Kidney pain: causes and treatment

Pain in the lumbar region signals a person that inflammatory processes occur in the body. But pain in the lower back does not always mean kidney disease. Sometimes the cause of discomfort can be chondrosis, intervertebral hernia, muscle strain. How to determine what the problem is? You can read more about kidney pains, their localization and treatment methods in this article.

Kidney pain - how to understand what bothers?

Before you go to a urologist or a pharmacy for antibiotics with horror, you need to understand exactly what your kidneys are concerned about. Usually the pain associated with them is not located directly above the pelvis, as is commonly believed, but slightly higher - almost under the ribs. This is where the internal organs responsible for filtering the fluid in the body are located.

By nature, unpleasant sensations can be different - pulling, sharp, stitching, episodic and constant. It all depends on the nature of the disease and its severity. In any case, self-medication and self-diagnosis for kidney pain are not necessary. Only the doctor after the examination will be able to say exactly why you had unpleasant sensations. The intestines, spine, and ureters are located near the kidney. Not the fact that the pain is not caused by them. For a reliable diagnosis, several types of research are usually used:

• Laboratory: blood and urine tests in most cases show whether there are inflammatory diseases in the kidneys.
• The collection of anamnesis helps to form an overall picture of the disease, to find out if the patient had such diseases in the past, and whether there are prerequisites for their development.
• Ultrasound of the kidneys allows a person to safely determine the condition of internal organs, to identify possible pathologies.

Causes of kidney pain

The causes of pain in the kidneys can be very many. What are the most common diseases that modern specialists emit?

• Urolithiasis disease. Sometimes pain in the kidneys is caused by the presence of stones that interfere with the outflow of urine and damage the mucous membrane of the organ with sharp edges. Pain usually passes in the form of acute renal colic, which is provoked by the intake of alcohol or spicy food.
• Pyelonephritis is an infectious disease of the bladder. It can occur in acute and chronic form. For pyelonephritis, dull aching pains in the region of the kidneys and lower back are characteristic. The pain is permanent: it is quite tolerable, but still causes the patient a lot of trouble, because it does not subside for a minute. It is important to recognize and treat pyelonephritis in the early stages of the disease, because otherwise the disease can flow into a chronic form and disturb the patient with relapses throughout life.
• Glomerulonephritis is an inflammation of the glomeruli of the kidneys. Most often appears as a complication of untreated inflammation of the bladder. Pain in the region of the kidneys behind during glomerulonephritis can be quite severe and may be accompanied by an increase in temperature up to 40 degrees and lethargy.
• Renal failure is a violation of the kidneys, which is characterized by increasing pathological changes. It occurs due to various diseases and is accompanied by a number of other symptoms.
• Renal artery thrombosis. The condition requires immediate medical attention. It occurs when a blood clot that has come off the walls of blood vessels enters the renal artery. It blocks the flow of venous blood to the body and "signals" this with acute pain in the kidneys in the back.
• Kidney tumors: benign or malignant can also cause pain. Benign neoplasms can be asymptomatic for a long time. Only when the tumor begins to compress the walls of the kidneys or nearby organs, the patient consults a doctor. Benign tumors are treated with surgical methods.
• Kidney cancer is quite common. Patients usually come to the doctor complaining that their back hurts in the area of ​​the kidneys. In the early stages, symptoms may be unexpressed, and often the disease is detected already in the later stages. The diagnosis in the early stages can only be determined with a detailed and thorough examination of the patient. To do this, at the slightest suspicion of inflammation of the kidneys, a person should immediately contact a urologist and pass all the necessary tests.
• Hydronephrosis - characterized by stagnation of urine in the pelvis and its subsequent expansion. This disease usually occurs due to a violation of the outflow of urine into the ureter. Sometimes vesicoureteral reflux is involved in the development of hydronephrosis, which contributes to the development of inflammation in the kidneys.
• A bruise or other injury to the kidneys is sometimes accompanied by rupture or damage to organs, which cause pain. The injured should immediately go to the hospital, as very often with such injuries requires surgical assistance.

