Pain in the kidney area: causes, diagnosis and treatment

The appearance of acute pain in the kidney area practically always indicates the presence of a certain problem in the urinary system of the human body. It can arise suddenly, against the background of absolute well-being. May accompany various chronic diseases.

The kidneys are a paired parenchymal organ with a bean-shaped shape. Many people believe that the kidneys are only responsible for producing urine. In fact, they play a much more important role in the human body:

• Remove harmful toxins from the body;
• Participate in maintaining water and electrolyte balance in the body;
• They produce erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates hematopoiesis;
• Produce vitamin D;
• Participate in the regulation of blood pressure, etc.

Every year in Russia, about 4%-6% of the population suffers from kidney disease, and the majority of nephrology patients are women. Do not forget that most kidney pathologies pose a real threat to the patient’s health and can be fatal. Often, kidney disease is asymptomatic, therefore, even the appearance of minor pain in the kidney area on the left or right should be a good reason to contact a specialist.

Specialists at the Yusupov Hospital diagnose and treat patients with various diseases of the urinary system. The hospital is equipped with the latest equipment, allowing each patient to be examined using innovative techniques. The therapy clinic employs doctors of the highest category, who are recognized experts in the field of nephrology. In complex medical cases, the patient will always be consulted by a council of hospital doctors headed by a professor. The Yusupov Hospital has not only its highly qualified medical staff, but also comfortable conditions for nailing.

Functional and anatomical properties of the kidneys

If you have kidney pain, it will be difficult to correctly determine the symptoms and treatment at home. The kidneys have a rather complex structure, so if pain occurs, it is necessary to undergo an examination to rule out other diseases and identify the underlying cause.

The detailed anatomy of the organ is quite complex, so we will only explain the main points. The organ is paired and has a bean-shaped shape and a dense consistency. It is located behind the peritoneum in the lumbar area at the level of the first two lumbar vertebrae. A person’s right kidney is always located slightly lower than the left, and this is normal and is due to the presence of the liver above it. The left organ is slightly larger in size than the right. Kidney tissue has a two-layer structure and is called “parenchyma”. It plays the role of a filtering mechanism. Decay products and harmful substances are removed using the pelvis. The ureter emerges from this part of the organ, connecting it to the bladder. Through the pelvis, all harmful substances from the blood enter the bladder and are then excreted naturally. Beneficial substances are separated through the renal tubules and reabsorbed into the bloodstream.

The organ performs two main functions: it filters blood and other fluids in the body and removes all harmful substances out. This work is carried out daily and around the clock. But in addition to filtration, the organ also performs a number of other functions, for example, ensuring water-salt balance in the body.

Treatment

Help before diagnosis

If symptoms of acute nephritis or renal colic occur, the patient is immediately sent for hospital treatment. For mild to moderate cases, outpatient therapy is possible. Until the cause of the pain syndrome is identified, therapeutic measures include organizing a gentle regimen, selecting a diet with limited salt. To alleviate a person’s condition, symptomatic therapy is carried out.

Conservative therapy

The patient management plan is determined by the clinical form of the disease and the etiological factor. For all types of pathology, strict monitoring of the amount of fluid consumed and the volume of diuresis is indicated in order to monitor the excretory and concentration function of the kidneys. Some nephrological diseases require limiting protein intake. Drug therapy includes a number of drugs:

• Diuretics
  . Allows you to normalize diuresis and reduce swelling. Loop, thiazide and potassium-sparing diuretics are used depending on the electrolyte composition of the blood. Diuretics are recommended only if the urinary tract is normal.
• Corticosteroids
  . The drugs quickly stop inflammation and have an immunosuppressive effect. They affect the cause of the disease, so kidney pain disappears quite quickly. Hormones are mainly used for glomerulonephritis and interstitial nephritis.
• Antibiotic therapy
  . Etiotropic antibacterial drugs are administered for pyelonephritis and other infectious kidney damage. Antibiotics from the group of cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones are predominantly prescribed. For mild forms of infection, uroseptics are effective.
• Antihypertensive drugs
  . Chronic kidney disease is accompanied by hypertension, for the treatment of which ACE inhibitors and angiotensin-II receptor blockers are selected. Calcium antagonists are also prescribed to normalize blood pressure.
• Detoxification products
  . Detoxification therapy is advisable for acute processes that are provoked by toxic influences. Specific antidotes are introduced, infusion therapy, and extracorporeal detoxification techniques are carried out.

