By admin Media Health Group helps to make medical information simple in order to help people live better lives daily. Our aim is to help erase confusion and help you take better care of your health. It doesn’t matter if you are interested in knowing where the kidneys are located, signs that are similar to other problems, we help you get in touch with information that is designed to help.
Kidney location on back might be deeper. Imagine waking up from sleep and you are experiencing a dull pain in the lower part of your back. What will come to your mind first? You might think that this is due to an uncomfortable bed or strained muscle. But it might be something much more severe and should not be overlooked.
Your kidneys are known as very important organs that are located in the lower section of your back. They help to sieve through blood, balance blood pressure and fluids. Feeling an ache in this part might mean so many things like infections or even lack of hydration, or even sometimes a chronic sickness. But anyways, let us help to explain it.
Every single individual has two kidneys and they are both measured as the size of your hands. They are located on the different parts of your spine, positioned in the retroperitoneal section of your top abdominal cavity.
| Kidney | Location | Notes |
| Right Kidney | Positioned in between the T12–L3 vertebrae | This is a bit lower because of the liver |
| Left Kidney | It is higher and next to the ribs | This is normally in between T11–L2 |
Normally, you get to feel the general section by positioning your hands right above your hips and then taking it upwards to the lower part of your ribs. Usually, that is where your kidney pain might start from and not in the central spine like back pain.
There is a big difference between kidney pain and spinal or muscle pain. The ways to differentiate them are in the table below:
| Symptom | Kidney Pain | Back Pain |
| Location | It is found below the rib cage | Lower or middle of the back |
| Type | Dull pain that throbs and is sharp | Stabbing, tightening sensation |
| Causative Factors | Usually not due to motion | Gets worse when you move or lift a heavy object |
| Other Signs | Nausea, fever, or urine changes | There is usually none |
Practise Activity:
Start by tapping lightly under your ribs. Any pain that feels severe and is not because of bending your body might be due to kidney pain.
You rarely have pain in the kidney except if there is a problem somewhere. Some symptoms to look out for are:
- Pain that happens on either one or both sides
- Bloody urine
- Chills and fever
- Pain while urinating
- Smelly or cloudy urine
These might mean that:
- Kidney stones
- Polycystic kidney disease
- Urinary tract infection
- Hydronephrosis or swelling
- Kidney infection
There is no cause for alarm yet. It isn’t every pain that spells disease. Some kidney pains that are not permanent can stem from:
- Strenuous exercise
- Lack of hydration
- Too much usage of drugs like ibuprofen
- Too much salt
- A lot of protein supplements
You should let your kidneys rest by reducing the usage of medications and staying very hydrated.
Extra Tip:
You should monitor your intake of water and usage of medications if you usually wake up from sleep with a dull pain in your back. All you might need to solve the problem might be the above.
Your doctor might be required to run the following tests if you still have reoccurring pain in your kidney:
- Urinalysis is used to look for blood, infection or even protein
- CT scan is used to get a very detailed look for various diagnosis
- Blood tests are used to check for kidney functionality or creatinine
- Urine culture is used to discover bacteria found in infections
- Ultrasound can help doctors see kidney stones, swelling or even tumors
In order to avoid severe kidney disease or issues in the long run, it is important to do an early diagnosis.
You can’t have direct contact with it but if you feel a bit tender on that part, it might mean that there is a problem. Doctors are known to make use of a test called kidney punch to look for either inflammation or pain.
It can be both of the above. Kidney stones are known to cause a series of severe pain. You can experience constant pain from infections.
Yes. A lot of people overlook kidney problems because the pain can be similar to back pain. You need to notice some other signs like fever or even changes in urine.
On both sides. There is one on your right and another on your left. If you are experiencing pain on one side, it might imply that you have kidney infection or stones.
You should know that your kidneys are regarded as silent hubs for energy because it regulates your fluids, filters your blood and balances your blood pressure. If you experience any pain there, that should be a warning sign from your body.
You shouldn’t overlook a strange back pain if it is followed by changes in urine or fever, severe or on one side and finally, unresponsive to breaks or changes in motion.
You need to look out for symptoms, manage them and if you are uncertain, go get checked.