Reasons For Flank Pain
Flank pain is often urological in nature and come with a variety of associated symptoms. They include:
- Ureteral obstruction and dilation: A blockage can occur anywhere along the urinary tract and can cause the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder to swell when urine gets trapped. Ureteral blockages are typically due to stones, but can also be caused other factors, including blood clots, cysts, tumors, congenital defects, and inflammation or infection.
- Associated symptoms include blood in semen , bloody or dark urine , difficulty urinating, frequent urges to urinate, incontinence, pelvic pain, abdominal swelling, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
- Kidney disease: Some of the kidney disorders that cause flank pain are polycystic kidney disease and Berger’s disease .
- Associated symptoms include headaches, high blood pressure, discolored or bloody urine, and swelling of the hands and feet.
- Stones: When urine is too concentrated, hard mineral deposits can form anywhere along the urinary tract and cause mild to severe pain.
- Symptoms include lower abdomen and groin pain painful urination discolored, cloudy or foul-smelling urine vomiting frequent urge to urinate fever infection and chills.
- Kidney abscesses: A puss-filled mass can form within a hollow spot in the kidney during a result of a bacterial infection.
- Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, chills, and painful urination.
Other, non-urological conditions that can cause flank pain include:
Reducing Kidney Stone Risk
Drinking enough fluid will help keep your urine less concentrated with waste products. Darker urine is more concentrated, so your urine should appear very light yellow to clear if you are well hydrated. Most of the fluid you drink should be water. Most people should drink more than 12 glasses of water a day. Speak with a healthcare professional about the right amount of water that’s best for you. Water is better than soda, sports drinks or coffee/tea. lf you exercise or if it is hot outside, you should drink more. Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup should be limited to small quantities.
Eat more fruits and vegetables, which make the urine less acid. When the urine is less acid, then stones may be less able to form. Animal protein produces urine that has more acid, which can then increase your risk for kidney stones.
You can reduce excess salt in your diet. What foods are high in salt? Everyone thinks of salty potato chips and French fries. Those should be rarely eaten. There are other products that are salty: sandwich meats, canned soups, packaged meals, and even sports drinks.
Some herbal substances are promoted as helping prevent stones. You should know that there is insufficient published medical evidence to support the use of any herb or supplement in preventing stones.
- What food may cause a kidney stone?
- Should l take vitamin and mineral supplements?
- What beverages are good choices for me?
Can Kidney Stones On The Right Side Give You Pain On The Left Side
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Release Kind And Structure
Phytolysinum offered in a soft paste in its consistency, having a green-brown color and a specific fragrant smell. 100 g of the paste consists of 67, 2 g of condensed water-alcohol mixture of the extract of medical plants: the roots of couch lawn, peel onions, fenugreek seeds, leaves of birch, goldenrod herb, parsley root, grass Bird Highlander, horsetail herb, lovage root.
In addition, the structure consists of Phytolysinum: Nipagin A Agar, orange oil, wheat starch, oil of peppermint, sage oil, pine oil, glycerin, vanillin.
Causes: Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infections are easy to distinguish because they cause a strong, persistent urge to urinate. Pain or burning during urination is also a symptom of UTIs. The infection can happen anywhere in the urinary tract, including the bladder, urethra, or kidney. UTIs residing in the kidneys usually cause a fever, chills, nausea, and back or side pain. It is essential to visit a medical provider as soon as one develops symptoms because untreated UTIs can rarely lead to permanent kidney damage.
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Passing Of Kidney Stones
A lot of kidney stones will eventually leave your body by passing from the kidneys to the ureters to the bladder and out through your urine. This is the route your urine takes a trip every day. A stone going through this path can cause pain.
Passing a kidney stone can take a few days to a number of weeks. For this factor, the majority of medical professionals advise passing the stone or stones at home.
Your doctor might recommend anti-nausea or pain medications for you to take while youre attempting to pass the stone. Drinking more water can likewise help you eliminate your urinary system, but do not exaggerate it. Consuming 2 to 3 quarts of water per day must be enough.
How Do Healthcare Providers Treat Flank Pain
Treatments depend on whats causing flank pain. Depending on the cause, your provider may recommend:
- Antibiotics: Your provider will prescribe antibiotic medications to treat flank pain that results from an infection. Its essential to follow your providers instructions and take the entire course of antibiotics so the infection doesnt return.
- Extra water: If a small kidney stone is causing pain, you may be able to pass it by drinking a lot of water. Ask your provider how much you should drink. To remove larger stones, you may need medications or a minimally invasive procedure such as ureteroscopy or shockwave lithotripsy.
- Pain medication: Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs relieve pain and help you feel more comfortable as you heal. If pain is severe, you may need prescription drugs. Talk to your provider before taking any medication.
