Back pain and flank pain
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Back pain and flank pain
It is sometimes hard to tell the difference between back pain that is caused by a bone or muscle problem and back pain (flank pain) that is caused by a kidney or bladder infection or a kidney stone.
Back pain that is caused by a bone or muscle problem:
- Occurs in the lower back, below the waist, or in the upper back, over the spine or between the shoulder blades.
- Gets worse when a person moves.
- Gets better when a person rests.
Flank pain that is caused by a kidney infection or a kidney stone:
- Occurs on one side of the back, just below the rib cage (above the waist).
- May spread to the bladder area or genitals.
- Gets worse as the bladder fills.
- Does not get worse when a person moves.
Flank pain with fever and urinary symptoms may mean a kidney infection (pyelonephritis) is present.
Credits
| Author | Jan Nissl, RN, BS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Last Updated | August 28, 2007 |
| Last updated: | August 28, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS |
| Reviewed By: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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