How To Tell If Back Pain Is Kidney Related

How To Distinguish Between Kidney Pain And Back Pain

This article was medically reviewed by Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS. Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013. This article has been viewed 270,817 times.

When you are having pain in your back, you may not automatically know what it causing it. It can be very difficult to recognize the differences between pain originating in your back and pain coming from your kidneys. However, the difference is all in the details. In order to distinguish between kidney and back pain you need to concentrate on identifying exactly where the pain is located, how constant it is, and whether there are any other symptoms you are experiencing. If you can identify the details, you should be able to distinguish between kidney and back pain.

Adpkd Treatment And Home Care

There is no cure for ADPKD, but you can treat the health problems that the disease causes and possibly prevent kidney failure. You may need:

• Medicine to prevent kidney failure. Tolvaptan can slow the decline of kidney function for adults whose disease is at risk of quickly getting worse.
• Medicines to lower your blood pressure
• Antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections
• Pain medicines

If your kidneys fail, youâll need dialysis, which uses a machine to filter your blood and remove waste, like salt, extra water, and certain chemicals. You can also get on a waiting list or receive a kidney from a living donor for a kidney transplant. Ask your doctor if thatâs a good option for you.

It’s important to stay as healthy as possible to protect your kidneys and keep them working as long as you can. Follow your doctor’s advice carefully. You can also keep up these habits to stay well:

• Eat right. Stick to a healthy, well-balanced diet that’s low in fat and calories. Try to limit salt, because it can raise your blood pressure.
• Stay active.Exercise can help control your weight and blood pressure. Just avoid any contact sports where you might injure your kidneys.
• Don’t smoke. If you smoke, get help from your doctor to quit. Smoking damages the blood vessels in the kidneys, and it may create more cysts.
• Drink plenty of water.Dehydration may cause you to have more cysts.

Signs Of Nephritic Syndrome

Nephritic syndrome is the name given to a collection of signs and symptoms that occur when the kidneys are inflamed. The syndrome is usually the result of an underlying condition such as acute glomerulonephritis, a bacterial or viral infection, a systemic disorder such as systemic lupus erythematosus, or a hereditary disorder like Alport-Syndrome.A syndrome is a group of symptoms that often and typically occur together and often develop as a result of another condition.

Nephritic syndrome causes the kidneys to be less efficient at filtering waste substances from the blood. In people with nephritic syndrome, protein and blood may be found in the urine. However, most cases of nephritic syndrome are chronic and have few symptoms. Acute nephritic syndrome usually does, however, present with symptoms.

Typical symptoms of acute nephritic syndrome include passing less urine than normal, having blood in the urine and swelling of the feet or face . Other possible symptoms of nephritic syndrome, also depending on the root cause may include:

• Pain in the back and/or sides
• Shortness of breath
• Symptoms related to the underlying cause, for example a rash or joint pain

The symptoms of nephritic syndrome differ, depending on whether the acute or chronic form of the syndrome is being experienced.

Symptoms of acute nephritic syndrome include:

• Edema in the face and legs
• Low production of urine
• Pain in the stomach
• Malaise

• Edema
• Hypertension/high blood pressure

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How To Tell The Difference Between Kidney Pain And Back Pain

First, it helps to have a more specific idea of where the kidneys are located. They are underneath the ribcage on either side of the spine. Because of this, many people mistake kidney pain as back pain .

Back pain is typically found in the lower back, while trouble with the kidneys results in a pain that is deeper and located higher on the back. The discomfort from kidney problems may also migrate to other regions such as the abdomen or groin.

Who Is At Risk Of A Kidney Infection

Certain medical conditions may increase your chances of having a kidney infection. These include:

• Conditions that may weaken the bodys immunity, such as diabetes and HIV.
• Frequent bladder or other urinary tract infections . A UTI in a pregnant female is a particularly serious condition and should be immediately brought to medical attention.
• Structural problems in the kidney that may alter the flow of urine, such as kidney stones, congenital structural problems of the urinary tract, and tumors present inside or outside the urinary tract.
• Females are at greater risk of a UTI since they have a shorter urethra compared to males.

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Support Your Body In A Cozy Swimming Pool

The buoyancy of the water lets you take pleasure in the benefits of workout with less pain. Exercising in water likewise helps control the performance of nerves and also muscular tissues, eliminating pain.

If you like warmer swimming pools, check out water workout courses as well as hydrotherapy swimming pools. Water therapy exercises are commonly performed in water that is about 83 degrees to 88 degrees. Hydrotherapy swimming pool temperature levels are usually greater than 90 degrees.

