10 Warning Signs You Might Have Kidney Disease

Twenty-six million Americans-more than the entire population of New York state-suffer from chronic kidney disease. And another 20 million are at increased risk - yet, many may not know it.

In observation of Kidney Disease Awareness and Education Week, Aug. 11-15, Fresenius Medical Care North America reminds people to look for symptoms that might be an indication of kidney disease.

"With so many people already diagnosed with conditions that can lead to kidney disease, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, educating the community is more important than ever," says Joseph Pulliam, M.D., a nephrologist (kidney specialist) at Fresenius Medical Care. "Unfortunately, far too many people don't recognize the warning signs until it's too late."

10 Symptoms of Kidney Disease

• Changes in urination
• Swelling of face, hands, and/or feet
• Feeling more tired than usual
• Nausea/vomiting
• Headache, feeling dizzy
• Having trouble thinking clearly
• Severe itching not related to a bite or rash
• Shortness of breath, or feeling that you can't catch your breath
• Loss of appetite, or change in the way foods taste
• High blood pressure

If you have these symptoms, you should check with your doctor. Also, to help educate people about kidney disease, Fresenius offers a free Treatment Options Program (TOP) in local communities across the country. The program is targeted toward at-risk patients and their families. At the TOP sessions, Fresenius nurses and staff talk about managing chronic kidney disease, transplantation, dialysis choices and patient support services. The sessions are open to the public.

Kidney Disease Awareness and Education Week is sponsored annually by the American Nephrology Nurses' Association (ANNA) as a way to educate policy makers about the needs of patients suffering from, or at risk for, end stage renal disease.

"Early detection and treatment are the best tools for slowing or halting the progression of kidney disease," says ANNA President Sue Cary, M.N., A.P.R.N., N.P., C.N.N. "During Kidney Disease Awareness and Education Week, we are trying to make policy makers and the general public more aware of kidney disease, treatment options, and related legislative issues."

To learn more about general kidney health or to find a TOP session near you, please visit http://www.ultracare-dialysis.com (in English and Spanish).

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Iced Tea's Hidden Risk Of Painful Kidney Stones

Mark Mulac was once an "avid lover" of iced tea, downing up to six glasses a day of the popular summertime thirst-quencher.

"I was a junkie on a bender. I had to have it every day," said Mulac, a resident of Brookfield, Ill. "Iced tea was very refreshing, cheap to buy and easy to make."

Unfortunately, Mulac was forced to go cold turkey. Iced tea helped to bring on an excruciating bout of kidney stones that led to surgery at Loyola University Hospital in Maywood, Ill.

"The pain was so bad that once it felt like I was delivering a child made out of razor blades," said the 46-year-old Mulac. "I really had no idea that iced tea could lead to that."

Iced tea contains high concentrations of oxalate, one of the key chemicals that lead to the formation of kidney stones, a common disorder of the urinary tract that affects about 10 percent of the population in the United States.

"For many people, iced tea is potentially one of the worst things they can drink," said Dr. John Milner, instructor, department of urology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Ill. "For people who have a tendency to form kidney stones, it's definitely one of the worst things you can drink."

Kidney stones are crystals that form in the kidneys or ureters, the small tubes that drain the urine from the kidney to the bladder. Men are four times more likely to develop kidney stones than women, and their risk rises dramatically once they reach their 40s.

The most common cause of kidney stones is the failure to drink enough fluids. During the summer, people are generally more dehydrated due to sweating. The dehydration combined with increase iced tea consumption raises the risk of kidney stones, especially in people who are prone to develop them.

"People are told that in the summertime they should drink more fluids," said Milner, who treated Mulac's kidney stones. "A lot of people choose to drink more iced tea, thinking it's a tastier alternative. However, in terms of kidney stones, they're getting it going and coming. They're actually doing themselves a disservice."

The popularity of iced tea has grown dramatically with a whopping 1.91 billon gallons consumed a year in the U.S., according to the Tea Association of the U.S.A. Nearly 128 million Americans drink the beverage daily.

Much of iced tea's appeal is due to the belief that it is healthier than other beverages such as soda and beer.

"I stayed away from carbonated drinks for a long time because I thought it was upsetting my stomach and that it wasn't as good for me, but I guess overdid it with the iced tea," Mulac said.

To quench thirst and to properly hydrate, there is no better alternative than water, Milner said. You might try flavoring it with lemon slices. Lemonade helps to ward off kidney stones.

