Can a Kidney Infection Cause Back Pain?

If you are experiencing lower back pain along with frequent urination, blood in the urine, fever, or chills, you may have a kidney infection back pain.

Lower back pain or flank pain can result from kidney problems, but it could also be the result of any of the following:

• Spinal trauma
• Arthritis
• Gallbladder problems
• Intestinal issues
• Liver disease
• Muscle spasms
• Shingles

Lifestyle choices can also contribute to lower back pain, including:

• Long periods of immobility
• Smoking
• Obesity

However, if you are experiencing lower back pain along with frequent urination, blood in the urine, fever, or chills, you may have a kidney infection back pain. This is a condition where the cause of the back pain is a kidney infection, also known as Pyelonephritis.

Under normal conditions, the urinary tract works as part of the system that cleans the blood. The kidneys are capable of filtering 150 quarts of water and waste from the blood each day. The filtering process produces one to two quarts of urine which are stored in the bladder until removed through urination.

The kidneys serve other functions as well. They balance electrolytes, regulate red blood cells, and maintain blood pressure. 

To avoid potentially serious complications, an infection of the kidneys should receive immediate medical attention.

Common kidney infection symptoms include:

• Pain in the lower back or groin
• Frequent or urgent urination
• Bloody or cloudy urine
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever
• Chills

Symptoms can also vary by age. For instance, very young children may only have a high fever, while senior adults may not even show any of the typical signs. Instead, they may experience cognitive problems such as difficulty speaking and confused thinking.

The kidneys can become infected by a virus or by a bacteria that typically lives in the bowel and migrates to the urinary tract. 

Normally, the urinary tract keeps out bacteria. On occasion, however, bacteria can enter the urethra and continue up into the bladder causing inflammation, urinary tract infection, and an infection of the kidneys.

It is also possible for blood to transmit a virus or bacteria to the kidneys from other parts of the body.

For around every 30 cases of urinary tract infection, one results in a kidney infection.

Urinary tract infections are more likely to occur in older people or those with other medical conditions such as:

• Infected bladder
• Pregnancy
• Spinal cord injury
• Difficulty urinating
• Extended immobility from surgery
• Enlarged prostate or another urinary tract blockage
• Vesicoureteral reflux
• Kidney stones
• Bowel incontinence
• Diabetes

• Alzheimer’s disease

Women have a shorter urethra than men, placing them at higher risk for developing a urinary tract infection. Approximately one out of five women experience a urinary tract infection at some point in their lives, and many will experience reinfection.

If your only symptom is lower back pain, in many cases it will go away on its own. However, if the pain continues longer than four weeks or gets worse and is accompanied by fever, chills, or other symptoms of kidney infection, you should see your doctor.

Kidney infections are serious and can lead to life-threatening sepsis. You should see your doctor immediately if you are experiencing rapid heart rate, chills, fever, or if you are having trouble thinking clearly. 

You may have to be hospitalized if you become extremely ill, cannot drink, or cannot swallow medicine. 

Other medical conditions that may result in hospitalization include:

• Kidney stones in the urinary tract
• Recent surgery of the urinary tract
• History of cancer
• Diabetes
• Trauma to the spinal cord
• Multiple sclerosis

Pregnant women showing symptoms should go to the doctor and be treated right away to avoid serious complications.

Lower back pain can have many causes and a correct diagnosis is required for proper treatment. In addition to reviewing your medical history, your doctor may give you a physical examination, take a urine sample, and conduct any of the following tests:

• Blood culture
• Urine culture 
• Ultrasound
• Prostate exam
• Digital imaging

Antibiotics are used to treat kidney infections, usually in the form of a pill taken orally over the course of several weeks. Bacteria may be resistant to some forms of antibiotics, so your doctor may need to take a blood and urine sample to determine which antibiotic to prescribe.

In severe cases, you may need to receive the antibiotics through an IV. 

If the infection returns, a second course of treatment up to six weeks may be required.

Kidney infections treated with antibiotics rarely result in complications.  

If your urinary tract is blocked by an enlarged prostate or kidney stones, you may need to undergo a procedure or have a surgery to clear the blockage.