Pain in the lumbar region signals to a person that inflammatory processes are occurring 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 pain in the kidney area, their localization and methods of treatment in this article.
Kidney pain - how to understand what is bothering you?
Before you run with horror to the urologist or to the pharmacy for antibiotics, you need to understand exactly what your kidneys are worried 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. It is there that the internal organs are located, which are responsible for filtering fluid in the body.
The nature of the discomfort can be different - pulling, sharp, stabbing, episodic and permanent. It all depends on the nature of the disease and its severity. Self-medication and self-diagnosis for pain in the kidneys is by no means necessary. Only a doctor after the examination will be able to say exactly why you have discomfort. Next to the kidney are the intestines, spine, ureters. 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.
- Acquisition of anamnesis helps to form a general picture of the disease, to find out if the patient had similar diseases in the past, and whether there are prerequisites for their development.
- Ultrasound of the kidneys allows you to safely determine the state of internal organs, identify possible pathologies.
Causes of kidney pain
There can be many reasons for pain in the kidneys. What are the most common diseases identified by modern specialists?
- Urolithiasis. Sometimes pain in the kidneys is caused by the presence of stones that interfere with the outflow of urine and damage the mucosa of the organ with sharp edges. Pain usually disappears 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. Pyelonephritis is characterized by dull aching pain in the kidneys and lower back. The pain is constant: it is quite bearable, butstill gives the patient a lot of trouble, because it does not calm down for a minute. Pyelonephritis is important to recognize and treat in the early stages of the disease, because otherwise the disease can become chronic 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 undertreated inflammation of the bladder. Pain in the back of the kidneys during glomerulonephritis can be quite severe and accompanied by fever up to 40 degrees and lethargy.
- Renal failure is a violation of the kidneys, which is characterized by increasing pathological changes. 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 broken away from 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 kidney area from behind.
- Kidney tumors: benign or malignant can also cause pain. Benign neoplasms can be asymptomatic for a long time. Only when the tumor is already beginning to compress the walls of the kidneys or nearby organs, the patient consults a doctor. Treatment of benign tumors is carried out by surgical methods.
- Kidney cancer is quite common. Patients usually come to the doctor with a complaint that the back hurts in the region of the kidneys. In the early stages, symptoms may beunexpressed, and often the disease is detected already in the later stages. The diagnosis in the early stages can be determined only 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. Victims should immediately go to the hospital, as very often such injuries require surgical treatment.
Non-Kidney Diseases
Sometimes lower back pain can be related to 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 gallstone disease.
- 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 discomfort is accompanied by fever, vomiting and a general weak condition,the patient should definitely exclude appendicitis.
- Injury or inflammation of neighboring organs: spleen and liver, intestines. Sometimes the symptoms are so confused that a definite diagnosis is not possible. In this case, a full examination in the 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 tests will help to refute or confirm this diagnosis.
Associated symptoms
How to determine that it is the kidneys that hurt? 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 and above, then this is an indicator of an acute condition that requires urgent hospitalization.
- Blood in the urine can be caused by injury to the lining 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.
- Deterioration of the general condition.
- Edema and fluid retention in the body can also indicate kidney problems.
- Nausea and vomiting are possible if the illness is severe enough.
- Decreased amount of urine.
- Feeling of constant bladder fullness.
- Frequent urge to urinate.
- Weakness,drowsiness, fatigue.
If you find yourself with several of the symptoms from the list along with pain in the kidney area, 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 kidney area 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 a kidney prolapse can be the cause. Severe pain on the right side can be caused by an injury or bruise that fell 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 nephritis, chronic diseases, or excessive physical exertion. If pain in the right kidney area occurs when inhaling, this may be a symptom of stones or sand in the kidneys.
Often people have only one left kidney makes itself felt. Pain in the region of the left kidney is usually caused by the same diseases that we mentioned above. Sometimes, in the case of kidney pathologies or congenital disorders, only one organ can be inflamed. But more often than not, both sides are affected. The kidneys are an important internal organ that is responsible for excretory, secretory and metabolic functions. Therefore, timely detection and treatment of inflammatory diseases in them is extremely important for a long and he althy life.
