Diseases with symptoms that are easily confused with kidney stones

Kidney stones cause severe pain in the lower abdomen similar to urinary tract infections, menstrual cramps, and appendicitis.

Patients confuse diseases, leading to late visits to the hospital and incorrect treatment. Below are some conditions that have symptoms similar to kidney stone pain.

Urinary tract infection

Kidney stones affect the urinary system, so the symptoms can be confused with a urinary tract infection. A urinary tract infection can cause severe pain in the lower abdomen, groin, or bladder. The urine may be bloody or cloudy, and the person may feel the need to urinate more often but cannot produce much urine.

If left untreated, a urinary tract infection can travel up the ureters and cause a kidney infection.

Appendicitis

Appendicitis is an infection of the appendix, located in the lower right part of the abdomen. When infected, the patient often has pain around the navel, which can then move to other areas of the abdomen. In the long term, appendicitis can easily lead to nausea, vomiting, sudden pain in the right side of the abdomen, loss of appetite, fever, and bloating.

These symptoms are similar to kidney stones. Patients should see a doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

Kidney stone pain can cause other symptoms such as frequent urination, painful urination, urgency, and nausea. Photo: Freepik — Kidney stone pain can cause other symptoms such as frequent urination, painful urination, urgency, and nausea. Photo: *Freepik*

Menstrual cramps

For some people, menstrual cramps feel like ovarian pain, pelvic cramps, or stomach cramps, which can be mistaken for kidney stones. However, kidney stone pain is usually in the lower back, and urine is cloudy or foul-smelling. These symptoms are not typical of menstrual cramps.

Musculoskeletal problems

Conditions such as muscle strain, herniated discs, or spinal problems can cause pain in the lower back or abdomen. This pain tends to make people suspect kidney stones.

The main distinguishing factor is the absence of symptoms such as blood in the urine or changes in urination patterns. If you have back pain without urinary symptoms, you should consult your doctor.

Ovarian or testicular condition

In some cases, women may experience pelvic pain due to ovarian cysts, ovarian torsion, or endometriosis. Similarly, testicular torsion in men can cause severe testicular pain that can be mistaken for kidney stones. For an accurate diagnosis, both men and women should be examined by a gynecologist or urologist.

Huyen My (According to Healthmatch )

Readers have questions about kidney disease, send questions here.

Source link