Flank Pain
The kidneys are located within the flank area—that fleshy region between the ribs and hips along the back body. Therefore, it makes sense that with the swelling and inflammation caused by an infection that you would experience flank pain. The pain is often characterized as a pressure or throbbing that radiates into the upper abdomen, obliques, back, above the pelvis and just beneath the ribs. In most cases of kidney infections, one side of the flank is more painful than the other.
A sudden development of flank pain hints to a serious medical condition, like a UTI or kidney infection. If you’ve been experiencing other symptoms in this list and then wake up one day with flank pain, you could have kidney stones, an infection, or another kidney problem. Don’t just take an analgesic and try to go to sleep. Get yourself to a doctor immediately.
