Definition
Kidney pain that occurs during or after a bladder infection is not an absolute rarity. However, they should always be seen as a warning signal, because a bladder infection that has been protracted can under certain circumstances also develop into an inflammation of the renal pelvis (pyelonephritis). This should be clarified by a doctor and treated with antibiotics, otherwise it can lead to serious complications. and How can I relieve kidney pain?
Causes
Kidney pain that occurs after a bladder infection can be an indication of the beginning of a renal pelvic inflammation. This is caused by bacteria that have triggered the cystitis and ascend via the urinary tract in the direction of the kidney (ascending inflammation), where they in turn trigger an inflammatory reaction. Usually such an inflammation only affects one of the two kidneys, but it can also occur on both sides.
Due to their anatomy, women are 2-3 times more frequently affected than men. Less frequently, kidney pain occurs as a harmless accompanying symptom in the context of a bladder infection. More typical symptoms of cystitis are pain when urinating and a frequent urge to urinate.
In addition, kidney pain, which exists after a bladder infection, can also occur independently of the bladder infection, for example in the context of renal colic with kidney stones. Otherwise, flank pain in the area of the kidneys also occurs due to neuromuscular complaints, such as sore muscles or impairments in the area of the spine. However, these are then not due to diseases of the kidney.
and differentiating between kidney pain and back pain. As already described above, unilateral kidney pain that occurs during or shortly after a bladder infection requires clarification if it lasts longer or is acute and severe, as it can be an indication of the development of a renal pelvic inflammation. Kidney stones can also cause unilateral, colicky kidney pain.
Just as with kidney pain on the left side, possible causes for right-sided kidney pain after a bladder infection are inflammation of the renal pelvis or kidney stones. More rarely, the pain may occur in the context of the cystitis and have no specific cause. If the pain in the area of the kidneys is an inflammation of the renal pelvis, accompanying symptoms such as high fever, fatigue, loss of appetite and nausea can occur.
If the kidney pain only occurs as a harmless accompanying symptom in the context of cystitis, pain or burning sensation when urinating (dysuria) and a constant urge to urinate (pollakiuria) are often added as accompanying symptoms. Kidney stone disease is often accompanied by severe agitation, nausea and vomiting. Kidney pain associated with nausea can be, in addition to inflammation of the renal pelvis, an indication of the presence of kidney stones.
If a kidney stone moves through the urinary tract, this can lead to severe pain. This very strong, interval-like and cramp-like pain is called renal colic. Such colic is often accompanied by nausea and also vomiting.
It is rather unusual that the symptoms kidney pain and nausea are causally related to a single cystitis. It is more likely that the two complaints are independent of each other. The simultaneous occurrence of kidney pain and diarrhea after a bladder infection are not findings that typically occur together.
As described above, kidney pain can have several causes. Diarrhea, on the other hand, usually has a cause independent of the kidney pain and the cystitis. In this context, blood in the urine can have several causes.
There is a certain form of cystitis that is associated with blood in the urine. This is called hemorrhagic cystitis. Kidney stones also often cause bloody urine.
Rarely a tumor of the bladder or urinary tract is responsible for blood in the urine. If there is kidney pain after a bladder infection, this can be harmless. However, it can also be an indication of a more serious disease such as inflammation of the renal pelvis.
Therefore, a doctor should be consulted if the symptoms are one-sided, severe or permanent. This doctor can decide whether further diagnosis is necessary and to what extent antibiotic therapy is needed. If the pain is not related to such an inflammation but is a side effect of the cystitis, the question of how to relieve the symptoms is of primary importance.This is where heat application, for example using a hot-water bottle or a cherry pit cushion, can help.
A warm bathtub or red light irradiation of the feet can also help. Kidney pain in general can be reduced or completely eliminated by numerous painkillers. Preparations such as Paracetamol or Novalgin are used here.
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