I got a headache and my kidneys hurt, any ideas what's wrong?
Asked by
Winters (
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September 26th, 2010
It feels as if there are needles in my kidneys and I have a killer headache. I doubt it’s from what I’m eating since I focus on starch in the morning, protein at lunch, and veggies at dinner. I also rarely drink anything besides water, milk, and the occasional orange juice. I workout at least 4 times a week. Any ideas as to what’s going on?
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13 Answers
How long have you been in pain?
On a scale from 1–10 (ten being unbearable) how bad is it?
It just started today, pain in kidneys changes between 3 and 8, headache is about 6.
@Winters you might have gotten a cold going around. I got it about a week and half ago. Started as a regular cold then turned into just back pain. I still have the pain and so does everyone that’s caught it. It does kind of feel like the kidney area. If this helps…
How do you know the pain is “in your kidneys”? It is unusual to report that, since the kidney’s themselves are not innervated by pain receptors. That said, if the kidney capsule is swollen or inflamed, then pain can be felt there. Anyway, it is impossible to know what is going on with you, but with respect to kidney diseases, have you noticed a change in your urine? Is it red, orange, cloudy? Does it hurt or burn when you urinate? Do you have a fever? Have you had any swelling in your legs or elsewhere? Any difficulty breathing or rashes?
@shilolo actually now that you mention I do have a fever, urine is still clear (been drinking plenty of water) and no pain, and as for my legs, I wouldn’t be to sure if its swelling or the run I did two days ago. Haven’t discovered any rashes, breathing feels fine.
Well, fever plus pain in the kidney area could signal an infection of the kidneys. These tend to be more common in women owing to their anatomy predisposing to bladder infections which lead to kidney infections. Your best bet is to make an appointment to see your doctor or go to a hospital for an evaluation, especially if the symptoms persist or you feel dizzy or lightheaded (from low blood pressure). This could all be “nothing” (i.e. a flu-like virus) or a bacterial infection, or something else entirely. Hard to make definitive diagnoses over the internet.
@Winters ‘Pain in the Kidneys’ that’s a tough one, because of what @shilolo said. Urinary infections hurt. It feels like you’re peeing nano-razor blades. It would seem odd that you would have a kidney infection and not feel the urinary infection first.
If you are really sure it’s your kidneys, you could have your uric acid levels checked. You may be developing small crystals in your kidneys. I can’t tell from your profile, but are you man over 40? It is most commonly a hereditary thing, as men age and their testosterone levels drop. I’d suggest peeing in a cup for your doctor and giving her a bit of blood for the lab. Hope you’re feeling better soon!
Well, if you’re running a fever, there is some sort of infection somewhere. I’d go to your doctor and have some pee and blood tested. Often, it can feel like ‘kidneys’ but it’s just lower back pain, and vice versa.
You haven’t started taking large doses of Vit C for any reason, have you? Ascorbic acid can really test kidney function.
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