- Rest: Flank pain that results from a back sprain or strain often improves with rest. Ask your provider how long you should rest and when you can get back on your feet. Stretching, exercise and a physical therapy program can strengthen muscles in your spine and help you avoid another injury.
- Surgery: Some conditions may require surgery or other treatments. Talk to your provider about the most appropriate treatment plan for you.
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How To Identify Kidney Pain
The kidneys are two important organs in the body that create urine by filtering excess fluid and wastes from an individual’s blood. The kidneys are also responsible for the regulation of blood pressure, keeping minerals balanced, production of certain hormones, and regulation of bone strength. Pain in the kidneys can be caused by the presence of kidney stones, urinary tract infection, pyelonephritis, polycystic kidney disease, injury, trauma, or renal cancer. Back pain due to an issue with an individual’s bones, nerves, or muscles can be mistaken for kidney pain and vice versa. Back pain due to nerve issues will typically occur on just one side of the back. Back pain is more prevalent among the general population than kidney pain is.
Panic Or Anxiety Attack
A panic attack is often accompanied by crushing chest pains that can feel like a heart attack. Feeling a racing heartbeat, uncontrollable shivering, and stabbing chest pains can be a frightening experience.
One of the reasons that anxiety attacks cause chest pain is described by Dr. Jeff Huffman from the Association of Medicine and Psychiatry. Panic attacks cause muscles and nerves in your upper body to tighten which can cause painful spasms in the right or left side of the chest. Also, the high blood pressure and racing heartbeat can put more strain on your heart, which in itself can lead to chest pain.11
Thankfully, there are many natural ways to reduce the severity and frequency of panic attacks. Many people use serotonin supplements to help control anxiety and therefore reduce the number of anxiety attacks they have. Because panic attacks are often a symptom of depression, you could also try natural remedies for depression to help you cope better.
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Causes Of Kidney Stones
A kidney stone can form when substances such as calcium, oxalate, cystine or uric acid are at high levels in the urine, although stones can form even if these chemicals are at normal levels.
Medications used for treating some medical conditions such as kidney disease, cancer or HIV can also increase your risk of developing kidney stones.
A small number of people get kidney stones because of certain medical conditions that lead to high levels of calcium, oxalate, cystine or uric acid in the body.
Others Experience And Advice
I asked my doctor, why do my kidneys hurt at night? I have felt this on and off pain for many years now, but lately the pain has become more severe. After undergoing many tests, my doctor found a large kidney stone, which is going to be treated by blasting using laser treatment. I am so relieved because I have been taking pain killers for so long, and hopefully now it is all going to be better.
Anyone that has kidney pain, worse lying down? It is very difficult to sleep at night, with pain in right kidney. It gets worse when I turn side to side, so much so that I have to grab my mattress just to turn over.
I have just been diagnosed with kidney stone which causes severe pain that is far worse at night. But now I am receiving medications that seem to make my condition improve. I can now sleep at night peacefully. So if you think you have kidney pains, dont suffer see your doctor right away.
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How Do You Know If You Have Kidney Pain
Kidney pain, or renal pain, is usually felt in your back . It can spread to other areas, like the sides, upper abdomen or groin. If you have a kidney stone, you usually feel the pain in your back, side, lower belly or groin.
Back pain due to muscle problems is usually in your lower back. Pain due to kidney problems is usually deeper and higher in your back, under your ribs.
Signs that it is a kidney problem can also include fever, vomiting, pain in your sides or painful urination.
Treating And Preventing Kidney Stones
Most kidney stones are small enough to be passed in your pee, and it may be possible to treat the symptoms at home with medication.
Larger stones may need to be broken up or removed with surgery.
It’s estimated up to half of all people who have had kidney stones will experience them again within the following 5 years.
To avoid getting kidney stones, make sure you drink plenty of water every day so you do not become dehydrated.
It’s very important to keep your urine pale in colour to prevent waste products forming into kidney stones.
The kidneys are 2 bean-shaped organs that are roughly 10cm in length.
They’re located towards the back of the abdomen on either side of the spine.
The kidneys remove waste products from the blood. The clean blood is then transferred back into the body and the waste products are passed out of the body when you pee.
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Kidney Impairment Can Be Costly
Although renal impairment is often reversible if the offending drug is discontinued, the condition can be costly and may require multiple interventions, including hospitalization, Dr. Naughton explained. To help you avoid getting to that point, we learned about medications that commonly cause kidney damage from Rebekah Krupski, PharmD, RPh, pharmacy resident at the Cleveland Clinic and clinical instructor of pharmacy practice at Northeast Ohio Medical University.