"Lemons are very high in citrates, which inhibit the growth of kidney stones," Milner said. "Lemonade, not the powdered variety that uses artificial flavoring, actually slows the development of kidney stones for those who are prone to the development of kidney stones."

Milner also said people concerned about developing kidney stones should cut back on eating foods that also contain high concentrations of oxalates such as spinach, chocolate, rhubarb and nuts. They should easy up on salt, eat meat sparingly, drink several glasses a water a day and don't avoid foods high in calcium, which reduces the amount of oxalate the body absorbs.

Based in the western suburbs of Chicago, Loyola University Health System is a quaternary care system with a 61-acre main medical center campus, the 36-acre Gottlieb hospital campus and 22 primary and specialty care facilities in Cook, Will and DuPage counties. The medical center campus is conveniently located in Maywood, 13 miles west of the Chicago Loop and 8 miles east of Oak Brook, Ill. The heart of the medical center campus, Loyola University Hospital, is a 570 licensed bed facility. It houses a Level 1 Trauma Center, a Burn Center and the Ronald McDonald® Children's Hospital of Loyola University Medical Center. Also on campus are the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola Outpatient Center, Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine and Loyola Oral Health Center as well as the LUC Stritch School of Medicine, the LUC Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing and the Loyola Center for Health & Fitness. Loyola's Gottlieb campus in Melrose Park includes the 250-bed community hospital, the Gottlieb Health & Fitness Center and the Marjorie G. Weinberg Cancer Care Center.

Loyola University Health System
2160 S First Ave.
Maywood, IL 60153
United States
http://www.luhs.org

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Keep Kidney Stones Away With Orange Juice, Not Lemonade

A daily glass of orange juice can help prevent the recurrence of kidney stones better than other citrus fruit juices such as lemonade, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered.

The findings indicate that although many people assume that all citrus fruit juices help prevent the formation of kidney stones, not all have the same effect. The study is available online and is scheduled to be published in the Oct. 26 issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Medically managing recurrent kidney stones requires dietary and lifestyle changes as well as treatment such as the addition of potassium citrate, which has been shown to lower the rate of new stone formation in patients with kidney stones.

But some patients can't tolerate potassium citrate because of gastrointestinal side effects, said Dr. Clarita Odvina, assistant professor of internal medicine at the Charles and Jane Pak Center for Mineral Metabolism and Clinical Research and the study's lead author. In those cases, dietary sources of citrate - such as orange juice - may be considered as an alternative to pharmacological drugs.

"Orange juice could potentially play an important role in the management of kidney stone disease and may be considered an option for patients who are intolerant of potassium citrate," Dr. Odvina said.

All citrus juices contain citrate, a negatively charged form of citric acid that gives a sour taste to citrus fruits. Researchers compared orange juice and lemonade - juices with comparable citrate contents - and found that the components that accompany the citrate can alter the effectiveness of the juice in decreasing the risk of developing new kidney stones.

Kidney stones develop when the urine is too concentrated, causing minerals and other chemicals in the urine to bind together. Over time, these crystals combine and grow into a stone.

In the UT Southwestern study, 13 volunteers - some with a history of kidney stones and some without - underwent three phases, each lasting one week. Chosen in random order, the phases included: a distilled water or control phase; an orange juice phase; and a lemonade phase. There was a three-week interval between phases.

During each phase, volunteers drank 13 ounces of orange juice, lemonade or distilled water three times a day with meals. They also maintained a low-calcium, low-oxalate diet. Urine and blood samples were taken at intervals during each phase. The study was done at UT Southwestern's General Clinical Research Center.

Orange juice, researchers found, boosted the levels of citrate in the urine and reduced the crystallization of uric acid and calcium oxalate - the most frequently found ingredient in kidney stones.

But lemonade did not increase the levels of citrate, an important acid neutralizer and inhibitor of kidney stone formation.

"One reason might be the different constituents of various beverages," Dr. Odvina said.

For instance, the citrate in orange and grapefruit juice is accompanied by a potassium ion while the citrate in lemonade and cranberry juice is accompanied by a hydrogen ion. Ions of hydrogen, but not potassium, counteract the beneficial effects of the high citrate content.

"There is an absolute need to consider the accompanying positive charge [of hydrogen ions] whenever one assesses the citrate content of a diet," Dr. Odvina said.

