Back Pain Vs. Kidney Pain: Which One is Severe?

back pain Vs Kidney Pain

It’s quite confusing whenever it comes to identifying the differences between back pain and kidney pain as both have a fine list of common pinpoints. Since the kidneys are located below your rib cage in the back area of your torso; we aren’t able to segregate the type of pain we are experiencing.

However, there are some remarkable differences between the two. Where the back is dull, intermittent, and sudden; the kidney pain arises in waves that are sharp and severe, often accompanied by fever and chills.

While identifying both kinds of pain, it is essential to identify the location of these pains from where they are originating, the pinpoints, and of course, the symptoms.
In this article, we will provide you with a comparative study of back pain and Kidney Pain to make the distinguishing easier. Let’s dive in…

How to Identify Back Pain?

With an overlapping life routine; people often complain about back pain and start treating it by themselves without understanding if it is back pain or something else. Medically known as Dorsalgia, it originates either from the spine or other structures linked to the spine being nerves, muscles, and bones.

Depending upon the severity ranging from mild to sharp; back pain may affect the muscles of your limbs. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, around 80% of people experience lower back pain at some point in their life.

The Pinpoint of Back Pain

While facing the problem of back pain, you may experience mild to sharp or even severe pain in your neck, lower back, upper back, and tailbone. This may bring restlessness into your life or affect your sleep quality. If left untreated, it may get severe. Listing up the pinpoints of back pain-

    • Neck

    • Upper Back

    • Lower Back

    • Tailbone

Common Symptoms of Back Pain

The common symptoms associated with back pain are mentioned below-

    • Severe pain and stiff muscles around the spine

    • Loss of control over urination

    • Walking difficulties

    • Numbness or tingling in the back muscles

    • Weakness and pain in both the legs

    • Constipation or diarrhea

    • Sharp stabbing pain in the neck

    • Inability to stand straight

Common Causes of Back Pain

    • Poor posture

    • Overexertion

    • Sciatica

    • Sitting or standing in a state for a long span

    • Back Muscle spasms and tension

    • Past injuries such as a fracture or falls

    • Dislocated, damaged, or ruptured discs

    • Abnormal curvature of the spin

    • Spine tumors

However, some medical conditions also cause back pain. They are-

    • Severe infections

    • The impact of heavy belly over spine during pregnancy

    • Menstruations

    • Shingles

    • Spine Cancer

    • Abdominal aortic aneurysm

    • Inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and spondylitis

How To Instantly Treat Sharp Back Pain

Small rest breaks during work hours and avoiding the same posture for a longer span along with some healthy lifestyle changes, may help you a lot to reduce the sharp back pain you’re encountering. However, additional treatments for back pain may include:

    • Chiropractic Care

    • Physical therapies and exercises

    • Pain medications

    • Acupuncture

    • Massage therapy

    • Pain relieving injections

    • Surgery for severe cases

How To Identify Kidney Pain?

Kidney pain also occurs on either side of your rib cage. It feels as if the pain is somewhere shooting deep within the body. Since the kidneys rest against the lower back muscles, it’s tough to identify the causes along with suitable back pain treatments. The best way to identify the kidney pain is looking over the common as well as severe symptoms and consult a doctor to assure the concern through medical testing.

The Pinpoints of Kidney Pain

Depending upon the health condition of your kidneys, the pain may spread to the other part of the body as mentioned below:

    • Lower Back Side

    • Abdomen

    • Groin

    • Thigh

Common Symptoms of Kidney Pain

Although symptoms of kidney pain may vary according to its severity and history. However, some common symptoms can be spotted as mentioned below- 

    • Dull pain and soreness

    • Cloudy or bloody urine

    • Frequent urge to urinate

    • Vomiting

    • Constipation or Diarrhea

    • Fever

    • Dizziness

    • Sudden weight loss

However, below are the symptoms of severe kidney damage.

    • Irregular Heartbeat

    • Muscle Cramps

    • Shortness of breath

    • Bad Breath

    • Metallic Taste

    • Swelling in legs, ankles, and feet

    • Nausea and confusion

Common Causes of Kidney Pain

Common causes of kidney pain may include:

    • Kidney infection

    • Kidney stone

    • Blood clots in the urinary tubes or ureters

    • Urinary tract infections (UTI)

    • Excess calcium, oxalate, and phosphorus accumulation in the kidneys while flushing out waste and toxins from the bloodstream.

How To Instantly Treat Sharp Kidney Pain

There’s no valid instant way to treat unknown sharp kidney pain. Hence, it is suggested to consult with your family doctor or certified urologist about the concern and treat it accordingly. With adequate medication and guidance, you can also practice these healthy habits to avoid kidney pain-

    • Drink plenty of water to flush out residual waste or toxins from the kidneys and ureters.

    • Avoid holding urine for long

    • Avoid stale or processed food

    • Eat healthily and take some light exercises as prescribed by the physician

    • Don’t skip medications

Back Pain Vs. Kidney Pain: A Comparative Study

Back Pain Kidney Pain
Caused by inflammation in the spine. Occurs due to kidney stone, past injuries, infection etc.
Dull, aching and intermittent Sharp and wave like
Arises mainly due to bad posture, overexertion, lack of rest, during pregnancy, menstruation cycle Arises mainly due to untreated kidney disorder, infections and stones
Can be treated with certain lifestyle changes along with some rest therapies Requires immediate medical attention and can’t be treated with general rest therapies
Chart of Back Pain Vs. Kidney Pain

When To Visit A Doctor

You can ease off your back pain with instant home remedies such as lying over rolled cloth or towel, heat therapy, or taking over-the-counter pills as prescribed by your physician. But if the pain is related to the spine and persists for a longer span with severe symptoms, visit the doctor without delay.

To treat kidney pain, immediate consultation with the doctor is recommended as it may lead to uncontrollable situations causing your kidney damage forever.

Bottom Line

If you believe that it’s just a slight pain caused by long-span odd posture or work stress; you may relieve it with some rest and massage. But if the problem is recurring and reflecting certain severe symptoms; Do Not delay to visit a doctor and initiate the medical treatments. 

If you find this article helpful, let us know and encourage writing more health-related blogs. Till then, stay healthy and be wealthy!