The occurrence of acute pain in the lumbar region can have several causes. Among them are acute appendicitis, perforated stomach ulcer, an attack of acute cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, acute intestinal obstruction. It may also indicate acute gynecological processes, cystitis, prostatitis, herniated disc.
But the most common cause of an attack of sharp pain in the lumbar region is renal colic. Renal colic occurs as a result of circulatory disorders in the kidney, caused by blockage of the urinary tract.
What is renal colic? Causes of renal colic
Renal colic is an attack of acute intense pain, which is localized in the lumbar region. Renal colic can occur at any age and in people of different sexes.
Renal colic is a symptom that can accompany several pathologies. Most often it is urolithiasis, but besides it there are diseases that should not be forgotten. This is:
- Pathologies of the retroperitoneal space (retroperitoneal fibrosis).
- Kidney injury (compression of the urinary tract from above by a urohematoma or blood clot).
- Pyelonephritis (fibrin, mucus, epithelium, leukocytes and other products of inflammation).
- Kidney tumor (blood clots in the urine).
- Tuberculosis process in the kidney (necrotic tissue of the papilla).
- Gynecological diseases (uterine fibromyoma, adnexitis).
- Adhesion in the pelvis.
All of the above processes lead to an increase in pressure in the cavitary system of the kidney, which is accompanied by edema. With the development of edema, the fibrous capsule is stretched, in which the pain receptors of the kidney are located. This is how acute intense pain appears with renal colic.
Urolithiasis is a common cause of an attack of renal colic
Men are the most susceptible to urolithiasis. The likelihood of urolithiasis in a patient increases if attacks of renal colic were observed in relatives. This may be due to the hereditary structural features of the kidneys and urinary tract, as well as the level and intensity of metabolism.
The presence of diseases such as urinary tract infections, connective tissue pathologies can provoke the formation of kidney stones and urolithiasis.
A lifestyle with frequent physical activity and low fluid intake accelerates the formation of kidney stones. Also, a slight increase in temperature for several months (features of working conditions) increases the frequency of attacks of renal colic in patients.
Acute pain in urolithiasis occurs when a stone formed in the kidneys begins to move along the urinary tract and obstructs the lumen of the ureter. Stone damage to the structure of the ureter, as well as the accumulation of urine above the obturation site, create conditions for very sharp, intense and paroxysmal pain.
The main symptoms that accompany an attack of renal colic
The most important symptom of renal colic is an attack of acute pain in the lumbar region. The pain radiates along the ureter to the inguinal, iliac region, genitals. Pain can also be localized in the hypochondrium.
Pain moves with the movement of the stone in urolithiasis. The stone stops in places of physiological constriction:
- Pelvic-ureteral segment (ostium) - pain radiates to the mesogastric region.
- Iliac junction - pain felt in the groin and outer thigh.
- Juxtavesical (prevesical) section - false urge to defecate and frequent urination testify to a stone in this section.
- Intramural (stone inside the wall of the bladder) section - often the pain radiates to the glans penis and is accompanied by pain at the end of urination.
With such movements of stones, patients feel not only the pain associated with the passage of the stone, but also other symptoms. These are bradycardia, nausea, vomiting that does not bring relief, gas retention, intestinal paresis.
Arterial pressure also rises, blood appears in the urine, anuria or oliguria. Urination becomes painful.
A person during an attack of renal colic often begins to change the position of the body, but it is not possible to find a position in which the pain is less.
Often, the process ends with the release of the stone along with the urine. For this, the patient is advised to pay attention to urine. It may contain streaks of blood or a calculus, which indicates the completion of the process.
In any case, the patient needs emergency care, which consists of painkillers and antispasmodics.
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