Kidney pain is extremely uncomfortable and should be examined as soon as possible, since serious diseases can be the cause. Here you can find out all about the causes, symptoms and treatment of kidney pain.
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What are our kidneys doing?
Our kidneys are our body’s purification plants that help it to detoxify. To do this, you produce urine, which you use to excrete waste. The kidneys also regulate the fluid balance in our body. Staying hydrated is critical to keeping our kidneys healthy and functioning well.
How do you differentiate kidney pain from back pain?
It’s usually not that easy. Kidney pain is often confused with back pain. The kidneys are located in the upper back of the abdomen, just to the right and left of the spine. If it then suddenly pulls and hurts, the thought of back pain is obvious. Therefore, attention should be paid to whether the pain is movement-dependent. This is not kidney pain. If this stabbing pain on the side of the spine is constant even when moving, it can be assumed that the kidneys are affected. There is often pain in the lower abdomen as well.
This bladder and kidney tea is recommended for flushing the urinary tract >>
What causes kidney pain?
The causes of kidney pain could not be more diverse. This ranges from inflammation of the renal pelvis to kidney stones and kidney tumors . Kidney cysts can also cause pain. Certainly there is also acute or chronic kidney failure. But before it gets that far, a lot has to have happened. Kidney pain should therefore always be taken seriously. Otherwise, if the cause is not treated, it can easily lead to permanent damage to the kidneys. This then ends in kidney failure or dialysis. But this can be prevented.
Kidney pain: how does the doctor make the diagnosis?
Kidney pain often only occurs when the kidney has already been damaged. Therefore, you should always have your symptoms clarified by a doctor. Especially when the pain is long-lasting and there are other symptoms such as fever, blood in the urine, diarrhea and vomiting, dizziness and water retention in the legs and arms.
First, the doctor will do a physical exam. This is followed in most cases by a blood and urine test. If these examinations do not reveal a clear cause of the pain either, imaging measures are used. This can be an ultrasound examination, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The cause of the complaints should then be found at the latest.
Inflammation of the renal pelvis or bladder: what is the treatment?
In most cases, inflammation of the renal pelvis is the cause of the symptoms. A kidney infection usually results from a bladder infection . This is where bacteria climb up into the kidneys and cause inflammation. This leads to severe pain. The whole thing is often accompanied by fever, chills and abdominal pain .
Detected early enough, inflammation of the renal pelvis is easily treatable. The doctor will prescribe a suitable antibiotic and a clear improvement can be felt after just a few days. The antibiotic should not be stopped too early. Always listen to the doctor’s recommendation.
Other causes of kidney problems: kidney stones, cysts and tumors
Kidney stones are also often a cause of pelvic inflammatory disease. These form from the salt deposits in the urine. If kidney stones slip through the urinary tract to the bladder and possibly even block the ureters, very severe, cramping pain occurs. If the kidney stones do not leave the ureter by themselves, they must be helped surgically. There are now many gentle methods, for example crushing the kidney stones with shock wave therapy. Your doctor will advise you in detail here.
Kidney cysts can also cause symptoms. Cysts are fluid-filled cavities. Although cysts are always benign, they can also cause pain. They are mostly hereditary. If they are too numerous or too large, the doctor will suggest surgical removal. Over time, a cyst can damage the kidney to such an extent that kidney failure occurs.
Kidney tumors can also occur and cause pain. There are also autoimmune diseases that damage the kidneys or drugs that damage the kidneys over the long term. Only the doctor can decide which treatment is the right one in these cases.