If renal function is significantly impaired, replacement therapy is required - hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. The criteria for starting treatment are pathological creatinine levels and insufficient glomerular filtration rate, changes in potassium levels in the blood, the presence of life-threatening complications, and renal failure.

Kidney pain: main causes and symptoms

The kidneys are a vital organ, which bears great responsibility for processing and removing toxins, waste products and waste from the body. This organ functions around the clock, but how can you understand that the kidneys are hurting and not something else, because lower back pain can be for various reasons. An ordinary person is rarely able to independently determine the cause, so if you have lumbar pain, it is better to immediately go to a therapist.

The main reasons for pain in the kidney area may be:

• Pyelonephritis is an inflammatory disease of the kidneys, often of bacterial etiology. Accompanied by mild pain, usually on one side. May occur due to cystitis.
• Urolithiasis is one of the most common causes of pain in the kidney area. This condition does not manifest itself in any way until the stones begin to move. As a result, sharp and quite severe pain appears. An increase in temperature may occur.
• Glomerulonephritis is a kidney disease on both sides, the main cause of which is damage to the renal glomeruli. The pain symptoms are mild, the main signs are swelling, impaired urination, and impurities in the urine.
• Renal failure is a violation of the proper functioning of the kidneys, resulting in the death of kidney tissue. The disease is serious and manifests itself with various symptoms: lower back pain, swelling independent of the amount of fluid taken, increased blood pressure for no apparent reason, frequent urination at night, dry skin.
• Nephroptosis is displacement of an organ as a result of mobility. Signs include dull pain, especially after exercise, infrequent abdominal pain, and the presence of protein in urine and blood tests.
• Atherosclerosis of the renal arteries - the disease is a consequence of atherosclerosis. Cholesterol plaques appear in the lumen of the renal artery, which impairs blood circulation in the organ. Periodic pain and high blood pressure are noted.

This is not the entire list of diseases that result in pain and discomfort in the kidneys. Kidney diseases, being a pathology, provoke a disruption in the proper functioning of the organ, as a result of which the entire body begins to suffer. Most often, various infections have a detrimental effect on organs. They are the ones that render the organ inoperable, resulting in pain, stagnation of urine and more serious problems.

The functioning of the renal structures may also be impaired due to the presence of cysts or tumors. For example, a kidney cyst very often does not manifest itself in any way until it increases in size and begins to put pressure on neighboring organs. In this case, there is pain in the lumbar region, dull pain in the ureter, blood may appear in the urine and a disturbance in the outflow of urine.

Sometimes the symptoms of a diseased kidney can imitate completely different diseases that have nothing to do with this organ. To dispel all doubts, at the first signs you need to contact a practicing specialist to identify a diagnosis. Remember, the kidneys are an organ that does not tolerate irresponsible treatment of itself, and if the cause of pain lies in them, then urgent treatment is required.

Diagnostics

When collecting anamnesis, the nephrologist takes into account the duration of symptoms and the events that preceded the manifestation of the disease. During a physical examination, Pasternatsky's symptom is checked and edema is searched for. Laboratory and instrumental research data are decisive for identifying the causes of pain in the kidneys. Diagnostics includes the following methods:

• Urine tests.
  In kidney pathology, several specific changes are observed: the presence of protein, cellular elements (erythrocytes, leukocytes), cylinders. To assess the concentration function, a urine test is performed according to Zimnitsky, to confirm hematuria or leukocyturia - a study according to Nechiporenko.
• Blood tests.
  Leukocytosis and increased ESR in the hemogram indicate the inflammatory nature of the disease. In a biochemical blood test, attention is paid to the level of total protein, albumin, and lipid profile. Assess creatinine and urea levels.
• Ultrasound of the kidneys.
  Sonography examines the size, contours and thickness of the renal parenchyma. According to ultrasound data, dilation of the pyelocaliceal system is established, and stones are detected in the kidneys or urinary tract. Renal blood flow is assessed using Doppler ultrasound.
• Excretory urography.
  The technique provides detailed visualization of the structure of the kidneys and urinary tract. Based on the results of this method, changes in the size of the organ, its deformation are revealed, and the excretory function of the kidneys is assessed. Urography is supplemented with other X-ray studies - CT, scintigraphy.
• Kidney biopsy.
  Invasive research data are required for the differential diagnosis of chronic glomerulonephritis, autoimmune kidney damage, and neoplasms. When performing a cytological examination of biopsy specimens, attention is paid to infiltration with leukocytes, the presence of immune complexes, and atypical cells.

