What is this pain I'm having?

I think you should see your doctor about this. Did you have some type of injury? How long have you had this pain?

My first thought is cystitis or a kidney infection, you usually feel generally crummy along with those.

Absolutely impossible to diagnose over the internet. If it’s bothering you you need to be seen.

“This can include musculoskeletal causes, kidney causes (i.e. an infection or stone), as well as GI causes (i.e. pancreatitis or an ulcer).”

Source

Head for the doctor’s!

No ideas, the only time I had kidney pain, it was a stone – a lot of pain! See a doctor. You don’t want to mess around, especially if it is an infection. Sorry that I can’t help, but I do hope you feel better, soon.

I was thinking it may be costochondritis which can be very painful also, but you still need a doctor to find out what this really is. My daughter had something similar and her spleen was inflamed. I hope you make an appointment soon, and feel better quickly.

Ubersiren, darling. Get to a doctor. :)
Pain near your kidneys is pretty much never good.

Get thee to the doctor, missy. Feel better soon!

@ubersiren Please let us know what happens.

Hahaha.. ok, Dr. @Benny. I wasn’t looking for a diagnosis, I was curious if anyone had any ideas of what it could be. Maybe someone has had similar symptoms to which they found the cause later on.

@syz I have been super super tired, but I attributed that to not taking my thyroid meds. I am a HORRIBLE patient.

@Marina : OMG!

See, every time I go to the doctor for some vague thing like this, I pretty much get the vibe that they think I’m making it up. Like last year I was getting crazy dizzy spells and felt pressure behind my eye. The doc did all her “follow my finger” tricks and finally made me get a brain scan. It was nothing, so they assumed it would just pass, and it did. I mean, I don’t want to keep going in for stuff because I am NOT a hypochondriac. If I went in for every ache and pain, I’d be paying rent for use of their waiting room. I’d rather get internet advice first, believe it or not.

Thanks everyone.

@ubersiren You may need to think about switching doctors.

I had symptoms like that two years ago. Turns out it was my kidneys being inflamed by the NSAIDs I had been taking for arthritis and fibromyalgia. They could tell my kidneys were upset by doing a 24 urine test and learning that my BUN and creatinine numbers were nowhere near where they were supposed to be. However, at first they just tried to convince me that I wasn’t drinking enough water.

Instead of going in for some “vague thing like this” write down your symptoms, how long they have been going on, any particular time they get worse, how much water you drink daily, any meds you do take (note: not taking your thyroid meds or not taking the right dose, can lead to pain, too, believe it or not, plus hair loss, brittle nails, dry skin, depression, and feeling cold), and any thing else you think is relevant.

Pyelonephritis is a real possibility. Has it been burning when you urinate or have you had fevers? I agree with Benny that you need to be seen, at least to have someone else look at and touch your back ± some blood and urine testing. I hope you feel better.

Yeah, I’m going to have to go in.. eh heh heh…

@Darwin: you make a good point. I’ve been drinking a lot of green tea lately. Maybe my kidneys are adjusting or reacting in some way?

@shilolo: no burning urination or fevers. Something to look out for.

@ubersiren -Your kidneys shouldn’t need to hurt to “adjust” unless there is something wrong. You could try switching to straight water for a while to see if things get better, but kidneys are pretty important to staying alive so I suggest the doctor.

i think you’d be in more pain if it was what shilolo suggested. i had that and was doubled over in pain. and it hurt to pee really bad.
i hope you figure out what it is!

If you can put your finger on it and say it hurts “there” it’s probably not a kidney since kidneys pain is pretty deep. If it’s a painful lump it could be a subcutaneous infected hair follicle, infected lipoma, or something like that. Or it could be something benign as costochondritis. Either way, if it contintinues to hurt you should get it looked at.

@casheroo Yes, and no. One of the cardinal signs of pyelonephritis is so-called costovertebral angle (CVA) tenderness. Sometimes, all it takes is a light touch over the area to elicit pain. I agree with benny that there are a number of possibilities that are best defined by a full history and physical.

uh oh, i disagreed with shilolo and now he’s posting!

Have you ever had a kidney stone or a urinary tract infection? Try drinking cranberry juice and go to the doctor or ER.

@shilolo What made me go against that was the fact that he felt a painful lump. That’s certainly not typical of pyelo. Also pyelo you’re systemically ill with fevers, rigors, UTI, etc. But yes, CVAT is a sign of pyelo.

@Benny I think ubersiren is a young woman, which raised my index for pyelo. Given her lack of other systemic symptoms, I doubt it too, but who knows? This is why internet medicine is such a mixed bag.

See the doctor dear.

@shilolo Agree, it’s hard. My first response was basically, if it continues to hurt go see a doctor. I should have stuck with that!

Is there a “thank everyone” option?

You just did.

@ubersiren So what happened? Have you seen a doctor yet? How are you feeling now?

OK, it’s been two months . . . have you been to the doctor? What is going on? Concerned . . .

Did you make it to the MD yet?