Do I have back pain or kidney pain?

[NY Disney fan]

I hate to go to the doctor for every little thing, but I have been experiencing lower/mid left back pain. It almost feels like kidney pain. It normally feels dull (like muscle ache) but yesterday(and only yesterday) it was sharp. Does anyone know what I need to look out for before running to my doctor? FYI, I sit in a chair all day long.

 

[mamamary]

I've had many, many kidney stones/kidney problems. It's really hard to describe what it feels like if you've never had it before. Usually the pain is close to being unbearable. I've even been extremely nausiated with the pain. My pain has always been towards my back but close to my side - waist high. Hope that makes sense. Anyway, good luck and let me know if I can help further.

 

[Wall-E1]

I've also had many kidney stones. If it is a very small stone, that can be the pain you are experiencing. It is a knife-like pain. I would go to the doctor and get an ultrasound.

 

[NY Disney fan]

Thank you for that response. My pain is annoying but I wouldn't say its unbearable. It just feels like my back/side hurts from sitting in a wrong way. My urine is cloudy though and that worries me.

 

[OK!]

When I had kidney stones, I compared the pain to being kicked in the back (and then side, as the stone made its way along) with a steel toed boot that had a metal spike embedded in the end of it. I have a freakishly high tolerance for pain and I was crying and writhing around on the gurney when I went to the hospital. I had taken a Vicodin that I had been prescribed the night before and then was given another by my mom before she drove me to the hospital. I got some other kind of shot once I got there and some time after that, they started me on morphine. It wasn't until the morphine that the pain lessened at ALL. My mom asked the doctor if they couldn't give me something else to help and he said, "Ma'am, if we give her anything else for it, she'll die." I responded, "BRING IT!"

The guy who took me down to get an MRI said he sees big, burly construction workers who come in for kidney stones and they're usually curled up in the fetal position, whimpering. It is the most godawful pain imaginable. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

If it's worrisome to you, OP, I'd probably go to the doctor anyway. One thing you can do if you're worried it might be kidney problems is start drinking a lot of water. A LOT. Mine were brought on by chronic dehydration and doctors advised me that drinking tons of water was one way to help prevent them from coming back. Since they also told me that both kidneys are riddled with stones and there's no telling when one might "bust free" to begin that magical little journey, I drink water by the truckload.

 

[Wall-E1]

When I had kidney stones, I compared the pain to being kicked in the back (and then side, as the stone made its way along) with a steel toed boot that had a metal spike embedded in the end of it. I have a freakishly high tolerance for pain and I was crying and writhing around on the gurney when I went to the hospital.

That's a pretty good description of kidney stone pain, but I have you beat. The very first time I had a kidney stones, I had three in me at once. There aren't even words to describe that experience.

I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

I so would wish this type of pain on my worst enemy.

 

[Frantasmic]

For my back pain, if it responds to icy hot, Advil/Tylenol, heating pads, etc, it's probably not kidney pain. However, it could be a small stone that does easily pass. That won't last long AND the pain will travel as the stone goes from your kidney to your ureter to your bladder.

If it's a large stone, or doesn't respond to the above, it is probably a kidney stone. Only narcotics touch my kidney stone pain.

Kidney stone pain, for me anyway, usually starts, about 2-3 inches below my shoulder blade. If the stone does go into the ureter and starts to travel, you first feel the pain just below your rib cage and then it moves from back to front (next to your navel) as it travels further down the ureter. When it does enter the bladder, the pain stops in the front and side. As the stone moves in the bladder, you will get some sharp pain if it nears the urethra and then it just passes out in the urine without much pain.

Sorry if this is TMI.

 

[FergieTCat]

I was having severe muscle spasms in my back last year. My doctor had to do a blood panel to determine if it was kidney stones. I think that's the only way they can know for sure. Turned out it was only muscle spasms (cause unknown).

 

[LuvOrlando]

Thank you for that response. My pain is annoying but I wouldn't say its unbearable. It just feels like my back/side hurts from sitting in a wrong way. My urine is cloudy though and that worries me.

I've had kidney stones but they never made the urine cloudy, tinged red yes as they passed but not cloudy. Cloudy = infection, and a kidney infection is nothing to mess with. It could have started in the bladder or could be due to a stone but no matter what I would get to a Dr. immediately. Those sorts of things can hit the fan pretty suddenly.

 

[NY Disney fan]

Thank you so much everyone! I will be drinking plenty of water today. And see my dr. if it gets worse. As far as the urine situation, my urine has been cloudy before so I'm not too worried but I'm gonig to keep tabs on my bathroom activity gonig forward.

