Does my kidney or lower back hurt?

Low back pain and kidney pain are often confused and it is not clear to us what is happening. That is why today we are going to clear up doubts with this text where we are going to explain where each pain is, the symptoms and what treatments are available. When we finish we will know if we have low back pain or kidney pain and we need to pay attention to the kidneys.

We are going to learn to differentiate between back pain and kidney pain. As soon as we know the key symptoms of each ailment, we will know if our pain is in the lower back or back or if we are suffering from some type of kidney problem.

In both cases, we should visit a specialist, since bone pain in the sword warns us that something is not right, in the same way that kidney problems do.

How to identify kidney pain?

Kidney pain is very annoying, and anyone who has ever suffered from renal colic can agree with us. It is a very stabbing, sharp pain that, as a general rule, is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as urination or even nausea.

In addition, what differentiates it from muscle pain in the lumbar area is that kidney pain is acute from the beginning and appears out of nowhere, unlike back pain, which is progressive.

Where is it located

Kidney pain is located right in the lumbar region, which is why it tends to be confused with back pain and even hip pain. The kidneys are two and are located on each side of the lower back, just below the rib cage, where the floating ribs begin and the kidneys rest on the back muscles, hence it is difficult to identify both pains.

Types

The most common kidney pains are due to stone, which is also known as renal lithiasis. It can also be due to urinary tract infection , renal colic, blood clots, tumors, etc. Everything that comes from the kidney must be checked urgently, since the kidneys cleanse the body, and if they fail, our lives are at serious risk.

Symptoms

The symptomatology of kidney pain is clear and direct when it is known, when not, because we tend to confuse it with back pain, although we have already said before that kidney pain is acute from the first moment, and not progressive like back pain. backwards:

  • Blood in the urine.
  • Pain when urinating.
  • To have a strong desire to pee.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Constipation.
  • vomiting.
  • Sickness.
  • Constant fatigue.
  • dizziness
  • Fever (sign of infection).

Una mujer con dolor en la espalda baja

How to identify back pain?

Back pain is very common, in fact, a recent study showed that more than 80% of adults will suffer more or less mild back pain throughout their lives, and there are countless types of pain, but they are always caused by poor posture.

Where is it located

Back pain is caused by muscles, bones, tendons and even nerves, so we need to be checked by a specialist doctor. Sword pain can occur throughout the entire back, but it is when it comes to lumbago that it is confused with kidney pain.

Usually it is a mild pain and the most common is a contracture. Low back pain increases if we do not remedy it and usually extends to both sides of the hip and ends in sciatica. However, kidney pain is intense from the first second.

Types

Back pain is usually the most common pain and usually occurs after a fall or blow, poor posture , poor training, excess weight, previous injury, lack of intervertebral cartilage, impingement, contracture, muscle spasms, overload, sitting for a long time or standing for a long time, muscle tension, spinal damage, osteoporosis, even cancer, among others.

Symptoms

The symptoms of back pain are very varied and now we understand better why it is sometimes confused with kidney pain, and when the pain is so intense and affects the legs we can even become unable to pee:

  • Spinal pain.
  • Difficulty moving the legs.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Constipation.
  • Can’t urinate.
  • Sharp pain in the lumbago.
  • sciatica pain
  • Tension.
  • Difficulty moving normally.
  • It can be hard for us to breathe.
  • It can disable any part of the body, such as the neck.

pain treatment

Here we are only going to launch basic advice, since the real diagnosis, the cause of the pain and the treatment must be done by expert doctors. But in general, if it is a muscle pain or something temporary, they usually recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.

However, if the pain comes from a urine infection, stone and similar situations, the medication is already more specific apart from the fact that several changes in the diet would have to be made, such as increasing the consumption of water, vegetables and fruits, reducing sugars . Apart from exercising regularly and staying active and fit.

Also the application of heat in the painful area, whether it is kidney pain or back pain, usually relieves symptoms such as stabbing pain, fatigue, dizziness, etc. Resting and being at rest in a good posture where the body is relaxed is also key so that the pain subsides and we can return to our normal life in a few days.

Physiotherapy is usually a very good treatment for back pain, whether it is muscle pain such as a contracture, or bone damage to the vertebrae. Relaxing the area will relieve many symptoms of back pain. But not everyone should give us the massage, the most normal is a physiotherapist or osteopath and the techniques are heat, electrodes and massage with oils (cold or hot, depending on the injury). Be careful that sometimes we can suffer contractures after massage sessions, it is not normal, but it can happen to us.