Take Pleasure In An Anti

When you eat anti-inflammatory foods routinely, several antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and also even anti-cancer representatives can build up in your blood. Over an amount of time, these powerful agents can play a substantial function in minimizing and/or removing inflammatory responses in the body.

Eating these healthy beverages regularly might help in reducing your back pain. How To Tell If Lower Back Pain Is Kidney Related

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Acupuncture How To Tell If Lower Back Pain Is Kidney Related

This ancient Chinese recovery technique might bring relief for individuals with persistent low back pain. Delicately placing slim, completely dry needles into your skin at details points may set off the launch of endorphins, your bodys natural painkillers, or it may alter your brain chemistry so you have a greater discomfort tolerance. You must use it along with other therapies.

Shortness Of Breath After Very Little Effort

Why this happens:

Being short of breath can be related to the kidneys in two ways. First, extra fluid in the body can build up in the lungs. And second, anemia can leave your body oxygen-starved and short of breath.

What patients said:

At the times when I get the shortness of breath, it’s alarming to me. It just fears me. I think maybe I might fall or something so I usually go sit down for awhile.

I couldn’t sleep at night. I couldn’t catch my breath, like I was drowning or something. And, the bloating, can’t breathe, can’t walk anywhere. It was bad.

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Raleigh Adult Medicine: Compassionate Internal Medicine Doctors In Raleigh Nc

Its sometimes difficult to tell the difference between back pain and kidney pain. Often, there are subtle cues that can be easy to overlook. Thats why we want to help you alleviate your pain, regardless of whether the source is your kidneys or another condition.

Contact us for an appointment today.

For more than 20 years, Raleigh Adult Medicine has served as the Triangle areas premier internal medicine provider. We tailor our treatments to provide the finest personalized health care available for each stage of your adult life. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Sleep On Your Back In A Reclined Setting

Do you feel most comfy snoozing in a recliner? Although sleeping in a chair may not be the best option for back pain, this placement can be advantageous if you have isthmic spondylolisthesis Take into consideration purchasing a flexible bed so you can sleep in this manner with the very best placement and support.

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Kidney Stones Or Nephrolithiasis

Kidney stones are normally made up of hard collections of minerals which form in the renal system. These stones may stay in the kidneys for quite a while. They often become painful when they move out of the kidney into the ureter. The pain is often described as a strong colicky pain, usually felt in the ureter between the kidney and the bladder. Kidney stones can be extremely painful.

Colicky, strong to very strong pain coming in waves, is the most obvious symptoms of kidney stones. The location of the pain and where it spreads to gives clues as to where the stone is currently located in the urinary system. The pain of a kidney stone passing through the urinary system is felt suddenly and severely in the flank and spreads down the groin on the same side. Not all stones cause radiating pain. Some stones may not cause any pain.

Good to know: Pain from kidney stones is often described as excruciating. Kidney pain from kidney stones can come and go. It can occur in bouts lasting between 20 minutes and an hour. People with painful kidney stones often cannot keep still because of the discomfort. They are often pale and sweaty, with a painful, tender abdomen.

Other symptoms of kidney stones include:

• Nausea

Kidney Pain Vs Back Pain Difference Between Back Pain And Kidney Pain

Life may hit you with an ailment without any warning and might take you by surprise. You may often misjudge and misinterpret the symptoms you might have and panic over the same. Such situations might make you struggle with everyday activities by giving you unnecessary anxiety. Thus, it is always recommended to carefully assess yourself and arm yourself with the best knowledge about your symptoms to avoid unnecessary stress. Often, people confuse something insignificant with a major life-threatening illness. One such source of dilemma is the confusion between back pain due to muscle spasms and back pain due to kidney stones. To help clarify it, we have listed down the key differences between the two categorically so that you may never confuse them again.

Simple back pain and kidney stones induced pain are easy to confuse, as the kidneys are located in the lower back and thus any problem in them may cause a sharp pain in that area. The key differentiating factors between the two kinds of pain are the type, the location, the way the pain radiates and the severity of the pain. These factors will help you correctly deduce if its just a back spasm or stones or infection in the kidneys.

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Kidney Pain Vs Back Pain: Understand The Difference

Written byDr. Victor MarchionePublished onJune 9, 2017

The human body is intricate and complex, being home to lots of potential diseases and viruses. Every illness displays some sort of symptom we can recognize and document for the sake of finding a treatment, but sometimes the symptoms of two very different conditions can overlap, creating confusion.

This is the case with back pain and kidney pain. Both present very similarly but have completely different causes. Knowing the symptoms, triggers, and characteristics of these conditions can help you differentiate the two.