 

[mamamary]

Thank you so much everyone! I will be drinking plenty of water today. And see my dr. if it gets worse. As far as the urine situation, my urine has been cloudy before so I'm not too worried but I'm gonig to keep tabs on my bathroom activity gonig forward.

I just want to add something to the idea of drinking water. One time (when I was 9 mos. preg with DD) I once again had kidney pain. Right away started drinking and drinking water because that's what you are supposed to do. Well my stone was so large that it got stuck and drinking all that water only made things worse. Wow - that was almost 11 years ago and I still feel that pain

 

[jen0610]

I hate to go to the doctor for every little thing, but I have been experiencing lower/mid left back pain. It almost feels like kidney pain. It normally feels dull (like muscle ache) but yesterday(and only yesterday) it was sharp. Does anyone know what I need to look out for before running to my doctor? FYI, I sit in a chair all day long.

How long have you been having the pain?

The reason I ask this is, almost two years ago DH had a kidney stone. Worst pain he has ever had and swore if he ever had it again, he wasn't waiting around days before he was going to the Dr.

Last January, he suddenly got the same type of pain, in the same area of his back/side, but not as intense. Thought it was another kidney stone. Said he would wait until I got home from work, then we'd go to the urgent care Dr. Well, it got worse and I ended having to take him in around 11 a.m.. Turned out to be his appendix. Never once did he have any pain on the right side of his body, nor did he have pain in the front, all his pain was on the left side wrapping around to his back.

Neither one of us would have ever called that one. His pain location was so far removed from where most people say they have issues.

 

[NY Disney fan]

How long have you been having the pain?

On and off for 2 years. But it only happened during my period and then stopped. Now the rest of my back constantly hurts (b/c I sit all day long) and the original pain (in my side) has been intensifying.

 

[supercarrie]

Kidney stone pain is not always agony, unbearable pain. I have had many kidney stones - all but the most recent were just that, the stereotypical absolute agony, get me to the ER now!! pain. Several were in the 7-9mm range.

However, I currently have one which is 7mm (so not small!) and it has only caused a small amount of pain. Enough for me to go to the doctor (because I recognised the pain as stone pain) but no ER visits (except after the two failed lithotripsies, when fragments blocked by kidney). The big stone itself though, has not caused severe pain.

OP, I would drink lots of water and do see the doctor if it gets worse OR if it does not improve.

 

[mamamary]

Kidney stone pain is not always agony, unbearable pain. I have had many kidney stones - all but the most recent were just that, the stereotypical absolute agony, get me to the ER now!! pain. Several were in the 7-9mm range.

However, I currently have one which is 7mm (so not small!) and it has only caused a small amount of pain. Enough for me to go to the doctor (because I recognised the pain as stone pain) but no ER visits (except after the two failed lithotripsies, when fragments blocked by kidney). The big stone itself though, has not caused severe pain.

OP, I would drink lots of water and do see the doctor if it gets worse OR if it does not improve.

I have many failed lithotripsies too! Those stones sure are strong aren't they?

 

[Maude4Disney]

are you dehydrated? that will cause pain in the kidney as well and possibly the cloudy urine. I too have had several kidney stones and the pain is always unbearable for me. My mom on the other hand had a 12mm stone that didn't cause much discomfort I guess her pain tolerance is better than mine. hope you're feeling better soon

 

[NY Disney fan]

I Right away started drinking and drinking water because that's what you are supposed to do. Well my stone was so large that it got stuck and drinking all that water only made things worse.

That's probably becuase your kidneys were working overtime to process all the extra water.

 

[masonjar]

[/QUOTE]

On and off for 2 years. But it only happened during my period and then stopped. Now the rest of my back constantly hurts (b/c I sit all day long) and the original pain (in my side) has been intensifying.

Could it be pain radiating from an ovary. I know I have had pain in my back caused from ovarian cysts.

 

[NY Disney fan]

Could it be pain radiating from an ovary. I know I have had pain in my back caused from ovarian cysts.[/QUOTE]

That's very possible. I will reserach that one.

 

[OK!]

are you dehydrated? that will cause pain in the kidney as well and possibly the cloudy urine. I too have had several kidney stones and the pain is always unbearable for me. My mom on the other hand had a 12mm stone that didn't cause much discomfort I guess her pain tolerance is better than mine. hope you're feeling better soon

Sweet LORD, I don't even want to know what a 12 mm stone would feel like! Mine was teeny and I thought I was going to die.