###

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

This news release is available on our World Wide Web home page at http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/home/news/index.html

To automatically receive news releases from UT Southwestern via e-mail, subscribe at http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/receivenews

Dr. Clarita Odvina - http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/findfac/professional/0,2356,38264,00.html

Contact: Connie Piloto
UT Southwestern Medical Center

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What Are Kidney Stones? What Causes Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones, usually comprised of a compound called calcium oxalate, are the result of a build-up of dissolved minerals on the inner lining of the kidneys. These deposits can grow to the size of a golf ball while maintaining a sharp, crystalline structure. They may be small and pass unnoticed out of the urinary tract, but they may also cause extreme pain upon exiting. Kidney stones that remain inside the body can lead to many conditions, including severe pain and ureter (the tube connecting the kidney and bladder) blockage that obstructs the path urine uses to leave the body.

Scientists at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA, say that people with kidney stones are at a significantly higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease.

What causes kidney stones?

The leading cause of kidney stones is a lack of water. Stones commonly have been found in those that drink less than the recommended eight to ten glasses of water a day. When there is not enough water to dilute the uric acid (component of urine), the pH level within the kidneys drops and becomes more acidic. An excessively acidic environment in the kidneys is conducive to the formation of kidney stones.

Medical conditions such as Crohn's disease, urinary tract infections, renal tubular acidosis, hyperparathyroidism, medullary sponge kidney, and Dent's disease have been known to lead to kidney stones. It also has been suggested that water fluoridation - the addition of fluoride to drinking water - is responsible for some cases of kidney stones.

Who gets kidney stones?

Kidney stones are twice as common among males as females. Most people who experience kidney stones do so between the ages of 30 and 50. A family history of kidney stones also increases one's chances of developing them at some point in life. Similarly, a previous kidney stone occurrence increases the risk that a person will develop subsequent stones in the future if preventative action is not taken.

Certain medications can increase the risks of developing kidney stones. Scientists found that opiramate (Topamax), a drug commonly prescribed to treat seizures and migraine headaches, can increase the propensity of calcium phosphate kidney stone.

The more overweight a person is the more at risk he or she is for forming uric acid kidney stones, a study found.

Additional risk factors for kidney stones include diets that are high in protein and sodium but low in calcium, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, high blood pressure, and conditions that affect how calcium is absorbed in the body such as gastric bypass surgery, inflammatory bowel disease, and chronic diarrhea.

US scientists believe that kidney stones may become more common as the temperature rises across North America and causes more people to become dehydrated.

A study indicated that kidney stones among children are on the rise.

Astronauts have a much higher risk of developing kidney stones - a study indicates this may be due to nanobacteria.

What are the symptoms of kidney stones?

A kidney stone usually remains symptomless until it moves into the ureter. When symptoms become apparent, they include:

• Severe pain in the groin and/or side
• Blood in urine
• Vomiting and nausea
• White blood cells or pus in the urine
• Reduced amount of excreted urine excreted
• Burning sensation during urination
• Persistent urge to urinate
• Fever and chills if there is an infection

How are kidney stones diagnosed?

Several different tests can verify the existence of a kidney stone. A physical examination may reveal colicky pain (in the groin) and pain in the lower back by the kidneys - often warning signs of the condition. An analysis of the urine will indicate whether or not there is blood in the urine and if there is a subsequent infection. Blood tests can be done to identify complications that may accompany a kidney stone and check the validity of the diagnosis.

A CT scan of the abdomen is the most thorough way to test for kidney stones. A CT scan will ascertain the state of the ureter, bladder, and kidneys, whether or not a stone exists, the kidney stone's exact size and location, whether or not a blockage exists, and the state of the other adjacent organs such as the appendix, aorta, and pancreas. Pregnant women may receive an ultrasound rather than a CT scan in order to avoid unnecessary radiation.

Once a patient is diagnosed with a kidney stone, simple x-rays will be used to track the stone's progress through the excretory system.

How are kidney stones treated?

Treating kidney stones primarily is focused on symptom management; passing a stone can be very painful. If a person has a history of kidney stones, home treatment may be suitable. A person who has never passed a kidney stone should seek the help of a medical professional.

If hospital treatment is sought, personnel will hydrate the patient via an intravenous tube and administer anti-inflammatory medication. Narcotics are often used as medication in an attempt to make the pain of passing the stone tolerable. Anti-emetic medication can treat a patient suffering from nausea and vomiting.

In some cases, a urologist can perform a shock wave therapy called lithotripsy - a treatment that will break the kidney stone into smaller pieces and allow it to pass. A study indicated that shock wave therapy for kidney stones is linked to an increased risk of diabetes.

