Back pain is often dismissed as a common complaint. Many people assume the cause is fatigue, sleeping in the wrong position, or even a cold. However, did you know that back pain can also be a sign of kidney stones ?
Kidney stones are a fairly common urinary tract condition. If not treated properly, this condition can lead to complications and impair kidney function.
What Are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones are hard deposits formed from minerals and salts that crystallize in the kidneys or urinary tract. They can vary in size, from as small as a grain of sand to several centimeters in size.
When stones move or block the urinary tract, sufferers can feel very severe pain.
How Does Kidney Stone Pain Work?
Not all back pain is caused by kidney stones. However, there are several symptoms to watch out for, including:
- The pain came on suddenly and was very intense.
- Pain is usually felt on one side of the waist.
- The pain may radiate to the lower abdomen, groin, or pubic area.
- The pain comes and goes, but its intensity can vary.
- It was difficult to find a comfortable position due to the constant pain.
Unlike muscle pain or regular aches that usually improve with rest, pain caused by kidney stones often persists even after the sufferer lies down or changes position.
Other Accompanying Symptoms
Apart from back pain, kidney stones can cause several other symptoms, such as:
- Pain when urinating.
- The frequency of urination becomes more frequent.
- Urine is cloudy or has a strong odor.
- Presence of blood in the urine.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Fever and chills if a urinary tract infection occurs.
If these symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Who is at risk for kidney stones?
Several factors that can increase the risk of kidney stones forming include:
- Not drinking enough water.
- Frequently holding in urine.
- Excessive consumption of foods high in salt.
- Family history of kidney stones.
- Obesity.
- The habit of consuming excessive amounts of sweet drinks.
Therefore, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is an important step to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
How Are Kidney Stones Diagnosed?
To determine the cause of lower back pain, the doctor can perform several examinations such as:
- Interview and physical examination.
- Urine examination.
- Blood test.
- Urinary tract ultrasound.
- CT Scan if necessary.
This examination helps determine the size, location, and severity of kidney stones so that treatment can be tailored.
Can Kidney Stones Be Treated?
Of course you can. Treatment for kidney stones depends on the size and location of the stone.
Small stones can often pass on their own with adequate fluid intake and medication prescribed by a doctor. However, larger stones or those causing obstruction may require medical procedures such as shock wave lysis (ESWL), ureteroscopy, or other surgical procedures.
How to Prevent Kidney Stones
Some simple steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of kidney stones are:
- Drink at least 2–3 liters of water per day.
- Reduce excessive salt consumption.
- Limit sugary and fizzy drinks.
- Maintain ideal body weight.
- Not holding in urination.
- Have regular health check-ups, especially if you have had kidney stones before.
Don't Ignore Back Pain
Back pain doesn't always mean kidney stones. However, if the pain is severe, recurring, or accompanied by abnormal urination, don't dismiss it as a common cold.
Early detection and treatment can help prevent complications and maintain optimal kidney health. If you experience these symptoms, consult a urologist immediately for appropriate examination and treatment.
This article was written by Dr. Aaron Abdullah, Sp.U (Urology Surgeon Specialist at EMC Pekayon Hospital).