Non-Kidney Diseases

Sometimes lower back pain can be associated with other internal organs. Here are a few pathologies that are also characterized by severe pain in the kidney area:

• Hepatic colic is the most common manifestation of cholelithiasis.
• Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. Since the spinal column is located directly next to the kidneys, pinched nerves in it can be localized in the same area.
• Acute appendicitis. Pain in the kidney area during appendicitis appears infrequently. But, if the unpleasant sensations are accompanied by temperature, vomiting and a general weak state, the patient should definitely rule out appendicitis.
• Injuries or inflammation of neighboring organs: spleen and liver, intestines. Sometimes the symptoms are so confused that an unambiguous diagnosis is not possible. In this case, a full examination in a hospital is required.
• Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. Unpleasant sensations during this disease are usually localized in the upper abdomen, but pain can also be felt in the lower part of the ribs. Laboratory studies will help to refute or confirm this diagnosis.

Associated symptoms

How to determine that it hurts the kidneys? To do this, you need to see the full picture of the disease. Kidney disease is often accompanied by other symptoms:

• An increase in body temperature always indicates an inflammatory process taking place in the body. If the temperature is 39 degrees or higher, then this is an indicator of an acute condition in which urgent hospitalization is necessary.
• Blood in the urine can be caused by an injury to the mucous membrane of the kidneys or bladder. Blood impurities usually appear already at an advanced stage of the disease and clearly indicate that something is wrong with the organ.
• General condition worsening.
• Edema and fluid retention in the body can also indicate kidney problems.
• Nausea and vomiting is possible if the disease is severe enough.
• Urine reduction.
• A feeling of constant fullness of the bladder.
• Frequent urination.
• Weakness, drowsiness, fatigue.

If you find yourself have several symptoms from the list along with pain in the kidneys, you should immediately consult a doctor for a full examination.

Varieties and localization of pain in the kidneys

When making a diagnosis, it is important to note the location of the pain, as it is often one-sided. If you feel pain in the region of the kidneys in the right side, then most likely an inflammatory process occurs inside the body associated with damage to the tissues of the parenchyma or renal pelvis. Sometimes the cause may be a drooping kidney. Severe pains on the right side can be caused by trauma or bruising on the same side of the back. Sometimes chronic kidney pain torments a person for a long time, especially in the morning or at night. In these cases, discomfort can be caused by jade, chronic diseases or excessive physical exertion. If pain in the right kidney occurs when you inhale, it may be a symptom of kidney stones or sand.

Often in humans, only one left kidney makes itself felt. Pain in the left kidney is usually caused by the same diseases that we mentioned above. Sometimes, in the case of renal pathologies or congenital disorders, only one organ can undergo inflammation. But most often both sides are affected. The kidneys are an important internal organ that is responsible for excretory, secretory and metabolic functions. Therefore, it is extremely important for a long and healthy life to detect and cure inflammatory diseases in them.

Kidney pain during pregnancy

Women during pregnancy often suffer from side pain in the kidneys. The fact is that during pregnancy, the load on all internal organs increases. Yes, and an increase in the size of the uterus often affects the outflow of urine from the kidneys and contributes to various inflammatory diseases. Therefore, in antenatal clinics it is advised to carefully consider the amount of fluid consumed - drink enough water and, if necessary, conduct daily diuresis.

If the volume of urine is less than the volume of fluid consumed, then you should consult a doctor with these symptoms. In the early stages, many diseases may be asymptomatic, but your observation can stop their development in the bud.

Pain in the right kidney in the back of pregnant women may indicate pyelonephritis, urolithiasis, or glomerulonephritis. Usually unpleasant sensations are accompanied by clouding of urine, weakness, dizziness and severe swelling. In case of low back pain, pregnant women are not recommended to take antispasmodics and painkillers, as they can hide the symptoms of the disease and contribute to its rapid development. At the first sign of kidney problems, it is most advisable to consult a doctor and undergo a full examination.

Diagnostics

What to do if the back hurts in the area of ​​the kidneys? First of all, you need to immediately contact a specialist. The doctor will prescribe a series of tests that will help establish the exact cause of the pain. First of all, acute inflammatory processes are excluded. For this patient, they are asked to pass:

• The blood test is general.
• Analysis of urine.
• Urinalysis according to Nechiporenko.
• Sample Zimnitsky.
• Bacteriological culture of urine.
• Smear from the urethra.

In addition to laboratory tests, an ultrasound scan of the kidneys is considered to be an effective diagnostic method, which can show a reliable picture of the state of the internal organ. In extreme cases, when a detailed study is necessary, computed tomography can be prescribed, which allows a detailed assessment of the state of the tissues. If glomerulonephritis is suspected, if the doctor suspects the autoimmune nature of the disease, the following tests can be additionally prescribed:

• Antibodies to the membrane of the glomeruli of the kidneys.
• Indicators: antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies, ANCA Ig G (pANCA and cANCA).
• Antibodies to complement factor.
• Antibodies to endothelium on HUVEC cells.
• Antibodies to proteinase 3.