Kidney Pain & Back Pain Treatment

Its important to identify and differentiate between kidney pain and back pain as their treatments differ significantly, owing to their completely different causes. Use this article as a guide to determine if you are dealing with a back or kidney pain.

Back pain can be treated with pain medications, physical therapy or, as a last option, surgery. Kidney pain treatment can only start once the underlying condition has been identified by a medical professional and it will vary depending on the condition. If you suspect your pain is kidney related, make sure to contact your doctor as soon as possible.

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Difference Between Kidney Pain And Back Pain

Waste materials and excess fluid are removed from the circulation by the kidneys. These two organs are located directly below the rib cage on either side of the body. Because the kidneys lie on the back muscles, distinguishing between kidney and back pain can be difficult.

People must consider the following factors when determining if the pain is originating from the back or the kidneys:

Kidney Pain Vs Back Pain

It’s easy to confuse kidney pain for just back pain. How do you know the difference?

Location. It could be your kidney and not your back if you feel it higher on your back. Back problems usually affect your lower back.

Kidney pain is felt higher and deeper in your body than back pain. You may feel it in the upper half of your back, not the lower part. Unlike back discomfort, it’s felt on one or both sides, usually under your rib cage.

It’s often constant. It probably won’t go away when you shift your body. With your back, it might lessen when you adjust your position.

Signs that it’s your back

Back pain:

• Shoots down one leg
• Is more likely to be stabbing than dull and constant
• Gets worse or flares up when you do certain activities, like lifting a box or bending over
• When you rest or lie down, back pain may ease up
• Might also be muscle aches

Other symptoms to watch for

Depending on the cause of the pain, you could have other symptoms too. If you have these signs, contact your doctor. You could have a serious kidney problem:

• Fever
• Body aches
• Tiredness

Also, if you recently had a urinary tract infection , call your doctor. If you have blood in your urine, or if your pain is sudden and unbearable even without signs of blood in your pee, get medical care right away.

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Food Tastes Like Metal

Why this happens:

A build-up of wastes in the blood can make food taste different and cause bad breath. You may also notice that you stop liking to eat meat, or that you are losing weight because you just don’t feel like eating.

What patients said:

Foul taste in your mouth. Almost like you’re drinking iron.

I don’t have the appetite I had before I started dialysis, I must have lost about 10 pounds.

Whats The Best Treatment For Kidney Pain And Lower Back Pain

Kidney pain treatment occurs once the source for its occurrence has been located by your GP. Kidney stones will be aided with the use of pain medication along with increased amounts of water ingestion to accelerate the kidney stone. Surgery may be required in cases of particularly large kidney stones. In cases of infection, antibiotics are used to help remove the bacterial infection.

Lower back pain treatment differs significantly from kidney pain treatment, due to the many different causes. Pain in the back is treated using pain relieving medications along with physiotherapy. These can include manual therapy such as mobilisation, manipulation and massage, exercises to stretch and strengthen, acupuncture and Pilates. If after conservative physiotherapy treatment, pain levels and returning back to normal movement doesnt improve significantly after a course of 6-8 weeks, then referral back to your GP to request further investigation by a spinal specialist maybe indicated.

If you are unsure on the nature of your back pain and want further information, advice or treatment, dont hesitate to book in with one of our Physiotherapists today at one of the many clinics across Dorset:

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Feeling Tired Or Sluggish During The Day

Everyone has a day when they feel tired maybe you didnt get enough sleep, or ate the wrong foods, or some other temporary factors are at play. But sometimes, fatigue is caused by lack of a hormone called erythropoietin, or EPO. The main function of EPO is to stimulate the production of red blood cells, and red blood cells carry energizing oxygen to cells throughout your body.

Stressed kidneys do not produce enough EPO, thereby reducing the number of red blood cells and making you feel weak and tired out.

Back Pain Or Kidney Pain How To Recognize The Difference

March 21, 2018 by Melissa Bell

Occasionally the symptoms of two different conditions can overlap enough to create confusion. This can often be the case with lower back pain and kidney pain. Both conditions can present in a comparable manner, but most likely have completely different causes. The best way to recognize the difference is by examining all the symptoms, triggers and characteristics, rather than a single symptom. By identifying the exact location of the pain and its characteristics and any other accompanying symptoms, you can accurately tell between kidney pain and pain coming from the lower spine, spinal cord, spinal roots, or back muscles.

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Swollen Or Puffy Face

Why this happens:

Failing kidneys don’t remove extra fluid, which builds up in your body causing swelling in the face.

What patients said:

My sister, her hair started to fall out, she was losing weight, but her face was really puffy, you know, and everything like that, before she found out what was going on with her.

My checks were always puffy and tight. Sometimes they would even hurt.