvic inflammation usually heals. Sometimes acute renal pelvic inflammation develops into chronic renal pelvic inflammation (chronic interstitial nephritis). Chronic renal pelvic inflammation may be asymptomatic for a long time, but symptoms such as flank pain may occur. Another possible cause of kidney pain is interstitial nephritis. In this case, the space surrounding the urinary tubules in particular is inflamed.4 Facts About Kidney Pain – iStock.com/leonardo255
Cystic kidneys cause painful kidney remodeling
Cystic kidneys, which are mostly inherited, can also be causative for kidney pain. Cystic kidneys are dangerous kidney changes in which both kidneys have more than three cysts. In the long term, cystic kidney leads to progressive kidney failure. In the beginning, there are usually no symptoms. At a later stage, however, the affected person often suffers from chronic urinary tract infections, pain in the kidney area and sometimes sudden urinary bleeding. As a result, the kidney is less and less able to perform its functions. Treatment of cystic kidney disease is primarily about relieving symptoms.
Kidney cancer as a cause of kidney pain
Flank pain may also be an indication of kidney cancer. Risk factors for developing kidney cancer include:
- Obesity
- Smoking
- High fat diet
- A frequent contact with solvents harmful to the kidneys, as well as asbestos
- Chronic kidney disease
Early symptoms are a rarity in kidney cancer. In the advanced stage of kidney cancer, in addition to flank pain, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, blood in the urine and bone pain may occur. 10 Home remedies for cystitis
