Kidney pain caused by alcohol can be due to any of these causes or a combination of multiple kidney conditions. Kidney pain might be intermittent or constant, and its intensity can range from mild to severe. It’s important to differentiate kidney pain from muscular, skeletal or other organ-related pains and to seek medical attention if you suspect the does alcohol affect your kidneys pain is related to your kidneys. The kidneys also work to maintain the pH balance or the amount of acid in the body. When we vomit, we throw off the pH balance, giving the kidneys even more work. Since the function of the kidneys is to remove toxins from the blood and alcohol is one of those toxins, alcohol affects how hard the kidneys need to work.
- Working out can bruise the bladder, temporarily causing bleeding that shows up in the urine.
- Blood and urine tests, and sometimes imaging tests, can help your doctor find the source of the pain.
- Kidney trauma should not be confused with acute kidney injury (AKI), a typically reversible form of kidney failure that causes the kidneys to temporarily “shut down.”
- While data conclusively shows that chronic AUD is extremely damaging to the liver, data on the effects of alcohol on the kidneys is not quite as clear cut.
- If kidney atrophy involves one kidney (unilateral) and the other kidney is not impacted then there may be few or no health problems.
- Also, if you recently had a urinary tract infection (UTI), call your doctor.
Alcohol & Kidney Function
Regular, heavy alcohol use can also be harmful to your kidneys over time. According to the National Kidney Foundation, regular heavy drinking can double the risk of chronic kidney disease. The risk is even higher in people who drink heavily and also smoke. If the kidney is still filtering or working, there may be medical treatment to keep the kidney function that’s left (medicines and nutrition). If both kidneys are impacted and end up in kidney failure, then the treatment is dialysis or kidney transplant.
What are the Symptoms of Kidney Stones?
The treatment for kidney atrophy depends on what caused the kidney to become smaller in the first place. For example, a patient with kidney atrophy due to chronic urinary tract infection would need antibiotics. Chronic kidney disease can eventually lead to kidney failure.
Acute Kidney Injury
The most common form, called renal cell carcinoma, accounts for nine out of every 10 cases. Unlike most causes of kidney pain, the pain from kidney stones can improve as you switch positions or lie down to rest. One important method of treating kidney pain is making lifestyle changes that can promote kidney health and alleviate kidney problems.
Kidney Pain vs. Back Pain
- Kidney stones, also known as renal calculi, are among the most common causes of kidney pain.
- Hydronephrosis is a condition characterized by one (or two) swollen kidneys, filled with urine due to an obstruction or blockage of the urinary tract.
- Your two kidneys sit just below your ribcage on either side of your spinal cord.
- Your doctor can give you advice about whether it is safe to consume alcohol while undergoing cancer treatment.
- Constipation is another common cause of belly button pain, and one of the most common reasons people see a healthcare provider.
