Most people find it difficult to determine what is causing back pain - the kidneys or the spine. Therefore, at the household level, renal colic is often confused with symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders. Meanwhile, the paired organ has its own specificity and characteristic symptoms that appear during the disease.
It's possible to understand what hurts - the lower back or the kidneys - if you pay attention to accompanying symptoms. As a rule, kidney diseases appear on the background of a deterioration in well-being, accompanied by a temperature. Nausea and frequent urination are possible.
In addition, the kidney pain is always localized at the location of the paired organ. It can appear on the left or right side, but rarely shoots all over the back. If the pain is expressed in the center of the lower back, it is most likely in the spine or back muscles.
In urological practice, pain in the lumbar region can vary in intensity, frequency and frequency of occurrence and may or may not go away after taking antispasmodic medication.
Can the kidneys hurt?
Yes, it cannot be ruled out that the kidneys are the cause of the problem with back pain. In such cases, discomfort or painful sensations of varying degrees are manifested:
- Organ prolapse (nephroptosis);
- Inflammation (pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis);
- the formation of stones;
- other diseases of the genitourinary system.
Lower back pain from the kidney is dull or sharp, weak or sharp. In many cases, they are indistinguishable from the painful sensations experienced with sciatica or osteochondrosis. Pain can spread to other areas: groin, thighs, etc.
Sometimes the discomfort is subdued and vice versa - for example, with pressure surges in patients with nephroptosis or displacement of stones.
How to tell if your kidneys are sore
When the cause of low back pain is the kidney, accompanying symptoms are common. It is possible to identify them even independently at home. But for a more accurate diagnosis of the disease, you should contact specialized specialists. Only on the basis of comprehensive diagnostic measures is it possible to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe an effective therapy.
Another sign: when the kidneys are sore, the lower back pain does not go away or does not worsen when the position of the body is changed - this is characteristic of a disease of the spine. Pain is felt all the time and is usually only relieved by convulsive analgesics.
Features of kidney pain
Back pain due to the kidney is of two main types:
- Dull and painful, accompanied by heaviness in the lower back - this is a symptom of an inflammatory disease (pyelonephritis).
- Sharp, dagger - caused by colic, which occurs as a result of the action of stones on the nerve endings of the internal organs or a blockage of the urethra (with urolithiasis).
If the reason for this is that the lower back hurts, then the kidneys - painful sensations are unchanged. They are either dull or acute - according to the etiology of the disease. But the spinal muscle soreness is different: it often leads from the acute phase to a deaf phase, fades in rest and resumes at the moment of the start of activity.
Localization of back pain
Anyone who "listens" closely in oneself feels exactly where the pain in the back is manifested in the kidney area. Since the paired organ is some distance from the surface of the body behind the spine, painful sensations are concentrated in the depths there. On the contrary, if a person experiences discomfort closer to the surface of the back, it is most likely due to the spine or back muscles.
Whenever the back hurts in the kidney area, one can confidently assess the real cause. Effective diagnostic procedures such as ultrasound, computed tomography, MRI help clarify the diagnosis. In addition, blood and urine tests are carried out. All these procedures are carried out in the clinic under the supervision of the attending physician.
Irradiation of pain
Back pain in the area often spreads throughout the body and causes discomfort.
Pain can affect the following parts of the body:
- inner thigh area;
- Lower abdomen;
- Groin area.
Pronounced cramps in the urethra are possible - they are also caused by kidney pathology.
There is no doubt that there can be pain in the back from the kidneys - this is a common symptom of the inflammatory process in the organ. If pain is felt in both the lower and lower back, then an accurate kidney pathology can be assumed.
Back pain and physical activity
With osteochondrosis or rheumatism, a person is restricted in their movements, it is difficult for them to bend and crouch, often it is not possible to straighten up - any change in body position is accompanied by pronounced pain sensations.
Back pain related to kidney disease is expressed differently. A person may experience discomfort while standing or lying on their back, and no pain is felt in other positions. Posture changes are much easier. Finding a comfortable position can provide relief.
Physical mobility is more difficult to tolerate with nephroptosis: active movement can increase pain in the back, where the kidneys are located.
Tap on the back
To find out if the kidneys or the spine are the cause of lower back pain, you can use the tapping technique on the back.
Knock algorithm:
- The person lies on their stomach, part of the back is exposed under the lower ribs.
- An open palm is placed on this area.
- Tap your fist (as well as the edge of your palm or your fingertips) lightly on the palm of your hand.
If back pain in the kidney area increases when tapping, then the paired organ is the real source.
It is important to understand that the effectiveness of this method does not depend on the power of the blow: the pain manifests itself when the blow occurs as a result of the blow. Therefore, the assistant must be careful when tapping in a home setting.
The real causes of lumbar pain
You can understand why the back is sore in the kidney area by figuring out what caused the discomfort. Most often the reasons are external - they are associated with physical activity, increased stress, sharp temperature fluctuations and illness.
To find out why there was pain in the kidney or spine, it is enough to remember what happened the day before. The following events often lead to rheumatism:
- strenuous physical work;
- abrupt or intense exercise;
- Lift weights;
- any unusual loads;
- unfortunate fall.
All of this often leads to muscle stretching, pinching of nerves, dislocation of the intervertebral discs or the formation of an inguinal hernia.
Kidney problems are caused by swimming in cold water, hypothermia, sitting on the floor, or a viral disease - ARVI or a sore throat.
Other signs of kidney disease
How can you distinguish kidney pain from osteochondrosis or sciatica? To do this, it is enough to pay attention to the symptoms that are exclusively characteristic of kidney diseases.
The following signs never accompany spinal problems:
- intense heat - the temperature rises to 40 ° C;
- noticeable swelling in the morning;
- Blood and pus contamination in the urine;
- increased urination;
- Burning sensation when urinating;
- Pressure surges;
- Nausea;
- Worsening sleep.
How do you distinguish pyelonephritis from osteochondrosis or back muscle problems? A clear sign of the inflammatory process is the appearance of purulent particles in the urine.
Back pain symptoms
When the lower back pulls, the kidneys have nothing to do with it. The symptoms of spinal disease and muscle problems are very similar. However, muscle spasms are indicated by the characteristic tingling sensation, it is possible that "goose bumps" develop at the point where it hurts. Muscles seem numb, but sensitivity is restored when using surface warming agents - gels, ointments, or other drugs with anti-inflammatory effects.
Rubbing is ineffective for kidney problems. But the use of antispasmodic drugs alleviates the patient's condition. Another tip to differentiate osteochondrosis from stone-related kidney pain is to take a warm bath. The effect of the heat causes the body to relax and the spasm of the tartar is relieved.
Tests for kidney and loin pain
When shooting in the kidney, it is important to have a full exam, which includes general tests. Renal pathology is confirmed by an increased level of ESR and white blood cells, and sometimes a low level of hemoglobin in the blood. Urinalysis should confirm leukocytosis, with inflammation - it shows impurities of pus, with stones - an excess of salts and blood impurities.
Urine samples are taken to clarify the diagnosis of an inflammatory disease. And a urine culture is also prescribed.
If the source of the lower back pain is the kidney, treatment will be formulated after additional abdominal ultrasound. If a neoplasm is suspected, a tomography is prescribed.
Nonrenal pathologies are diagnosed mainly through examination and X-ray examination.