Kidney Pain
PKD kidney pain
Seek a physician who can determine the cause of your pain. One of the most common causes is bursting of a kidney cyst or bleeding into a cyst. Some have found keeping blood pressure low 120/80 - 110/70 - 100/70 helps diminish bursting cysts. Others have tried limiting any trauma to the kidney area; no jarring or bumping. Find some type of pain relief should the pain become chronic. Rest, rest, rest is the best. Here are some non-medicine suggestions for PLD, liver pain. One pain relief suggestion that many have found helpful is rest accompanied by sipping hot lemon juice or saffron tea and a moist heating pad over the area.
Cyst rupture or Burst cyst
A burst cyst oftentimes is accompanied with pain, and blood in the urine, though not always. An ultrasound can help determine if you have a burst a cyst or bleeding into a cyst. Sometimes there is free fluid in the abdomen found on ultrasound. Frequent burst cysts might be coupled with higher blood pressures, a trauma to the area, sometimes running, or some form of hard exertion. Continue to drink sufficient water and remain hydrated. Hematuria or blood in the urine increases dramatically when one or both of the kidneys is larger than 15 cm. Hypertensive PKD'rs are more likely to have gross hematuria than normotensive patients. For some bleeding into a cyst or bursting a cyst can be very painful requiring rest and opiods to relieve the pain.
Cyst rupture and bleeding can occur with trauma or bumping of our organs. Sometimes elevations in blood pressure brings this about. But more likely it is due to the shear numbers of cysts within our organs. After seeing your doctor, rest, rest, rest is the best.
Bleeding into a cyst
Bleeding into a cyst can happen spontaneously. On imaging studies (MRI or CT) a radiologist can see that a cyst has bled. This can be painful.
Chronic PKD Pain
Chronic pain is sometimes seen with PKD and is a major cause of morbidity according to this 2012 article.
This pain can become chronic requiring narcotics. Here is a review of some causes of PKD kidney pain:
bladder infection
bleeding into a cyst
exposure to a kidney toxin
kidney cyst rupture
kidney stone
kidney infection
kidney inflammation
infection within a kidney cyst
ADPKD Chronic Pain Trial
Research Leader: Dr. Marie Hogan at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota USAA clinical trial on chronic polycystic kidney pain is taking place at the Mayo Rochester MN USA. This study utilizes an interventional procedure known as Videothracoscopic Splanchnicectomy (VSPL) similar to VSPL done for the pain of pancreatitis. If any have relentless PKD kidney pain or know of someone with severe PKD kidney pain contact the Mayo Clinic.
Kidney Infection or Intra-Cyst Infection
Flank pain especially exhibited with a jarring motion or increased when walking can be related to an infection within a kidney. Check with your doctor should you get burning or frequency when you urinate. This is more commonly seen among women.
Sometimes we can get an infection within a cyst itself. This is much more difficult to diagnosis. Infection of a liver cyst is a very serious diagnosis and sometimes mistaken for something else. Check with your doctor at the first instance of pain in the belly or flank area.
Leukocyte scintigraphy is sometimes used for help diagnose an infection within a cyst.
Kidney Stones
Passing a kidney stone is generally very painful. It can be diagnosed through imaging or if the stone has already passed, the doctor may give you a mesh cup to strain any urine. You might be asked to strain your urine through a filter to catch any possible gravel that can help determine what type of kidney stone you have. Knowledge of the type of kidney stone can aide in the prevention of future stone formation.