Patients with large stones located in regions that do not allow for lithotripsy may receive surgical procedures such as percutaneous nephrolithotomy (removal of the stone through an incision in the back) or ureteroscopic stone removal (removal of the stone through a thin tube into the urethra).

A study carried out by researchers at the University of California stated that patients stone disease may benefit from drinking diet sodas.

How can kidney stones be prevented?

For individuals in good health, preventing kidney stones can be as easy as staying hydrated. Diluting the urine with water keeps the minerals from concentrating and forming stones. When one's urine is clear, rather than yellow colored, the chance of stone formation is reduced. Doctors may also prescribe medicines to prevent certain types of stones for individuals who are at higher risk.

A study found that a daily glass of orange juice can help prevent the recurrence of kidney stones better than other citrus fruit juices such as lemonade.

If you are prone to kidney stones you should watch your caffeine intake, a study concluded.

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18 Home Remedies for Kidney Stones

Publications International, Ltd.

According to an old fairy tale, a single tiny pea placed beneath 20 mattresses and 20 featherbeds was enough to keep the true princess awake throughout the night. In real life, a tiny pea-sized stone, lodged in one or the other of your kidneys, is enough to keep you not only awake all night but crying out in pain and gritting your teeth until you can get to a doctor for relief.
Kidney stones are deposits of mineral or organic substances that form in the kidneys. Approximately 10 percent of people develop kidney stones at some time in their lives. You're most likely to suffer stones if you are male, are 20 to 40 years old, or have gout. Men are four times more likely than women to get kidney stones, the theory being that female hormones prevent kidney stones from forming.
Kidney stones also tend to run in families, so individuals with a close relative who has been through a stone episode should be careful. Most first-time victims are between 30 and 40 years old and are otherwise in very good health.
Like gallstones that go undiagnosed, kidney stones don't always cause problems. Kidney stones may be present for years and never produce symptoms. But when they grow large enough to block the flow of urine through the ureter (one of two tubes that allow urine to drain from the kidneys to the bladder), the pain can be excruciating. Symptoms include severe pain and tenderness over the affected kidney, frequent and painful urination, blood in the urine, nausea, fever, chills, and extreme exhaustion.
Diet may be a major contributor to why some people develop kidney stones. There are also simple lifestyle changes you can make to help keep kidney stones from forming. Read the next section for home remedies that will prevent the pain of kidney stones.

Regular exercise can lower your risk of developing kidney stones.

Publications International, Ltd.

Home Remedy Treatments for Kidney Stones

If you have been through a bout with a kidney stone in the past or think you might be a candidate for developing one, you should do your best to beat the odds by trying the home remedies listed below.
Drink more than your fill. Increasing your fluid intake should be your first step (and may be the only step needed) toward staying free of kidney stones. Six to eight 8-ounce glasses is the minimum amount you should drink every day. While water is always a good choice, other caffeine-free and nonalcoholic beverages count (although your doctor may caution you about drinking too much decaffeinated tea if you produce a high concentration of oxalates in your urine).
Check it out. Sometimes, it's not easy to keep track of how much fluid you've taken in during the course of the day. That's why measuring your urine output may provide a better indication of your fluid intake. (Pharmacies generally carry measuring devices that fit right inside the toilet bowl.) During a typical day, your body should produce 40 to 45 ounces of urine.
Go easy on oxalates. Eating large quantities of fruits and vegetables provides you with lots of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients; however, some of these foods also provide oxalates, which you may need to go easy on if you have a tendency toward kidney-stone formation.
People prone to forming calcium-oxalate stones may be asked by their doctor to cut back on the following foods if their urine contains an excess of oxalate: Beets, chocolate, coffee, cola, nuts, parsley, peanuts, rhubarb, spinach, strawberries, tea, and wheat bran. But don't completely avoid these foods without first talking to your doctor. In most cases, these foods can be eaten in limited amounts.
"C" less. Although some regard it as a wonder vitamin, in very high doses -- more than 3,000 milligrams daily -- vitamin C can be a potential problem for those who tend to form kidney stones. That's because the body converts this vitamin to oxalate. If you have had a kidney stone, your safest bet is to get your vitamin C from foods, not high-dose supplements. (Vitamin C is essential -- the Recommended Dietary Allowance for men is 90 mg a day and for women, 75 mg a day -- so don't think of trying to go without it.)
Eat less meat and certain fish. Individuals who form uric-acid stones are usually found to eat diets high in animal protein. Animal protein can accelerate formation of uric acid and calcium in the urine, which may, in turn, cause stones to form. So try to moderate your meat intake.
Uric acid also forms when purines in protein foods are broken down. If you suffer from uric-acid stones, you also may need to cut back on protein, particularly foods high in purine. Some of these foods include anchovies, fish roe, herring, mackerel, mussels, sardines, and shrimp. Other foods high in purine to watch out for include beer, brains, heart, kidney, liver, sweetbreads, and wine. Of course, high-protein fad diets should also be avoided.
. One of the many benefits of regular exercise is that it facilitates the passage of calcium out of the bloodstream and into the bones. The result: stronger bones and less risk of stone formation. If you need one more reason to lace up those walking shoes, recalling the anguish of a kidney stone may be a great motivator.
Don't oversoothe your tummy. Some over-the-counter antacids are calcium based (indeed, some people use them primarily as calcium supplements). Check the label, and if the word "calcium" appears there, you may need to select another type of stomach medication (again, confirm this with your doctor).
Home remedies from your kitchen can also prevent kidney stones from inflicting their pain on you. Learn about these remedies in the next section.

