How Do You Know if You Have Kidney Disease?

Kidney infections, kidney stones or other problems often appear with symptoms like low back pain, cloudy or bloody urine, fever, chills, nausea or vomiting.

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 spine. The kidneys function to remove excess fluids and waste from the body. 

Common types of kidney problems include:

• Urinary tract infection (UTI)
• Kidney infection (pyelonephritis)
• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
• Blood clots in the kidney(s) (renal vein thrombosis)
• Bleeding in the kidney(s)
• Kidney tumor or cancer
• Kidney stones
• Kidney cysts
• Kidney swelling
• Trauma to the kidneys
• Kidney failure called End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)

Signs and symptoms something is wrong with the kidneys include: 

• Pain
  • A constant, dull ache in the sides, back, or belly
  • Pain in the side
  • Severe or sharp pain
  • Pain may come in waves
  • Pain may radiate to the belly or groin area
• Painful urination
• Cloudy urine 
• Blood in the urine
• Fever
• Chills
• Nausea
• Vomiting 
• Dizziness
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Rash

Causes of kidney problems include: 

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Glomerulonephritis
• Infections
• Kidney stones 
• Inherited diseases such as polycystic kidney disease
• Overuse of some over-the-counter pain killers 
• Illegal drugs such as heroin

In addition to a physical examination and patient history, tests used to diagnose the cause of the kidney problems include:

• Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) blood test
• Urine tests to screen for
  • Protein (albumin)
  • Blood
  • White blood cells
• Ultrasound
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pelvis to look for
  • Kidney stones
  • Problems in the kidneys
  • Problems in the urinary tract
• Pregnancy test

Treatment for kidney problems depends on the cause. 

Medications may help relieve pain, such as:

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Morphine (for painful kidney stones)

Patients with known kidney problems should be cautious with pain medications that are filtered through the kidneys, because this may cause further renal damage.

Kidney infections (pyelonephritis) or urinary tract infections (UTIs) are usually treated with antibiotics.

In some cases, kidney stones may require surgical removal.