Kidneys are one of the main organs of the body. A healthy human has two functioning kidneys located at either side of the spine, behind the stomach, and underneath the ribs. Each kidney has millions of filtering units called nephrons, whose primary function is to prevent waste products and toxins from returning to the bloodstream.
Blood enters the kidneys 40 to 45 times daily, where excess salt, minerals, and water are removed and adjusted. The filtered blood will go back to the body, and the collected waste will be flushed out of the body in the form of urine. Aside from filtering waste products, the kidneys are also responsible for controlling the body’s fluid balance. Next to the heart, the kidneys are known as one of the busiest organs of the body.
However, several diseases can affect the natural performance of the kidneys. One of these is kidney pain. There are many reasons why kidney pain occurs. These include kidney stones, pyelonephritis or kidney infection, bleeding, renal vein thrombosis, hydronephrosis, cancer, renal artery aneurysm, and atheroembolic renal disease.
Identifying the cause by its symptoms can help choose the right treatment for kidney pain. Here are some of the symptoms of kidney pain.
Blood in the Urine
Blood in the urine, or hematuria, is a condition that usually occurs when a person experiences kidney pain due to kidney stones. There are two kinds of hematuria—gross and microscopic. By definition, gross hematuria is a kind of blood in the urine where the blood is visible enough to see with the naked eye. Patients with gross hematuria may notice their urine slightly pink or reddish. However, there are some cases wherein the blood is not visible in the urine sample unless examined under a microscope. This is called microscopic hematuria.
That being said, patients with a history of kidney pain are advised to take urinalysis or urine tests regularly. Experts also explained that white blood cells are also present in the urinalysis, which indicates an infection in the kidneys and the urinary tract. This infection occurs when harmful bacteria enter the urethra and slowly move their way up to the bladder and the kidneys.
