There can be dozens of possible causes of back pain. Typically it results from spine or muscle issues. But sometimes neither of these possible causes are responsible for your discomfort.

The actual source of the pain may be a kidney problem. Some people say that pain from a kidney stone or kidney infection is the worst pain they’ve ever felt.

So, what symptoms and signs will tell you that there’s a kidney problem instead of a nerve or muscle injury?

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One of the best clues is the location of your discomfort. The pain will present in the area above the hips but below the bottom of the rib cage. Unlike the pain that accompanies nerve damage, it is more likely to be felt closer to your sides – not so much near your spinal column.

Many times, pain from kidney disorders is described as “acute.” In other words, it comes on fast and it comes on strong.

Kidney stones typically cause back pain as they move out of the kidneys and down the urinary tract toward the bladder. Sometimes a kidney stone will become lodged in a ureter, which obstructs the flow of urine from a kidney to the bladder. This is likely to cause severe pain.

Darker than average urine is another common sign of a kidney problem like an infection or a kidney stone. This may indicate that there’s blood in your urine stream. It’s best to talk to your doctor as soon as you can if this happens.

Anyone with a kidney disorder or some other type of urinary tract condition is likely to feel the need to urinate often – even though very little urine is produced in most cases.

It’s not unusual to feel a burning or stinging sensation when urinating.

Kidney stones sometimes pass out of your body when you urinate, especially if you drink a lot of water. Your back pain will stop when this happens.

Fortunately, while kidney stones can cause a great deal of pain, they’re not considered a threat to life.

On the other hand, kidney infections can be lead to irreparable kidney damage or kidney failure. You can’t live if your kidneys aren’t working. The only alternatives available to you are kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant. Therefore, if you even suspect your back pain is coming from a kidney infection, it’s best to call a doctor right away.

Still looking for more articles on similar subjects? Click on kidney failure. Neal Kennedy is a former radio and TV journalist with a special interest in topics related to the kidneys. You can read more of his articles about kidney health at http://www.kidney-problem.org.