Dealing with kidney pain can be debilitating and is far from fun. If the pain is severe, it will interrupt your life and cause excessive levels of discomfort from day-to-day. Knowing how to relieve kidney pain at home will help you stay comfortable and safe while you’re treating the underlying problem. Try out the following home remedies and always talk to your doctor if you have any questions or serious concerns.
Causes of Kidney Pain
There are a number of different things that can cause kidney pain, from infection to kidney stones and beyond. While alleviating your pain might seem like the #1 priority, never forego a doctor visit to get a treatment plan that will eliminate the source of the pain. Some common causes of intense kidney pain include infections along the urinary tract and kidney stones.
Infections Along the Urinary Tract
While most of these infections are simply referred to as a UTI, the location of the infection makes a difference. Lower urinary tract infections are very common and easy to treat, but as the infection travels upwards, it gets more difficult and more dangerous.
- Lower Urinary Tract Infection
A lower urinary tract infection is what we commonly refer to as a UTI. It occurs when bacteria enters the urethra and causes frequent urination, burning sensations, dark urine, bladder discomfort, and kidney pain.2
- Bladder Infection
Bladder infections occur when the lower UTI works its way into the bladder. You’ll experience similar symptoms, oftentimes persisting for longer periods of time and with an increase in frequency or intensity.
- Kidney Infection
A kidney infection, also known as pyelonephritis, occurs when excess bacteria has built up in the urinary tract and reached the kidneys.1 It is considered an upper urinary tract infection and is much more serious than lower urinary tract infections.
Once the infection spreads to your kidneys, it’s more dangerous. Kidney infections can be very serious and may require hospitalization. If you think you have a kidney infection, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with your urologists for a proper diagnosis. In addition to a urine culture, your doctor will need to order imaging tests, blood tests, or a combination of both to confirm the location of the infection.
Kidney Stones
Another common source of kidney pain is the presence of a kidney stone. Kidney stones are hard masses that form in the kidneys from an excess of mineral buildup in your kidneys or urinary tract.2 Most kidney stones can be passed without doctor intervention, but large ones may require additional treatment or surgery. If you have kidney stones, the pain will be quite severe and localized on your back and side, between the lower abdomen and the groin.2 You may also experience painful urination, nausea, and vomiting.2
Relieving Kidney Pain at Home – Urinary Infections
If you’re suffering from kidney pain due to an infection in the urinary tract, try the following remedies. If they don’t work, make sure to schedule a visit with your urologist to discuss a treatment plan that will ensure the infection doesn’t spread.
- Increase Water Intake
Hydration is key to flushing out infections of the urinary tract. Not only will staying hydrated help eliminate bacteria, it can relieve pain by reducing the concentration of your urine. Instead of turning to sugary drinks, increase your water intake. Water is always a better option as it causes less irritation. As a general rule of thumb, aim for 8, 8oz glasses a day.2 If you’re active or have a strenuous lifestyle you may need more water to stay hydrated.
- Take Probiotics
Probiotics help fight bacteria build-up in your gut and replaces it with good, immune boosting bacteria.3 Regularly taking probiotics may also help your kidney process waste, thus making treatments more effective.3
- Drink Cranberry Juice
UTIs are oftentimes associated with cranberry juice and for good reason—it helps alleviate pain. Avoid overly processed cranberry juice cocktails and instead, opt for pure juice or some sort of supplement to help mitigate kidney pain and reduce the symptoms of a UTI.
- Run a Warm Bath with Epsom Salt
Epsom salt acts as a detoxifying agent and helps your body relax as a whole. This isn’t a long-term remedy, but taking a warm bath with Epsom salt will help your body relax and reduce your kidney discomfort while you’re soaking.
- Add Heat
If the bath doesn't help, try adding direct heat with a heating pad or a heated water bottle. Place it on the affected area for about 20 minutes at a time to help reduce pain.2
- Take Non-Aspirin Pain Killers
Aspiring is a blood thinner, which may cause bloody urine if taken when experiencing kidney pain.1 To help relieve the pain, opt for non-aspiring pain medication like Ibuprofen or Advil.
- Drink Parsley Juice
Parsley is a diuretic that helps increase the frequency and amount of urine that you pass.3 This helps further eliminate any bacterial buildup in the urinary tract and fights infection. If parsley juice on it’s own sounds too gross too handle, try adding it into smoothies with cranberry juice to mask the flavor.
- Avoid Irritants
Limit your intake of alcohol and coffee, both of which irritate the urinary tract. Drinking irritants during an infection reduces the effectiveness of your body’s natural healing process and may increase dehydration.
- Increase Your Apple Intake
The acidity of apples can help your kidneys maintain acid in the urine, which will reduce the likelihood of the bacterial infection spreading.3 Apples are also great at fighting inflammation, which can help alleviate kidney stone pain.3
- Drink Green Tea
Some studies suggest that green tea can have antibacterial effects on bacteria that cause UTIs.1 To experience this effect, drink plenty of green tea or opt for a more concentrated green tea extract.
Relieving Kidney Pain at Home – Kidney Stones
If you’re suffering from kidney pain due to the presence of kidney stones, try the above solutions. Since they will help reduce the irritation on your urinary tract, they can also ease kidney stone pain. In addition, there are a few other things to do that will help you reduce pain from kidney stones at home.
- Manage Your Alcohol Intake
While it’s recommended to reduce your overall alcohol intake, and completely eliminate it while on antibiotics, wine has been shown to aid in the prevention of kidney stones and any associated pain.2 Red wine is also filled with beneficial antioxidants. Limit your intake to 5oz a day and continue drinking plenty of water.
- Increase Acidic Consumption
As we mentioned, acidic foods have the potential to reduce kidney pain. They have also been shown to actively fight kidney stones.2 Increase your acidic consumption, but don’t go overboard.
- Add a Splash of Citrus
The best way to increase your acidic consumption is by adding a splash of citrus fruits to your water. Try a combination of lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and limes for the best results.
When to See Your Urologist
While it would be nice to avoid the doctor’s office for kidney pain, it’s not always possible. Sometimes, the pain is not treatable using an at-home remedy and you’ll need to see your doctor or urologist to get relief. It should also be noted that just because you experience pain relief, doesn’t mean that your infection is gone. To make sure that the infection doesn’t spread to other parts of your body and cause further complications, you need to get a proper diagnosis and treat the problem. If you have a high fever, blood in your urine, vomiting, or chills, see your doctor immediately.1 If you experience back, groin, or abdominal pain, see your doctor.3 always better to seek medical treatment early to treat any serious infections and reduce the risks of complications or severe problems.
If you have kidney stones, but the pain is persistent and you’re unable to pass them on your own, your urologist will recommend additional treatments. There are a number of different things that can be done to reduce the size of kidney stones and make them easier to pass naturally. Call your doctor if the pain persists and you’re unable to pass kidney stones on your own.
Conclusion
Kidney pain can cause severe disruptions to every day life. To help mitigate the pain and improve your kidney health, try some of these at-home remedies. If you’re still experiencing severe pain, or have other kidney stone symptoms of an infection, call your healthcare provider today. To learn more about urological supplies, urology problems and complications, or educational resource, visit our educational support page or our product selection guide. Byram is proud to be a full-service urological care supplier and we have all of the high quality urological supplies you need. As an added bonus, all of your supplies can be discreetly delivered to your home, any time of the day. If you have any questions or are looking for personalized, confidential services, our teams of knowledgeable urological customer service specialists are here to help.
Sources:
1https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325887.php
2https://urologyspecialistsnc.com/relieve-kidney-pain
3https://www.healthline.com/health/kidney-infection-home-remedies
