Is low back pain related to kidney disease? How to detect kidney stones and pyelonephritis
If you have a back pain for a long time, should you pay attention to the risk of kidney stones and kidney disease? An interview with Guo Kelin, a physician in the Department of Nephrology of Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, pointed out that most of the low back pain has nothing to do with the kidney. It may be local pain in the muscle, fascia, and skin of the kidney’s outer envelope. If kidney stones cause lower back pain, it is usually relatively strong and obvious. The patient will even describe “pain killing like a pig”, and hematuria will be combined . When the two symptoms appear at the same time, it is more likely to be caused by kidney stones.
Another type of kidney disease that can cause low back pain is “pyelonephritis.” When the urinary tract is infected with bacteria, it will cause kidney inflammation. Guo Kelin explained that in addition to low back pain, pyelonephritis also has a fever, and there is pain in tapping the kidney. The doctor pointed out that there are many reasons for lower limb pain or low back pain, such as fascia pain, sciatic nerve pain, and even herpes zoster. Before chickenpox appears, it may cause low back pain symptoms, which should be determined by the doctor or X-ray imaging to determine the cause.
Congenital uric acid is high and kidney stones have two major habits to change
Guo Kelin said that some patients with kidney stones are related to heredity. If you are born with a constitution that is not easy to metabolize uric acid, and drink too little water on weekdays, it is easy to form uric acid stones. Another risk of stones is eating habits. People who eat animal protein and meat also have a higher risk of kidney stones. If you have such a physique, you should pay attention to water intake on weekdays, and eat light alkaline foods including vegetables, or citrus containing citric acid.
People often associate high uric acid with gout . Guo Kelin explained that uric acid will crystallize in various parts of the body. The typical gout is uric acid crystals in the thumb, and when the crystals are in the kidneys, they may become kidney stones. On the one hand, these patients should follow the doctor’s instructions to use uric acid-lowering drugs, and at the same time adjust their diet and lifestyle. Guo Kelin pointed out that the recurrence rate of kidney stones is high.
Hydronephrosis can also cause low back pain? Older patients should be alert to urinary tract tumors
Some people also went to see a doctor because of low back pain, and finally found that there was a problem with hydronephrosis. Guo Kelin said that the kidney function is like a sewer. If there is a stone blockage, there is indeed an opportunity for the kidney to swell. However, age and other risk factors must also be considered. Liver kidneys cause water accumulation.
Therefore, the doctor will examine the venous pyelonephritis or computer tomography according to the situation to further clarify the status of the hydronephrosis and surrounding tissues and organs. Guo Kelin explained that there are many reasons for hydronephrosis of the kidney, such as congenital ureteral stenosis will also affect. If it is really caused by kidney stones, the doctor should evaluate whether to take cystoscopy or surgery to avoid long-term inflammation of the kidney
