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Kidney Pain After Drinking Alcohol: What Could Be Causing It

Here are some of the potential causes of alcohol-related kidney pain. Our kidneys are vital to our survival, and luckily they are one of many paired organs and parts our bodies have, like our eyes, ears, testes/ovaries, lungs, limbs, adrenal glands, and more. Some studies did show that chronic users of alcohol did have a higher risk of lower back pain, but sample sizes were insufficiently small to draw definite conclusions. This will not derail our investigation, however, because alcohol may still be able to cause back pain indirectly. Also called pyelonephritis, this infection could cause discomfort in one or both kidneys. You may feel pain in your back, in your side or both sides under your ribs, or in your groin.

They are responsible for filtering waste from your blood and regulating levels of minerals and water in your body. Restoring the health of your liver means you have to stop drinking, lose weight (if you’re overweight), and eat healthier. In more serious cases, you may be required to take medications or undergo surgery. Worst case scenario is liver failure, in which you will be needing a liver transplant. Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located just below your ribcage, on each side of your spine. Kidney pain doesn’t always mean there’s a problem with your kidneys specifically — but it does usually indicate an issue somewhere in your urinary system.

How does alcohol harm the kidneys?

The location of the pain is below the ribcage and near the lower back. The events leading to abnormal sodium handling in patients with cirrhosis are complex and controversial, however. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Investigators have advanced several theories suggesting the involvement of a constellation of hormonal, neural, and hemodynamic mechanisms (Epstein 1996; Laffi et al. 1996).

• The results showed that 11% of the participants were alcohol abusers.
• The other reported that their pain lasted for several hours, sometimes even for 16 hours.
• The other times, one glass of alcohol may be enough to induce the pain.
• Not all forms of kidney disease are preventable, but adopting a healthful lifestyle may reduce the risk of complications, even in people with genetic kidney disorders.

Aside from filtering and getting rid of the waste, your kidneys also make sure that your body maintains a proper balance of fluid and electrolytes. So when you’re drinking, your kidneys work double-time to flush out the excess alcohol from your body, which can result in the pain that you’re feeling right now. So it’s only natural to be curious as to how your kidney is related to upper back pain after drinking alcohol.

Dehydration

Low blood levels of phosphate commonly occur acutely in hospitalized alcoholic patients, appearing in more than one-half of severe alcoholism cases. Alcohol is a diuretic, which is why you get so thirsty and dehydrated after a night of drinking. Drinking alcohol causes you to urinate more, which leads to dehydration, especially when you drink excessively. This is why alcohol affects the ability of your kidneys in balancing the level of water and electrolytes in your body. When this balance gets upset, it could impair your kidneys and increase your chances of developing kidney stones. Binge drinking, defined as having four or more drinks at a time, may result in a serious condition known as acute kidney injury.

Once CKD develops, it can impact nearly every part of the body. If you have CKD, you may eventually require dialysis or a kidney transplant. Marixie Ann Manarang-Obsioma is a licensed Medical Technologist (Medical Laboratory Science) and an undergraduate of Doctor of Medicine (MD).

Type of pain

However, more research is needed into the link between alcohol use and kidney injury. By Lana Barhum

Lana Barhum has been a freelance medical writer since 2009. Therefore, it is important to be patient and follow your treatment plan.

In some cases, the underlying reason for the connection between kidneys and alcohol and back pain (i.e., flank pain) may be the presence of liver disease (i.e., alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis). UPJ obstruction is a condition that impedes the proper functioning of your kidneys and bladder. If you have alcohol and kidneys UPJ, you may experience kidney pain after drinking alcohol. You will feel the pain in the side, your back, or your abdomen. UPJ obstruction can be treated with a minimally invasive procedure. Your kidneys play a very important role in keeping your body healthy and free from harmful substances.

Male urinary system

You may have kidney pain after drinking alcohol due to dehydration or inflammation of your stomach lining. But it can also happen if you have other health conditions, including a kidney infection. There have been many studies trying to identify alcohol consumption as a cause for lower back pain. They involved hundreds of participants with lower back pain reported.