If your kidneys hurt during pregnancy

If a pregnant woman has a kidney problem, it is imperative to seek medical help. While a woman is preparing to become a mother, all her organs and systems function intensively. Especially during pregnancy, a large load falls on the kidneys. Of course, back pain in a delicate position is quite normal, but you should exercise caution if you experience symptoms such as:

• noticeable pain in the side and lower abdomen;
• swelling;
• unpleasant aching pain in the back area;
• feeling of insufficient emptying of the bladder;
• high temperature, feeling of nausea;
• pain during the process of urination.

Practice shows that at 22-28 weeks, some pregnant women develop gestational pyelonephritis. In any case, pain in the organ area cannot be ignored, so examination and testing are required.

Stages of pyelonephritis

Despite the rapid course of the infectious-inflammatory process in the kidneys, separate stages of its development are distinguished. Each is characterized by fairly pronounced pathomorphological changes in the renal structures.

At the initial stage of pathology, abundant exudate accumulates in the tissues, consisting of a watery, slightly cloudy serous fluid saturated with proteins. This leads to a still insignificant increase, tension of paired organs, and perivascular infiltration. If the patient ignores the first discomfort of the initial stage and does not seek medical help, then the pathology progresses with subsequent purulent-destructive kidney damage.

At the next stage, apostematous pyelonephritis develops - an acute purulent-inflammatory process with the formation of multiple abscesses in the parenchyma, pronounced signs of general intoxication of the body. In the absence of adequate therapy, the size of small pustules increases, they merge to form a single large lesion, or carbuncle. The likelihood of an abscess caused by a breakthrough of the abscess and penetration of pathological exudate into nearby renal structures increases significantly. They are irreversibly damaged, and connective tissues devoid of any functional activity are formed in their places.

What can you do at home for kidney pain?

Naturally, many patients have a question, if their kidneys hurt, what to do. It is almost impossible to determine pathology at home. To identify the cause, it is often necessary to have your kidneys checked by a urologist (nephrologist), take the necessary urine and blood tests, and also undergo an ultrasound of the kidneys. Laboratory methods and instrumental diagnostics allow us to correctly judge changes in the organ and draw conclusions.

Quite often, many patients do not know where a person’s kidneys hurt. Incorrect diagnosis, inaction or self-medication using traditional methods or incorrectly selected drugs can lead to negative consequences for the entire body.

You can make an appointment with a doctor by calling
+7+7 (495) 980-13-16

Disease Prevention

Step 1 : It is recommended to drink as much water as possible. It is good for the kidneys and the body as a whole. The daily norm for an adult is about 2-3 liters.

Drink as much water as possible

Step 2. It is important not to forget about proper rest and sleep. Also, in order to prevent back diseases, it is recommended to sleep on a comfortable orthopedic mattress.

If you want to learn in more detail how to choose the right orthopedic mattress, as well as read a detailed guide, you can read an article about this on our portal.

Don't forget about rest

Step 3. If pain occurs, you can apply a compress to relieve it. You should not abuse medications, especially those used without a doctor’s prescription.

Folk remedies

During remission, you can maintain kidney health with herbal remedies. This will help consolidate the effect of the treatment. But the choice should definitely be made together with your doctor.

For different forms of jade, the following herbs are recommended:

• birch buds;
• sage and bearberry leaves;
• chamomile;
• corn silk;
• horsetail;
• lingonberry leaves;
• juniper.

Herbal medicine will not replace drug treatment, and will not help with advanced disease. It can only be used in combination with therapy prescribed by a urologist.