Are you worried about your Kidney Pain?
There are a wide variety of conditions that can affect how well your kidneys are working. Your symptoms will often dictate the specific underlying cause of the problem. Conditions that may explain your symptoms include haemorrhage, bleeding in the kidney, kidney stones, or blood clots in the renal veins, Hydronephrosis, a swelling of the kidney caused by a blockage in the urinary tract, kidney cysts, fluid filled sacs that form on or in the kidneys or Polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary condition that causes large numbers of kidney cysts to grow in the kidney gradually reducing kidney function over time. Less likely, although still possible is cancer, in adults renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of cancer, although in children it is more likely they will develop a cancer called Wilms tumour. In some situations, it is possible to manage chronic kidney problems by using dialysis, a machine that will filter and cleanse your blood for you if your kidneys are not able to do this effectively anymore. Often dialysis is needed for those who have suffered kidney failure and are waiting for a new kidney on the transplant list. Unfortunately, it is necessary to repeat this procedure approximately three times per week and waiting lists for kidney transplants can be very long, often 2 to 3 years. Although, because most people are born with two kidneys and it is possible for the bodies to work well with only one, it is possible that a close family relation may be compatible and willing to donate a kidney to someone in need.
Your doctor will take a detailed medical history, perform a physical examination of the affected area and if necessary, order further tests such as blood tests to narrow down the specific cause of your pain and discomfort. It is a good idea to monitor your symptoms at home taking note of any changes in your urination habits. Symptoms associated with kidney problems may include increased frequency of urination, a pain or burning sensation when you go to the toilet or a change in the appearance or smell of the urine you are producing, with cloudy, smelly or blood speckled samples all a cause for concern. Many kidney infections often start as cystitis, a common urinary tract infection. Cystitis can affect anyone but is more common in women and often resolves itself but may sometimes require antibiotics. Check out the list below for advice on how to prevent cystitis and associated kidney infections from occurring.
- When you go to the toilet make sure you wipe front to back.
- Drink water regularly to stay hydrated.
- Urinate after sex.
- Take showers instead of baths.
- In children or the elderly, change nappies or incontinence pads regularly.
- Regularly wash your genitals.
- Avoid scented or perfumed body products.
- Don’t avoid going to the toilet by holding in your urine.
- Avoid too many alcoholic or caffeinated drinks.
- Avoid drinking too many sugary drinks as they can encourage bacteria growth.
Kidney pain can be a sign of a serious infection especially if accompanied by other warning signs. Your doctor will take a detailed medical history, taking any recent circumstances surrounding the onset of your kidney pain into account. A urine test will be ordered to check for a urinary tract infection. Most kidney infections will require a course of anti-biotics to prevent the bacteria from causing damage to the kidneys or spreading further by entering the blood stream. In most cases you will recover from your condition within a few weeks with no need for further treatments. If you have any of the following symptoms it is a good idea to book an appointment with a doctor.
- If you have pain in your stomach, lower back, or side.
- If you have symptoms of a urinary tract infection, like frequency of urination, burning sensation when urinating, or cloudy, smelly or blood-streaked urine.
- If you’ve had the symptoms for several days without improvement.
- If your child is younger than two years, also suffering from the symptoms of a possible kidney infection. or UTI and is suffering from a high temperature, vomiting or poor feeding.
Here at VIDA we have expert clinicians on hand to help diagnose and treat your condition. To find out more about these services, we recommend visiting the following pages:
- Bleeding in the kidney (hemorrhage)
- Blood clots in kidney veins (renal vein thrombosis)
- Hemorrhage
- Hydronephrosis
- Kidney cancer
- Kidney cancer or a kidney tumor
- Kidney cysts
- Kidney infection (pyelonephritis)
- Kidney stones
- kidney tumor
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Renal vein thrombosis