For more information about treating disorders of the kidney and gallbladder, try the following links:

• To see all of our home remedies and the conditions they treat, go to our main Home Remedies page.
• To learn more about how kidneys function, read How Your Kidneys Work.
• For practical measure you can take to cope with gallbladder maladies, read Home Remedies for Gallbladder Problems.

©2007 Publications International, Inc. The vitamin A in foods like carrots can bolster the overall health of your urinary tract.

Natural Home Remedies for Kidney Stones

When it comes to preventing kidney stones, what you should eat is just as important as what you should not eat. Read on for home remedies, in the form of foods and supplements found in most kitchens.

Home Remedies From the Cupboard

Bran flakes. Fiber helps get rid of calcium and oxalate in your urine, which cuts the risk of kidney stones. A bowl of bran flakes can give you 8 mg of fiber.
Mesh strainer. If you are passing a kidney stone, doctors recommend catching it. Urinating through a mesh strainer is one of the easiest ways to trap your stone. Allowing your doctor to analyze the stone's content can offer clues about what caused your stones to form and give you more success in treating your stone problem.
Two-liter bottle. Many doctors recommend measuring your urine output if you are at risk for kidney stones. You should be urinating at least the equivalent of a two-liter bottle every day. Carrying a bottle to the bathroom with you may seem odd, but if you're having kidney stone trouble, knowing that your kidneys are functioning fluidly will ease your mind.
Whole-wheat bread. A couple slices of whole-wheat bread contain a good amount of magnesium, a mineral known for averting stones. One study found that people who got an adequate amount of magnesium stopped getting kidney stones altogether.
Salt. There's also a high correlation between kidney stones and salt intake. Limit your sodium consumption to no more than two grams per day.
Nettle leaf. Drinking plenty of water is the undisputed champion of kidney stone prevention. Some herbal teas, such as those made from the leaves of stinging nettles, may enhance the benefits of water by acting as natural diuretics.
The nettle leaf has a long tradition of safely promoting urination. By keeping water flowing through the kidneys and bladder, nettle helps keep crystals from forming into stones and washes bacteria away. It may also help maintain a kidney-stone-busting balance of electrolytes in the urine. Though further research is needed, drinking 2 to 3 cups of nettle leaf tea per day may help prevent kidney stones. Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons dried nettle leaf with 1 cup hot water and steep for 10 to 15 minutes.
Dried nettle leaf should be stored in an airtight container, away from light and heat. It will last as long as a year if protected. You must either grow them in the garden or have a nearby source to harvest them from the wild. Keep fresh nettles in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Home Remedies From the Refrigerator
Carrots. Vitamin A is an essential ingredient for healthy kidneys. One carrot can give you twice your daily requirements for this kidney-friendly nutrient. Foods rich in vitamin A include sweet potatoes, pumpkin, winter squash, broccoli, and carrots.
Chicken. The B vitamins, specifically vitamin B6, are well-known stone fighters. Vitamin B6 keeps the body from building up excess oxalate. Too much oxalate is a major factor in kidney stone formation. Three ounces of chicken provide more than one-third of your daily needs.
Milk. Something to put in your strange but true file. Though calcium is one of the major minerals in kidney stones, recent evidence shows that not getting enough calcium can actually increase chances of getting a stone. The reason: When you have lower levels of calcium, your body produces more oxalate, which makes you more at risk for kidney stones. One study found that men who ate the most calcium had a 34 percent less chance of developing stones than those who ate the least amount of calcium. How much is enough? Meeting your recommended daily allowance, which for most adults is between 1,000 and 1,200 mg a day, the amount in about three glasses of milk, should do the trick.
Home Remedies From the Supplement Shelf
Vitamin A. As we've mentioned, Vitamin A is necessary for the overall health of your urinary tract. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamin A for healthy adults is 5,000 international units, which should be easily met through a varied, balanced diet. However, if you get too much A, your body won't excrete the excess, and the buildup can be toxic. See your doctor if you are unsure how much A your body is getting.
Vitamin B6. Scientists have found that vitamin B6 may actually lower the amount of oxalate in the blood, thereby reducing the risk of stone formation. Magnesium, too, seems to be helpful in preventing stones. Your doctor may suggest a daily supplement of B6 and/or magnesium or a drug that combines the two. If you take a supplement of vitamin B6, don't take more than 25 milligrams a day.
Kidney stones, either as small as a peanut or as large as a walnut, can cause serious pain. By using the home remedies mentioned in this article, you can take better care of yourself and keep kidney stones from forming.

