Kidney pain symptoms

General

Pain in the kidney can indicate various diseases. In contrast to abdominal pain, in which numerous organs can be the cause of the pain, it is the case with kidney pain that it usually also indicates a process in the kidney.

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However, there is one important differential diagnosis: back pain. On the one hand, back pain can be mistakenly perceived as kidney pain, but on the other hand, patients who actually have back pain can erroneously assume that the pain is localized in the kidney.

Read more on this topic: Differentiation from kidney pain to back pain

In this respect, it is important to rule out as far as possible at the beginning of the diagnosis that the kidney pain actually comes from the back and not from the kidneys. Back pain can arise, for example, from muscle tension, incorrect loading, bony misalignments, degenerative changes, intervertebral disc problems or even malignant processes in the spinal column.

Kidney pain can also be accompanied by abdominal and back pain, as the kidney in the abdomen is located relatively far back in the back area.

Read more on this topic: How can I relieve kidney pain?

General causes

Pain that is actually related to a problem in the kidney or kidneys can be different Pain characters to make noticable. So a permanent, dull, slowly increasing pain is an indication of one inflammatory Process.
In the kidney, for example, this could apply to a Pelvic inflammation (Pyelonephritis) Clues. This is created by a bacterial Settlement and often goes from a displaced Cystitis emerged.
Concomitant symptoms with a renal pelvic inflammation are usually high fever, chills and feeling very sick. The kidneys are common pressure painful. The doctor will check this by gently tapping the lumbar region with the edge of his hand.
Also one Inflammation of the kidney parenchyma, i.e. the actual kidney tissue, can lead to permanent and increasing pain. This is known as Glomerulonephritis. There are numerous forms that have different symptoms. Pain is not necessarily one of the most typical symptoms, but it can be accompanying. Other possible symptoms in a Glomerulonephritis are Blood in the urine (Hematuria), Water retention (Edema) on various parts of the body and high blood pressure.
Also Cysts on the kidneys, cavities with accumulations of fluid, can lead to pain, they can mean Ultrasonic be diagnosed.
With dull and increasing pain in the kidney area must also be part of a malignant process in the sense of a Tumor, so Kidney cancer, be thought. Here, however, the pain is a symptom that is more like a later disease phase occurs while blood is more common in the urine in the early stages.
Another typical form of pain in the kidney area is colicky Pain. He comes in waves, increases to a maximum, then floods down again and there is usually an intermittent pause for pain. This pain is in the area of ​​the kidney and the dissipative Urinary tract very typical of Kidneys- respectively Ureteral stones. They arise because substances in the urine are no longer sufficiently dissolved and are therefore too small Put conglomerates together. Depending on their size, they can no longer pass through the urinary drainage system from the kidneys via the ureters and the bladder to the urethra and get stuck. The kidneys or ureters try to transport the stone further and this sometimes causes very severe pain.
Affected patients are usually very restless, walk back and forth and may sweat profusely. Depending on the location of the stone, the pain can be localized in the kidney area but also in the strip and up to the Genital region radiate.
In the case of kidney pain, it is important to first find out whether the pain could possibly come from the spine. If this has been largely ruled out, he plays Pain character an important role and others Concomitant symptoms are essential indicators on the way to a correct diagnosis.

Other symptoms / summary

Symptoms of kidney pain

The from Kidney pain Concomitant diseases are usually accompanied by other symptoms that allow a differentiation with regard to the cause.

Renal pelvic inflammation:

The Pelvic inflammation (Pyelonephritis) is accompanied by severe kidney pain and symptoms such as fever up to 40 ° C and chills accompanied. In addition, symptoms of a urinary tract infection may occur, including painful urination (Dysuria), more often Urge to urinate despite little urine (Pollakiuria) and blood in the urine (Microhematuria) counting.

Stones:

Kidney pain, by Kidney stones (Nephrolithiasis) arise, express themselves as strong, attacks of colic of a stinging character lasting from minutes to hours. This form of kidney pain is triggered when the stone moves, closes the urinary tract and the ureter muscles tense. In addition to kidney pain, those affected complain of an urge to urinate despite a reduced amount of urine and blood in the urine (Hematuria). Furthermore, vegetative complaints such as nausea are sometimes associated with Vomit, Flatulence, constipation, Chills, or circulatory collapse add to the kidney pain.

Kidney trauma:

Symptoms that a patient complains about after kidney trauma include, in addition to kidney pain, blood loss in the urine (hematuria, often with Coagulate = Blood clots) and palpable resistance in the kidney area as a result of the injury. In some cases, up to three weeks can pass between the trauma and the occurrence of kidney pain or other symptoms if the kidneyenveloping capsule tears.

Kidney cancer:

Of the Kidney cancer (Kidney tumor) is initially symptom-free in more than half of those affected. If symptoms occur, these include kidney pain and bloody urine (Hematuria), palpable resistances in the flank, high blood pressure, Weight loss and fever.

Stenosis:

Constrictions become clinically symptomatic when secondary consequences such as inflammation (renal pelvis, ureters) or pressure damage to the kidneys occur. Inflammation may be increased with symptoms such as fever Levels of inflammation in the blood and bloody urine (Hematuria) express. In addition to changes in kidney values ​​in the blood, pressure damage to the kidneys can be seen in a decrease in the amount of urine, which is a measure of kidney function.

Urinary reflux:

A Urinary reflux (Urinary reflux) is clinically silent at the beginning (= no complaints). In the course of the disease, recurring urinary tract infections occur, which can extend to the kidneys and in these cases cause kidney pain. Stone formation and nocturnal wetting(Enuresis) also provide information about the presence of urinary reflux. Often such reflux is from a so-called Megaureter accompanied, which in Ultrasonic notices. A megaureter is an enlarged ureter.
Also read: Kidney enlargement

Kidney infarction:

A kidney attack develops with sudden kidney pain, bloody urine (Hematuria) and fever noticeable. Pre-existing blood pressure can also provide an indication of a risk of heart attack.