Kidney Pain – Symptoms, Causes and Location

 Kidneys are very essential to any human body system.  These play a very important role especially in the urinary system.  Other functions that kidneys contribute in the human body system include regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid-base balance and help to regulate blood pressure.  They are also responsible for filtering the blood and removal of wastes toward the urinary bladder.  That is why it is very important that one has to be very cautious if they feel a kidney pain.

Many people sometimes mistaken a pain caused by kidney with back pain or middle back painthat is usually caused by muscles and ligaments problems.  A kidney pain is normally felt in the flank area that is at the lower edge of the ribs on the side of the spine.  If you feel a flank painand tend to be so severe and occur in waves, that can attributed to kidney pain already.  Kidney pain occurs anytime; some may feel kidney pain in the morning while some may feel kidney pain at night and even feel kidney pain after eating.

Location of Kidneys (Anatomical)

Picture 1 – Kidney Location
Source – wistatutor

Kidneys are anatomically located at the rear of the abdominal cavity in the retroperitoneal. These lie between the muscles of the dorsal body wall and the peritoneal lining. They are located on top of the adrenal glands that are protected by three layers of connective tissue and protected by collagen fibers.  The right kidney is usually slightly lower than the left kidney.

Causes of Kidney Pain

Kidney Stone Pain

Picture 1 - Kidney Stone
Source - webmd

Most of the kidney pains are caused by kidney stone.  It is a solid mass that developed from too much substance in the urine.  The substances come out with tiny crystals which further become stones. Kidney stone pain occurs when a kidney stone grows at least two to three millimeters and obstruct the ureter.  The obstruction stretches the ureter and renal pelvis which causes pain.  This sometimes runs in the family.  Several kidney stones developed and one may feel kidney pain both sides.  While there are some medicines that could relieve the pain, what is essential is to remove the kidney stones to stop it.

Other Kidney Pain Causes

Aside from kidney stones, other causes of kidney pains may be due to kidney infection and bladder spasm in the kidney area.

A kidney infection that commonly starts from Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) happens to many people especially to women. This can be easily treated, however, if not treated properly the infections may spread to the kidney and the condition becomes more serious.  The pain normally comes in wave and causes fever, vomiting, and chills.  The pain also radiates up to abdomen.

Kidney pains may also be due to cancer of the kidney.  Although this is very rare, but the kidney pain in this condition is piercing and very intense like a severe headache caused by migraine.  Unlike other kidney pains, pain caused by tumor on kidney is normally constant and dull.  Kidney pain may not be felt severely if the tumors will be detected and addressed immediately.  It is important that a person with kidney cancer should have a regular visit to a physician so as not to reach the point of severe kidney pains.

Kidney Pain Symptoms

Whatever pains a person may feel should be given outright consideration to avoid further implications. To address the pain properly, one should be aware of the signs and symptoms related to kidney pain especially the kidney stone pain.

As kidney pain and back pain have the same signs, note that kidneys are located below the diaphragm on either side.  These lie toward the back of the abdomen.  So if the pain radiates from there and around the flanks, this is a sign of kidney related pain.

Once a person feels a kidney pain, it is essential to check the medical history.  If there is any family member that had kidney stones problem, it is one of the signs and symptoms that one may consider that the pain is kidney related.  It is also worth to note that although women are most likely to develop problems related to kidneys, most of the men on the other hand suffer kidney stone attack that causes so much kidney pain.

Another symptom is there are signs of blood in the urine.  It is best to have urinalysis to find out more.

The kidney pain is extremely painful, sharp and stabbing.  This is concentrated on one side and the level of pain is continuous and goes in waves.  One may find kidney pain relief for a while by taking analgesic or any other pain reliever. However, if the pain radiates again after few hours and the location of the pain becomes more definite, then surely this is already one symptom of kidney pain.  It is also worth to note that the pain normally comes with fever and other urinary symptoms.

Even pregnant women may feel kidney pain during pregnancy which is harder to address. Pregnant women especially those on their first pregnancy may take mistakenly the kidney pains with the labor pains.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidney

http://www.medhelp.org/medical-information/show/9/Kidney-stones

http://www.pitt.edu/~anat/Abdomen/Kidneys/Kidneys.htm

http://www.essortment.com/all/kidneystones_rclg.htm