Sometimes you feel Flank pain in the boneless area between the navel and the lumbar region, the flanks on the right and left side.
What is flank pain?
Flank pain is a pain on one or both sides between the navel area and the kidney / lumbar area.
Flank pain can be dull, but it can also be tearing or colicky, as with gallstones or kidney stones. Many nerves, blood vessels and muscles run in this area of the body. Pain from other organ areas can also express itself as flank pain.
causes
There are very different causes for flank pain. One of the most common for flank pain is pelvic inflammation, which makes people feel severe, colicky flank pain in the kidney area.
Most often it begins with a harmless cystitis that spreads if left untreated. Kidney and ureter stones can also cause severe colic because they get stuck in the ureter and block it. Kidney cancer is a less common cause of flank pain. It is treacherous and only causes severe discomfort at an advanced stage.
Other causes of flank pain can be tension in the back muscles due to unfavorable movements or spinal problems such as scoliosis, bad posture or herniated discs. Accidents and injuries can also cause flank pain. Nerves that are constricted by excessive tension in the area can also cause flank pain. The side stitch after exertion in the flanks is more harmless.
Radiating pain from other organ areas such as the intestine, liver, gall bladder and pancreas can make themselves uncomfortable as flank pain. Shingles (herpes zoster) can also cause severe flank pain.
You can find your medication here
➔ Medicines for painDiseases with this symptom
- Scoliosis
- renal colic
- Biliary colic
- Gallstones
- Kidney stones
- Kidney cancer
- Intestinal colic
- Kidney stones
- Pelvic inflammation
- disc prolapse
- Shingles
- Cystitis
Diagnosis & course
The diagnosis of flank pain always belongs in the hands of a doctor, preferably a general practitioner or internist. First, an anamnesis is drawn up to find out the cause of the flank pain, when and how often it occurs, other complaints and any previous illnesses.
The patient is then examined in detail. The doctor taps the kidney area to determine whether the kidneys are pain-free or not. An ultrasound image can make this area visually visible and show changes. In the case of flank pain, a blood and urine test is always useful. If these examinations do not produce any results, other imaging methods such as X-ray examinations, CT, etc. may provide information about the cause of the flank pain. Or there is an examination of other organs that may be the cause.
If left untreated, flank pain can lead to serious complications, such as: For example, kidney stones can block the ureters, lead to urinary congestion and severe inflammation up to sepsis (blood poisoning) or to ureter rupture. The same applies to the liver, gall bladder and pancreas, which can cause severe inflammation, sometimes life-threatening.
When should you go to the doctor?
The term flank pain refers to stabbing, dull or cramp-like pain sensations that occur on the side of the upper body. Flank pain can, but does not have to occur on both sides. If flank pain disappears quickly and does not return, the cause of the episode can be assumed to be harmless. However, if they persist, an immediate doctor's visit is strongly recommended.
In the case of flank pain, a doctor should be consulted to clarify the cause. It is best if the person concerned see their family doctor first. This will be able to describe the type of flank pain and the place where it occurs. With further questions in his anamnesis, the family doctor circles down possible causes in order to then decide on the referral to a specialist. Patients with flank pain are mainly referred to general practitioners, internists or urologists, and occasionally also to orthopedists or gynecologists.
Common causes of flank pain are kidney stones and bladder infections. Furthermore, the musculoskeletal system or a disease of the female genital organs can be the cause of flank pain.
Due to the serious nature of the possible diseases that can be the cause of flank pain, it is easy to understand how important it is to see a doctor early on. The treatments are as varied as the causes of flank pain. Modern diagnostic methods such as ultrasound or computed tomography play prominent roles in making a diagnosis. A hospital stay for a surgical procedure may also be necessary for some diseases.
Doctors & therapists in your area
Treatment & Therapy
Therapy for flank pain depends on the cause. A harmless stitch is relieved by taking a break. Kidney inflammation as the cause of flank pain is treated with antibiotics to reduce the inflammation and prevent complications.
A ureteral or kidney stone is treated with pain relievers, plenty of fluid intake, and exercise, or the stone is shattered by shock waves. Kidney cancer usually requires surgical treatment. In the case of colicky flank pain from gallstones, a doctor will recommend removing the bile, as this can repeatedly cause discomfort.
Flank pain caused by other inflammatory diseases is also treated with antibiotics and rest. If spinal problems are the cause of flank pain, an orthopedic surgeon should be consulted to clarify the cause.
Outlook & forecast
The further course of flank pain depends heavily on the cause of the pain. In some cases it is an inflammation of the kidneys or bladder. Ureter and kidney stones can also be responsible for flank pain. This pain is very uncomfortable for the patient and leads to a complete restriction of movement.
However, flank pain can also arise from an incorrect sitting posture or a herniated disc and must then be treated accordingly. It is advisable to always consult a doctor with flank pain in order to rule out complications and serious illnesses.
The treatment is always causal and in most cases leads to a positive course of the disease. If the inflammation is involved, it is usually treated with the help of antibiotics. The pain itself can be limited briefly with painkillers, whereby the patient also has to take a lot of fluids.
In the case of cancer, an operation is carried out, whereby it cannot be predicted whether the patient will be completely healthy after the removal or whether the cancer has spread further. In the case of physical complaints, therapy or physiotherapy is usually carried out.
You can find your medication here
➔ Medicines for painprevention
The prevention of flank pain also depends on the cause of the pain. A bladder infection should be treated and cured, so that you can usually avoid a kidney inflammation. Sufficient clothing in the cold season helps to avoid flank pain caused by cold. If kidney or gallstones are suspected, a doctor should be consulted to clarify the cause of the flank pain and initiate appropriate therapy.
Spinal problems can be countered by avoiding poor posture, if necessary, have these treated by an orthopedic surgeon. Pain caused by inflammatory diseases also belongs immediately into the hands of a doctor in order to prevent the inflammation from spreading.
You can do that yourself
Flank pain should always be clarified by a doctor first. Depending on the cause, various home remedies and measures can be used. Flank pain as a result of kidney problems can be relieved by drinking a lot. With kidney stones or an inflammation of the kidney pelvis, green tea helps, which protects the urinary system and relieves pain in the flank. Applications with fresh lemons and flax seeds also dissolve kidney stones.
If there is severe pain in the lower back, a warm bath with anti-inflammatory herbs helps. In addition, the painful area should be kept warm with a wrap or a cherry stone pillow. If the flank pain is caused by a bacterial disease of the kidneys, antibiotics and homeopathic preparations help. If you have severe kidney disease, only dialysis will often help. In addition, bed rest, warmth and a healthy diet are usually prescribed.
Diuretic home remedies such as nettle tea, field horsetail tea or dandelion tea help with acute flank pain. In addition, it is important to prevent the symptoms by taking in sufficient fluids and keeping the diet as low in salt as possible. Flank pain due to back and spinal problems can be dealt with with the help of physiotherapy or yoga as well as warm and cold therapies.
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