What can be mistaken for kidney problem?

Conditions that can be mistaken for kidney stones, sharing similar symptoms: Appendicitis or lower back pain. Urinary tract infection (UTI) Stomach flu or virus.


What can be mistaken for kidney failure?

Amputees, paraplegics, bodybuilders, morbid obese. Muscle-wasting disease or a neuromuscular disorder.

What can mimic a kidney infection?

A kidney infection can start off similar to a UTI, but then it gets more severe. Kidney infection symptoms include fever, pain in your back or side, and weakness. Other infections, like sexually transmitted infections, can feel similar to a UTI — but the treatments are different.


What mimics kidney pain?

Urinary tract infections

Because kidney stones impact your urinary system, confusing their symptoms with a urinary tract infection (UTI) can be easy. UTIs can produce intense pain in your urinary system that presents in your lower abdomen, groin, or bladder.

What are the 3 early warning signs of kidney disease?

Here are three signs that could indicate that you are beginning to experience a decline in kidney function.
  • Dizziness and Fatigue. One of the first possible signs of weakening kidneys is the experience of overall weakness in yourself and your overall health. ...
  • Swelling (Edema) ...
  • Changes in urination.


Kidney (Renal) Disease Signs & Symptoms (ex. Peripheral Edema, Fatigue, Itchiness)



How do I check if my kidneys are OK?

Blood Tests. Because your kidneys remove waste, toxins, and extra fluid from the blood, a doctor will also use a blood test to check your kidney function. The blood tests will show how well your kidneys are doing their job and how quickly the waste is being removed.

How can I test my kidneys at home?

A quick look at the best at-home kidney test kits
  1. Best blood sample test: LetsGetChecked Kidney Test.
  2. Best blood test for detailed results: Verisana Kidney Function Test.
  3. Best urine-based test: Healthy.io Minuteful Kidney.
  4. Best combination kit: Labcorp OnDemand Kidney Health Test Package.


How do I know if my pain is kidney related?

Symptoms of Kidney Pain
  1. A dull ache that's usually constant.
  2. Pain under your rib cage or in your belly.
  3. Pain in your side; usually only one side, but sometimes both hurt.
  4. Sharp or severe pain that may come in waves.
  5. Pain that can spread to your groin area or belly.


What causes kidney pain besides infection?

Possible causes of kidney pain include:
  • Bleeding in the kidney (hemorrhage)
  • Blood clots in kidney veins (renal vein thrombosis)
  • Hydronephrosis.
  • Kidney cancer or a kidney tumor.
  • Kidney cysts.
  • Kidney infection (pyelonephritis)
  • Kidney stones.
  • Polycystic kidney disease.


Can kidneys hurt for no reason?

Kidney pain can happen for many reasons. Most kidney problems clear up with little or no treatment, but it's important to watch for other symptoms and know when to see your doctor. Left kidney pain may have nothing to do with the kidneys.

Can kidneys be inflamed without infection?

Nephritis (kidney inflammation) is most often caused by autoimmune diseases that affect major organs, although it can also result from infection. Nephritis can cause excessive amounts of protein to be excreted in urine, and fluid to build up in the body.


What does a mild kidney infection feel like?

A burning feeling or pain when urinating. Having to urinate often. A strong, lasting urge to urinate. Back, side or groin pain.

How do doctors tell the difference between UTI and kidney infection?

Your doctor can determine if you have a UTI or a kidney infection by reviewing your symptoms, analyzing a urine sample, and ordering certain blood tests. They may also order imaging studies or other tests to monitor your kidney function. UTIs and kidney infections are treated with antibiotics.

Can kidney disease be misdiagnosed?

Misdiagnoses appear to be common, according to the researchers' review of the electronic health records of 3.8 million emergency and intensive care patients. The researchers detected more than 61,000 diagnoses of AKI, as defined by rising creatinine level.


Can bloodwork show kidney failure?

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be diagnosed with blood and urine tests. In many cases, CKD is only found when a routine blood or urine test you have for another problem shows that your kidneys may not be working normally.

What does early kidney failure feel like?

A severe decrease in kidney function can lead to a buildup of toxins and impurities in the blood. This can cause people to feel tired, weak and can make it hard to concentrate. Another complication of kidney disease is anemia, which can cause weakness and fatigue. You're having trouble sleeping.

Can you ignore kidney pain?

A kidney infection is not to be taken lightly, and you should never ignore the symptoms. Left untreated, this type of infection can cause permanent damage to your kidneys and lead to other severe complications.


Can kidney pain come and go?

The pain can be sharp or a dull ache, and it may come and go. It's usually worse on one side, but it can occur on both flanks. Problems in the kidney (such as an infection or a kidney stone) are common causes of flank pain.

How to tell the difference between back pain and kidney pain?

Kidney pain tends to be more dull and constant, while back pain can be stabbing and responds to rest and movement. The kidneys are bean-shaped organs about the size of a fist located in the back of the abdomen, just under the ribcage, on each side of the spinal cord.

What foods help repair kidneys?

The Best Foods for Kidney Health
  • Dark leafy greens. Dark leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, chard, and collard greens are loaded with vitamins A and C, calcium, and many other important minerals. ...
  • Berries. ...
  • Cranberries. ...
  • Sweet potatoes. ...
  • Olive oil. ...
  • Fatty fish. ...
  • Cabbage.


Does kidney pain feel like a pulled muscle?

What Type of Pain Is It? Pain due to renal stones is really sharp whereas that due to a muscle ache or a back spasm is a dull, throbbing one. In case of an injured or irritated nerve, the pain is a sharp, searing feeling running down the back and may travel down to your hips and legs.

What does kidney pain feel like?

Definition. Kidney pain — also called renal pain — refers to pain from disease or injury to a kidney. You might feel kidney pain or discomfort as a dull, one-sided ache in your upper abdomen, side or back. But pain in these areas is often unrelated to your kidneys.

How can you detect kidney problems early?

The only way to find out if people have CKD is through simple blood and urine tests. The blood test checks for the level of creatinine, a waste product produced by muscles, to see how well the kidneys work. The urine test checks for protein, which may indicate kidney damage.


What does protein in urine look like?

Foamy, frothy or bubbly urine.

Would a kidney infection show up on a blood test?

To check for a kidney infection, you may be asked to provide a urine sample to test for bacteria, blood or pus in your urine. Your health care provider might also take a blood sample for a culture. A culture is a lab test that checks for bacteria or other organisms in your blood.