How do I know if my back pain is kidney related

Humans have two kidneys that are located in front of the spine and below the ribs. The symptoms you have indicate that the pain in these areas is due to bone and muscle problems in the spine or the source of your kidney pain.

In this article, the experienced doctors of our specialized group will answer your questions about how to separate back pain from kidney pain.

What you will read next:

How to differentiate back pain from kidney problems?

Characteristics of kidney pain

What causes worsening kidney pain of renal origin?

Symptoms of kidney pain

Symptoms of back pain of non-renal origin

How to differentiate back pain from kidney problems?

We said that your clinical signs will be the key to this distinction, but how?

The difference in pain you feel can be distinguished in the following ways:

• The place of pain
• Type pain !!!
• The severity of the pain
• Pain quality
• Spreading pain

Characteristics of kidney pain

In the following, we will examine the characteristics of pain of renal origin:

• Location of kidney pain:

Pain originating from the kidneys is usually felt in the sides or flanks

Where are the flanks?

Area on either side of your spine between the bottom of your ribcage and your hip

The pain will often be unilateral and sometimes bilateral.

• Type of renal pain:

• If a kidney stone is the cause of the pain, the pain will often be sharp
• If inflammation and infections are the cause of millions of pain, the pain is usually dull.
• Kidney pain is usually persistent and does not go away without treatment
• If the cause of your pain is the passage of a kidney stone in the excretory tract, the pain will change as the position of the stone changes.
• Pain that originates in the kidneys usually spreads into the groin or lower abdomen.

• The severity of kidney pain:

Kidney pain can be divided into two categories:

1. Severe pain:

Kidney-related pain was often severe

2. Mild pain:

Secondary pain to inflammation and infections of the kidneys fall into this category

What causes worsening kidney pain of renal origin?

Kidney pain usually does not get worse with a certain position and movement (unlike skeletal back pain)

Kidney pain often goes away and heals only when the cause has been eliminated, such as kidney stones.

Symptoms of kidney pain

Back pain originating in the kidneys has symptoms that can help differentiate them from back and lower back pain.

Inflammation of the kidneys or kidney stones can be accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Ague
• Discoloration of urine:

• Cloudy urine
• Dark urine

• nausea and vomiting
• Need to urinate immediately
• Pain when urinating
• Inflammation and infection of the bladder or cystitis that can lead to frequent urination
• Existence of bloody urine
• The presence of small pieces of kidney stones in the urine (small gravel)

Symptoms of back pain of non-renal origin

Now that we know the characteristics of back pain of renal origin, we will briefly look at the characteristics of back pain of non-renal origin.

Most back pain is caused by problems with muscles, nerves and bones

The characteristics of these pains are:

• Pain location:

Pain can affect any part of your back and lower back, but is often felt in the lower back.

• Type of pain:

• If the source of the muscle pain is back pain, it can be bilateral, but in the case of involvement and inflammation of the nerves, the pain will usually be unilateral.
• If the source of the pain is muscle spasm, the pain will be dull
• If the nerves are inflamed, you will have sharp pains spreading to the buttocks and sometimes the thighs and legs.
• Radicular pain can be burning and accompanied by a tingling or numbness in the legs.

• Spreading of pain:

We said that being under stress and inflammation of the nerves can cause radicular pain that spreads to the buttocks, thighs, legs and feet.

• Divide back pain by time:

Acute pain: for days to weeks

Sub-acute pain: for six weeks to three months

Chronic pain: for more than three months

• Factors that aggravate common back pain:

These pains are often exacerbated by standing or sitting for long periods of time and are reduced by changing position and walking.

• Symptoms with common back pain:

• Pain and spasm of painful muscles
• Existence of anesthesia in the lower pelvic organs
• Tingling of the legs
• Weak thigh and leg muscles

Back and lumbar pain (mild to moderate) that does not originate in the kidneys, usually improve without consulting a doctor and by reducing painful activities and two days of rest and taking OTC painkillers and anti-inflammatory or anti-spasmodic drugs.