If there are no obvious signs of inflammation in general analyzes, doctors usually begin to check nearby organs. All of the above diagnostic methods allow you to determine why there is pain in the left kidney and what are its causes.

Treatment

The treatment regimen for pain in the kidneys depends on the type of pathology. In no case should you drink only antispasmodic drugs - they only eliminate the symptoms, but not the cause of the discomfort. In addition, they negatively affect the liver. Therefore, the most accurate advice for those who want to get rid of the cause of pain in the kidneys for a long time is to see a doctor.

In acute inflammatory processes, antibacterial drugs are usually prescribed, which quickly and effectively act on bacteria and viruses, killing them. In complex treatment, antispasmodics and immunomodulators are usually present, which help the body cope with the infection. In addition, the doctor may prescribe a herbal-based herbal product that will help to quickly get rid of the disease. Such drugs include Urolesan, Kanefron, Fitolizin, which can be found in a pharmacy.

Among antibiotics for kidney infections, the following drugs showed themselves well:

• Amoxicillin.
• Cephalixime.
• Furadonin.
• "Cefazolin.

Antibiotics are selected according to the test for sensitivity to bacteria, because various microorganisms can cause inflammatory processes. But in acute cases, the medicine can be prescribed without preliminary tests. In addition to antibiotics, the doctor can prescribe drugs that eliminate swelling:

• Furosemide.
• "Furagin."
• Veroshpiron.

Multivitamins and immunomodulators help improve the general condition of the body and quickly cope with kidney stones. An important factor for a speedy cure is the diet: the lack of salty, fatty and spicy in the diet has a beneficial effect on the work of the kidneys.

Folk remedies

Many people are interested in whether it is possible to cure severe pain in the kidneys with folk remedies? Here the answer is unequivocal: unfortunately, helping herbal infusions alone in inflammatory processes does not help. Herbal remedies can supplement the main treatment, accelerating the healing process. But you need to take them only after consulting a doctor, since herbal infusions have a lot of contraindications. For kidney pain, phytotherapists advise drinking those herbs that have anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects.

• Herbal infusion of chamomile, elderberry, St. John's wort and linden in equal proportions are mixed with each other and pour 250 ml of boiling water. After this, the resulting mixture must be insisted for half an hour. Take a decoction should be a cup a day before bedtime.
• Herbal baths with chamomile broth have a local antiseptic and analgesic effect.
• A decoction of lingonberry leaves has a strong anti-inflammatory effect and can be used as a prophylactic or antibiotic supplement.
• Horsetail mixed with honey in a 1: 2 ratio can be a tasty and healthy medicine. To prepare it, you need to take 100 g of grass, a liter of water and simmer on fire until half of the liquid has evaporated. Then add honey and hold the mixture on fire for a little longer. Received herbal product to take 20 g every day before meals.

Expert Advice

What do experts advise to those who are concerned about kidney pain? Doctors unanimously claim that the food and drinks that the patient consumes have a strong effect on the kidneys. Therefore, the use of certain substances can significantly accelerate the healing process and remove pain in the left side in the kidney area.

• Watermelon, which is sold in abundance in Russia in the summer, is an excellent product for the prevention of urolithiasis and other kidney ailments. What is his secret? Most of it is water, the use of which positively affects the work of internal organs. But the watermelon also has contraindications: it should not be eaten with kidney stones and pyelonephritis.
• Flaxseed decoction has many useful substances and is effective for renal colic. 1 tbsp. l seeds need to pour 200 ml of boiling water and insist for an hour.
• Renal collection can be taken both for treatment and for the prevention of diseases associated with the kidneys. It consists of nettles, juniper and bearberry berries, rosehip berries and sweet clover leaves.

Prevention

Diseases that cause kidney pain are much easier to prevent than to treat later. Moreover, the observance of daily rituals is not at all difficult and accessible to everyone. What can help prevent kidney disease?

• Adequate fluid intake. The body of an adult needs from 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day. The more you drink clean liquids without sugar and dyes, the better for your kidneys.

• Daily hygiene and linen changes are the foundation of healthy internal organs.
• Clothing by size and season. Quite often, kidney disease begins due to compression of the bladder or hypothermia. To prevent this, always choose the right clothes.