How can you tell back pain from kidney pain?
This is a concern because back pain can mimic many other conditions. It can refer all over your body and needs to be taken seriously as it could be covering up something more sinister. As Chiropractors we are trained to recognise when this is happening and then we refer on to a different healthcare professional to treat this.
The reason is that the nervous system controls everything in your body, so for your heart to beat, lungs to breathe and food to be digested then you need to have nerve control from your brain to these organs. The nerves then run from the brain in the spinal cord, which is encased in the spine for protection, any stress or tethering of the spinal cord can cause issues with the communication system in the body and cause the body to go into a stressed state.
This is why as Chiropractors we love getting our clients to feel better in terms of their pain levels and get them back to doing what they love, but also enjoy seeing the overall benefits on the body of the nervous system functioning better.
Where can back pain refer too?
The legs are the most common area. If a nerve is being pinched in the base of your spine, then you can feel pain in the leg, or in the foot, this is called Sciatica and it can be severely debilitating. Sciatica is often caused by a disc prolapse and we would require help from a Chiropractor, it is one of the most common conditions we treat here in the clinic.
The digestive system is the second most common area, so we often see a lot of people who have low back pain saying that their stomachs have been playing up since their back pain worsened. This is common because the nerves that come from the low back also go to the digestive system. Common symptoms maybe constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and indigestion.
As we discussed in last week’s blog on Cauda equina syndrome the nerves in the low back go to the bladder and bowel. Issues with these nerves rarely cause a cauda equina syndrome but may have issues with urinating like increased frequency or urge to urinate.
If back pain is local to the area this also needs to be approached with caution as often it can mimic other issues in the body that can be more sinister, which is why as Chiropractors we are trained to a high level to recognise any other health issues and refer on. At West Chiropractic we have x-rays available to use and this can also act as a primary diagnostic marker.
What does back pain feel like?
Back pain is generally in the base of the spine and affects both sides. It can be very sharp if severe or if it is a chronic issue can be described as a low level constant dull ache that can worsen with movement or lifting. It often refers to different places like down the legs or into the buttocks.
What does kidney pain feel like?
This is where it gets tricky as usually the pain is in one side, but not always. It can be a low-level dull ache like low back pain. But if the infection is severe, it will be a sharp pain that won’t go away with movement, unlike back pain when you move you can find a more comfortable position.
It can be associated with a temperature as well unlike back pain. It can spread to the abdomen (around the tummy) which is uncharacteristic of back pain.
Kidney pain is also associated with blood in the urine which will need further investigation by a kidney specialist.
The main distinguishing feature is that kidney pain is higher up underneath the ribs whereas back pain is lower down above the buttocks.
If you do know someone who wants more advice, please send them our details. You can send them this blog and they can request a free copy of our book which has posture related exercises in it as well. Click here for FREE book.
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