# Can Your Kidneys Hurt?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-your-kidneys-hurt/634362>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 11, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-your-kidneys-hurt/634362 "2012-09-11T00:37:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-your-kidneys-hurt/634362/41 "2012-09-16T00:28:33Z")

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> [@Oly](#):
>
> Delaware!?! No no no no. Texas, my friend. Before they took it to the museum I set it beside a penny and snapped a photo. Alas, gone when my dog ate my cell phone. But as I recall it was about 1/2 the size of Lincoln’s noodle. Even he was agog - just kept staring at it, speechless. Then two big fellas came and carted it off.

It’s nothing to brag about until you have to use a quarter for comparison.

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**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-your-kidneys-hurt/634362/42 "2012-09-16T02:37:24Z")

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> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#):
>
> Well, oddly enough, few minutes ago the pain (more achy than sharp) abruptly stopped. I hadn’t taken anything, so hmpf. Oh well, thanks for the answers.

That’s just because your kidney fell off. Good thing you have two.

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**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-your-kidneys-hurt/634362/43 "2012-09-16T02:42:20Z")

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I will say, sometimes a dull ache was an indicator for me that a kidney stone was about to have a party down my ureter.

I’ve passed 8 or 9 in a span of about 3 years. One 6mm, that had to be removed under general anesthesia.

Usually went like this: Vaguely dull pain in the kidney area, left or right of my spine.

On and off for a day or three before BAM! I’m suddenly writhing in agony and asking for my mommy to make the wrenching, dull, ache of a million migraines in my lower back to go away forever. Then it’s off to the ER for a CT scan and a dose in my IV of the merciful dilaudid. They’ll send me home with a script for vicodin and see if I can pass it in a week or two.

Just, FYI.

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**Author:** ![rekkah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@rekkah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rekkah)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2012, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-your-kidneys-hurt/634362/44 "2012-09-16T13:15:50Z")

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> [@Magiver](#):
>
> I’ve had kidney stones and back pain in that area that mimic it. Maximum dosages of anti-inflammatories will work on back pain for me but not on kidney stones.

The difficulty with this approach is that anti-inflammatories can be pretty bad for your kidneys. Fine if it really is back pain, but if it is kidney problem, maximum doses of anti-inflammatories will only make it worse.

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