Kidney pain duringpregnancy
Women during pregnancy quite often suffer from pain in the side in the kidney area. 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 be more careful about the amount of fluid consumed - drink enough water and, if necessary, conduct daily diuresis.
If the volume of urine is less than the amount 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 back of the right kidney in pregnant women may indicate pyelonephritis, urolithiasis or glomerulonephritis. Usually, discomfort is accompanied by cloudy urine, weakness, dizziness and severe swelling. In case of pain in the lower back, 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, the wisest thing to do is to see a doctor and get a full examination.
Diagnosis
What should I do if my back hurts in the kidney area? First of all, you need to immediately contact a specialist. The doctor will prescribe a series of tests that will help determine the exact cause of the pain. First of all, acute inflammatoryprocesses. For this patient, they are asked to submit:
- Common blood test.
- Urine analysis.
- Urine analysis according to Nechiporenko.
- Try Zimnitsky.
- Bacteriological culture of urine.
- Smear from the urethra.
In addition to laboratory tests, ultrasound 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 needed, computed tomography can be prescribed, which allows a detailed assessment of the condition of the tissues. If glomerulonephritis is suspected, if the doctor suspects the autoimmune nature of the disease, the following tests may be additionally prescribed:
- Antibodies to the glomerular membrane of the kidneys.
- Indicators: antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, ANCA Ig G (pANCA and cANCA).
- Anti-antibody to complement factor.
- Anti-endothelial antibodies on HUVEC cells.
- Antibodies to proteinase 3.
When there are no obvious signs of inflammation in the 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 region of 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 discomfort. In addition, they negatively affect the liver. Therefore, the surest advice for those who want to permanently get rid of the cause of pain inkidney area, will 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 medicine that will help to quickly get rid of the disease. These drugs include Urolesan, Canephron, Fitolizin, which can be found at the pharmacy.
Among antibiotics for kidney infections, the following drugs have shown good results:
- "Amoxicillin".
- "Cefalixime".
- "Furadonin".
- "Cefazolin.
Antibiotics are selected according to the test for sensitivity to bacteria, because inflammatory processes can be caused by various microorganisms. But in acute cases, the medicine can be prescribed without preliminary tests. In addition to antibiotics, the doctor may also 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 absence of s alty, fatty and spicy foods in the diet has a beneficial effect on kidney function.
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, herbal infusions alone cannot help with inflammatory processes. Phytopreparations can be supplemented with basic treatment, accelerating the healing process. But they should be taken only after consulting a doctor, since herbal infusions have a lot of contraindications. For pain in the kidneys, herbalists 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 mixed together and pour 250 ml of boiling water. After that, 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 decoction have a local antiseptic and analgesic effect.
- Cowberry leaf decoction has a strong anti-inflammatory effect and can be used as a prophylactic or as an addition to antibiotics.
- Horsetail, mixed with honey in a ratio of 1:2, can be a tasty and he althy 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 keep the mixture on fire for a little more. The resulting phytopreparation take 20 g every day before meals.
Expert Tips
What do experts advise those who are concerned about pain in the kidney area? Doctors unanimously claim that foods and drinks thatused by the patient, have a strong effect on the kidneys. Therefore, the use of certain substances can significantly speed up 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-related ailments. What is his secret? Most of it is water, the use of which has a positive effect on the functioning of internal organs. But 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 st. l. seeds, pour 200 ml of boiling water and insist for an hour.
- Kidney Collection can be taken for both treatment and prevention of kidney related diseases. It consists of nettles, juniper berries and bearberries, rose hips and sweet clover leaves.
Prevention
Diseases that cause kidney pain are much easier to prevent than to treat. 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 requires 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day. The more pure fluids you drink, free of sugar and dyes, the better for your kidneys
- Daily hygiene and change of linen is the basis of he althy internalorgans.
- Clothes by size and season. Quite often, kidney disease begins due to squeezing of the bladder or hypothermia. To prevent this, always choose the right clothes.
