Kidney pain

Feb 20, 2011 by Administrator

The pair of human kidneys is positioned at the back of the lower abdomen. Hence any problem in the kidney which results in pains around those areas. It causes pain on both sides of the spinal cord on the back, specifically any the lower portion of the ribcage. The pain in the kidneys is often severe and can be felt at any time. As per patients it feels like something piercing from the back and moving towards the abdomen. The pain is sharp.

However, though it may sound similar but kidney pain is different from any other pain associated with problems with the back. People sometimes get confused as both of them originate from the back and many led to some other conclusion. A problem in the back will be felt like an ache which may be dull and concentrated around the centre of the back. It may happen due to muscle or posture, slip disk, or problem with ligaments. These pains fade out with some rest or physiotherapy treatment such as massage and heating. Where as kidney pains can be felt at any time during the day and resting would not affect the intensity of the pain.

There are multiple reasons of kidney pains such as some kind of infection or injury and can be associated with many kidney problems. Some of them are discussed below:

Kidney infection: Kidney infections are one of the main reasons behind kidney pains. It is called pyelonephritis. This causes infection in the kidney resulting in swelling and inflammation of the kidney tissues. This cause a burning sensation in the adjoining areas and even the slightest touch can feel hurting. The symptoms of kidney infection are nausea, vomiting and fever.
Kidney Stone: Another reason of severe kidney pain is kidney stones. Due to improper flow of impurities, deposition of calcium and other minerals stones are naturally formed in the kidney. They can be in any number, size or shape. The pain is caused as the stones come in contact with the tissues and areas of the ureter. The kidney swells and patients often experience blood passing through with urine. The tissues get damaged if the stones are bigger in size and conical in shape. The pain in this case in severe but comes in waves just as in the case of labor pain.
Cancer in the Kidney and polycystic kidney disease: Kidney tumors and cancer in the kidney can be another reason for kidney pains. Polycystic kidney disease is a hereditarily transferred disease that causes the kidney to get enlarged and may cause pains. However, in the case the pain is felt on the front of the lower abdomen instead of the back in all other cases.

Summary:

Kidney pains are a result of many infections associated with the kidney as well as chronic and hereditary diseases.