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It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between back pain and kidney pain because the kidneys sit below the rib cage near the back. The kidneys filter out waste and toxins from the bloodstream, which makes them susceptible to infection and damage.
Excess calcium, oxalate, and phosphorous can accumulate in the kidneys to form kidney stones, which can be painful if they cause a blockage. Kidney pain occurs below the rib cage on either side of a person’s spine. It can also feel as though the pain is coming from deep within the body. People may experience pain on one or both sides of the body depending on whether a condition affects only one kidney or both kidneys.
Kidney pain can radiate to other areas of the body, such as: the sides, abdomen, groin and high. Small kidney stones often pass through the urinary system without causing much pain. However, larger stones can cause a sharp, intense pain that typically worsens when the stone moves from the kidney to the ureters. The ureters are tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder and form part of the urinary system.
A kidney infection can cause a dull ache or soreness that remains stable. Conditions that affect the kidneys can cause other symptoms, such as: cloudy or bloody urine, painful urination, a persistent need to urinate, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, fever, dizziness and fatigue.
Signs of severe kidney damage or problems can include: bad breath, metallic taste, shortness of breath, swelling of the legs, ankles, or feetc confusion, irregular heartbeat, muscle cramps.
Conditions that cause kidney pain include: urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney stones, kidney infections, blood clots in the kidneys, trauma or injury to the kidneys.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, around 80 percent of adults will experience lower back pain at some point during their lives. Back pain occurs as a result of problems affecting the muscles, bones, or nerves in the back. The location, severity, and accompanying symptoms of back pain vary depending on the causes.
Back pain can occur anywhere in the back. However, most people experience pain in their lower back. Muscle pain feels like a dull ache or soreness. Certain body movements can trigger or worsen muscle pain, the intensity of which can range from mild to severe and may fluctuate in response to stretching. People with nerve pain may experience a burning or stabbing sensation that travels to other areas of the body.
Sciatica is a form of nerve pain that affects the back. People develop sciatica when the sciatic nerve becomes pinched or compressed, which causes a burning pain in the lower back that radiates through the buttocks.
Bone pain can result from vertebral fractures or an irregularly shaped spine. This type of pain comes on suddenly. Bone pain ranges from moderate to severe and usually worsens in response to movement. Other symptoms that may accompany back pain include: aches or stiffness along the spine, sharp, stabbing pain in the neck, finding it hard to stand up straight due to pain or muscle spasms, walking difficulties, numbness or tingling in the back that spreads to the limbs, weakness in one or both legs, inability to empty the bladder, loss of control over urination, diarrhea or constipation.
Straining a muscle or ligament in the back is a common cause of back pain. People can strain their backs from overstretching, lifting too much weight, or using incorrect lifting techniques. Other causes of back pain can include: poor posture, standing or sitting for an extended period, muscle spasms, muscle tension, injuries to the back, such as fractures or falls, damaged, dislocated, or ruptured discs, abnormal curvature of the spine.
Medical conditions that can cause back pain include: inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis and spondylitis, osteoporosis, shingles, cancer of the spine, infections, cauda equina syndrome, which affects the nerves at the base of the spinal cord, abdominal aortic aneurysm and endometriosis