The kidneys are a critical part of the human body. Serving as filters for the blood where toxins and waste are removed and then expelled from the body through urine. Those who suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD) have suffered damage to their kidneys and they are no longer able to process this blood. If they can, it is at greatly reduced levels and not enough for a healthy life. If the kidneys are not able to process blood, the toxins and wastes build up in the blood. Damage to organs follows and eventually death.

But there are other reasons why a person may experience pain in their kidneys. Trauma can be a cause because of the kidneys’ location. A blunt force, or worse, a penetrating wound can damage the organs and cause infections. Abdominal injuries alone have a 10% risk of damaging the kidneys as well. If you press the kidney areas and feel a painful sensation, emergency treatment may be needed. If you also have fever, hematuria, urinary retention, rapid heart rate, decreased alertness and abdominal swelling then emergency treatment is needed.

Infections of the kidney have to be treated with prescribed antibiotics. The causes of these infections in the kidney are usually some kind of exposure to a virus or fungus which is hurting the immune system. Some patients more vulnerable to infection include the elderly, recent organ transplant patients and HIV patients.

Some kind of renal obstruction caused by urinary blockage can cause kidney pain. This can be caused by kidney stones, bladder stones, urinary tract infection, an enlarged prostate, pregnancy, long-
term catheterization, a blood clot in the kidney, nerve-related bladder weakness, cancer, or vesicoureteral reflux. Your kidneys swell as a result of this and you will experience pain in the groin, flank or abdominal area. You may also experience urinary urgency, fever, nausea and dysuria.

There are ways to prevent kidney pains. Drink sufficient amounts of water, wear loose pants, follow proper hygiene and do not hold urine in for long periods of time. Eating a healthy diet and avoiding salty, fatty foods are a proven way of reducing your risk for kidney stones and abdominal cancers.

For more information about how to keep kidney pain at bay and discern what it could mean for your kidney health, be sure to check out our videos on YouTube.