Avoiding Recurrence Of Kidney Stones
If you have had one kidney stone, some tips that may help to prevent a second stone forming include:
- Talk to your doctor about the cause of the previous stone.
- Ask your doctor to check whether the medications you are on could be causing your stones. Do not stop your medications without talking to your doctor.
- Get quick and proper treatment of urinary infections.
- Avoid dehydration. Drink enough fluids to keep your urine volume at or above two litres a day. This can halve your risk of getting a second stone by lowering the concentration of stone-forming chemicals in your urine.
- Avoid drinking too much tea or coffee. Juices may reduce the risk of some stones, particularly orange, grapefruit and cranberry. Ask your doctor for advice.
- Reduce your salt intake to lower the risk of calcium-containing stones. Dont add salt while cooking and leave the saltshaker off the table. Choose low- or no-salt processed foods.
- Avoid drinking more than one litre per week of drinks that contain phosphoric acid, which is used to flavour carbonated drinks such as cola and beer.
- Always talk to your doctor before making changes to your diet.
Drinking mineral water is fine it cannot cause kidney stones because it contains only trace elements of minerals.
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Pain Typically Comes And Goes In Waves Which Is Intensified By The Ureters Contracting As They Try To Push The Kidney Stone Out
Kidney stones are understood to cause extreme pain that usually comes and goes several times a day. Symptoms of kidney stones may not appear till the stone begins to move down the ureters.
What are the kidneys? The kidneys are two organs whose significant functions are to remove waste products and excess fluid from the body and to produce hormones that manage blood pressure, red cell production, acid policy and to influence calcium, salt, potassium and other electrolyte metabolic process.
Where are the kidneys located? The kidneys are bean-shaped organs that are found versus the back muscles in the upper abdominal area. They sit opposite each other on both the left and right side of the body the right kidney, nevertheless, sits a bit lower than the delegated accommodate the size of the liver.
Feeling that your kidney pain comes and goes cannot be ignored. Kidney stones prevail urinary tract disorders. Kidney stones can form in your kidneys when normal substances in your urine end up being too concentrated.
When this takes place, solid product can stay in your kidney or may move down your urinary tract, ultimately losing consciousness of your body.
How Can I Prevent Flank Pain
You may not always be able to prevent flank pain. But you can reduce your risk of kidney problems, injuries and disease by maintaining good health. You should:
- Eat right and stay hydrated: By drinking plenty of water, avoiding alcohol and eating a healthy diet, you can lower your risk of kidney stones. Water keeps you hydrated and flushes out your kidneys, decreasing the chance of infection and making it more difficult for stones to form. Ask your provider about a low-sodium, calcium-rich diet that may prevent kidney stones.
- Maintain a healthy weight: Get regular exercise and stay active. People who are obese or carry excess weight have a higher chance of developing kidney stones. Extra weight also puts pressure on your spine and makes you more vulnerable to injuries that cause flank pain.
- Take care of your urinary tract: To reduce the risk of bacteria entering your urinary tract and causing an infection, always urinate after having sex. Women should wipe from front to back after urinating. Drink plenty of water, and use the bathroom as soon as you feel the urge. Holding urine in your bladder increases your chance of infection.
- Visit your provider: Stay up to date on vaccines . Schedule regular screenings for cancer and other diseases, and talk to your provider about reducing your risk of kidney problems.
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Causes: Renal Vein Thrombosis
Renal vein thrombosis is the medical term for a blood clot in the kidney. Decreased urine output, lower back pain, and blood in the urine are symptoms of RVT, but the symptoms may be mild if the clot is small. Some people may also experience pain in the hips, fever, nausea, and vomiting, although this is more common in children and adolescents. RVT can lead to severe damage if left untreated. Depending on the severity, individuals may require medication, dialysis, or surgery. Renal vein thrombosis is more common in people who have medical conditions such as the kidney disorder nephrotic syndrome.
Gallstones / Gallbladder Attack
Sudden stabbing pains at the upper part of your abdomen could be a result of gallstones or a gallbladder infection. Your gallbladder is located just under your liver on the right side of your body. Your gallbladder secretes digestive bile produced by the liver to help to break down fats during the digestive process.
Dr. Gregory Thompson on WebMD explains that gallstone pain can start suddenly in the upper abdomen and spread to the right shoulder blade or right-hand side of your upper back. The gallbladder attack pain can be extremely intense and it can last continuously for up to 5 hours.16 Gallstones may also be a reason for feeling nauseous after eating.
In some cases, sharp upper right abdominal pain is one of the side effects of a gallbladder removal . After a gallbladder removal, you may need to follow a gallbladder removal diet to prevent post cholecystectomy side effects such as indigestion and weight gain.
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