David J. Hufford, Ph.D., is university professor and chair of the Medical Humanities Department at Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine. He also is a professor in the departments of Neural and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Hufford serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine and Explore.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

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Back Pain and Kidney Infection

Back pain could be a sign of a kidney infection.

Lower back pain can be debilitating. Finding the root cause of it can be nearly as frustrating. Part of the reason is the complexity of the human muscular-skeletal system, and the fact that so many stresses from our erect posture can come home to roost in our lower backs.
The source of back discomfort can be muscular in nature, such as back spasms or a pulled muscle. Or it can be related to our skeletal system, ranging from hip and pelvic injuries to a misaligned spine compressing nerve tissue. But lower back pain can also be attributed, in certain instances, to internal organs, and specifically kidney problems.
Kidney pain, ranging from mild infection and kidney stones to acute renal failure, can often be mistaken for lower back pain because that's exactly where they're located. Our kidneys -- two fist-sized organs responsible for maintaining a healthy blood composition -- are found just above our pelvic saddle, one on each side of our spine [source: Freudenrich]. To make matters more complicated, pain from an infected kidney can even radiate to our hips and groin area.
A key factor is determining whether your lower back pain is accompanied by other symptoms of kidney infection, including fevers and high temperatures, an upset stomach, cloudy, bloody or malodorous urine, and more frequent urination [source: Fitzpatrick].

The Doctor's Prognosis

Concerned that your back pain could be related to a kidney infection? Here's how to tell the difference between back pain and a kidney infection, courtesy of Dr. Scott Fishman, chief of the Division of Pain Medicine and professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of California, Davis.
"Pain stemming from a kidney infection typically is in the area of the back where the kidneys lie, located to the sides of the spine, just above the hips," Fishman says. "Kidney related pain often presents as tenderness in this area. Direct injury or trauma to the back -- over the area where the kidneys are located -- can cause injury to the kidneys themselves, and that is why getting struck in this area is commonly referred to as a 'kidney punch.'
"Kidney infection pain usually comes from the organ itself but often appears as back pain," he says. "Kidney pain is also quite tricky because it can radiate to many different parts of the body. It is also acute in origin, meaning that it usually has a very rapid onset, and typically does not last any longer than the infection in the kidneys last. Kidney infection pain goes away with the healing of a kidney infection, or passing of a kidney stone. Back pain from trauma to the back, however, usually does not go away this quickly."
Fishman also says pain from a low-back injury can initially appear very similar to the type of pain from a kidney infection. However, an injured back typically isn't worsened by gently pushing on the area of the back directly over the kidneys. And usually, there are other signs that clearly distinguish the difference between the pain from a kidney infection and back trauma. Symptoms from a kidney infection, for example, may also include pain with urination, fever, chills and blood in the urine that you can see with the naked eye or by laboratory analysis of the urine.
"On the other hand, an acute onset of back pain may be due to a particular injury, especially if the patient recently hurt themselves with activities," Fishman says. "I suggest to my patients who are young women with new onset of back pain (and) who may have a history of kidney infections, that they be tested for a possible kidney problem, since their history indicates that they may be prone to these infections."

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