Is Back Pain a Sign You Have a Kidney Stone?
As a urologist practising in Birmingham near Sutton Coldfield, I often encounter patients who come to me via their Chiropractors complaining of persistent back pain. They assume they have strained a muscle or injured a disk, only to learn their severe back discomfort later is actually being caused by a kidney stone.
These patients are shocked to discover the excruciating back pain is coming from a tiny stone lodged in their urinary tract, not an orthopaedic issue. Based on my extensive experience treating this complaint, I want to raise awareness about how kidney stones can manifest as back pain.
In this article, I’ll cover what you need to know: where the pain radiates, what it feels like, when to seek emergency care, and how kidney stones are diagnosed if back pain is the main symptom. My goal is to help you identify a possible kidney stone so you can get the proper treatment immediately.
Where Pain From a Kidney Stone Radiates
Kidney stones cause pain that starts in the flank or side, over the kidney in the back. The pain then radiates around the side toward the lower front abdomen.
Patients describe the pain as wrapping around their side from back to front. The flank where pain originates depends on which kidney has the stone.
I counsel patients that this pattern of back pain radiating around the torso is a red flag. Their back pain may stem from a kidney stone rather than a muscle or spinal issue.
Where Do You Feel Kidney Stone Pain in Your Body?
Characteristics of Kidney Stone Back Pain
Back pain from a kidney stone has these distinct characteristics from what I have observed:
- It starts suddenly and severely, often catching people by surprise. There’s no build-up.
- The back pain is persistent and incredibly intense. Patients describe it as the worst pain they’ve ever felt.
- It comes and goes in prolonged cramping waves rather than being constant. There’s an intermittent quality.
- The pain frequently moves, radiating from the back flank toward the abdomen as the stone shifts.
- It’s usually only on one side but can be in both kidneys.
- Any movement tends to make the muscular back pain worse. Patients have a hard time finding relief.
These are essential clues to watch for that differentiate kidney stone back pain from a standard back strain. The severity and radiating nature are red flags.
When Emergency Care is Required for Kidney Stone Back Pain
While kidney stones often resolve on their own or with some dietary changes for the kidneys, some scenarios with severe back pain require urgent medical attention:
- If the back pain is entirely intolerable and you cannot find any relief from the unbearable cramps
- Back pain accompanied by persistent nausea and vomiting makes evaluation essential.
- Any fever, chills, or cloudy, foul-smelling urine, alongside back pain, could indicate an infection.
- Back pain that fails to improve with position changes warrants investigation – this pattern is atypical for muscle strain.
My guidance is always to err on the side of caution and seek evaluation if there are any concerning signs along with persistent back pain. Catching a kidney stone early dramatically improves prognosis.
How Kidney Stones Are Diagnosed if Back Pain is the Main Symptom
For patients whose main complaint is a kidney stone, possibly causing back pain, I conduct the following:
- Physical exam to check for back and abdominal tenderness
- Urinalysis looking for blood or crystals
- Imagine like a CT scan to identify stones along the urinary tract
- Analysis of passed stones to determine chemical composition
Once diagnosed, typical treatments for kidney stone back pain are:
- Pain relievers and anti-nausea medication
- Alpha blocker medication to relax the ureters to help pass the stone
- Lithotripsy sound waves to break up larger stones
- Surgery for very large or complicated stones
My Guidance If You Develop Sudden, Severe Back Pain
This article helps shed light on the common signs that kidney stones can manifest primarily as back pain rather than the more expected abdominal pain. I aim to help prevent patients from mistakenly brushing off this severe back pain as a muscle strain. Catching a kidney stone early is key, so always consult your GP if you develop sudden, debilitating back pain that persists or worsens. Your kidneys will thank you! Could Kidney Issues be based on their genetics?
