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What Causes Lower Back Pain And Frequent Urination?
Posted on
Tue, 16 Jan 2018
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Tue, 16 Jan 2018
Answered on
Thu, 19 Jul 2018
Last reviewed on
Question : Lower back pain on left side, pressure urinating and frequent urination
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
This is most likely a urinary tract infection but it may also be other problems with the urinary tract including a small stone that is causing some irritation.
That it is causing back pain means that it is likely causing back pressure on the kidney or may be leading to a kidney infection. Even if it is a urinary tract infection, it needs to be evaluated and treated promptly now because of the possible kidney involvement.
I strongly recommend that you go in to an urgent care clinic, and if none are open, then the ER. There they will examine you and check a urine specimen. First with a dip urine stick which can give immediate information, and then with a urinalysis. If there are signs of infection, they should send the urine specimen for a full culture and sensitivity test. The latter tests different antibiotics to make sure that if they give you a prescription for an antibiotic, that it is one that works. Usually trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole will take care of a urinary tract infection.
If there is blood in the urine but no significant sign of infection, they should do imaging studies (X-ray, ultrasound) to check for a stone or other abnormality.
A kidney infection usually also has nausea, fever, and feeling overall poorly in addition to flank/back pain, but I don't think you should wait for all of that to happen.
So - while it may not be a UTI, it should be checked out now.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
This is most likely a urinary tract infection but it may also be other problems with the urinary tract including a small stone that is causing some irritation.
That it is causing back pain means that it is likely causing back pressure on the kidney or may be leading to a kidney infection. Even if it is a urinary tract infection, it needs to be evaluated and treated promptly now because of the possible kidney involvement.
I strongly recommend that you go in to an urgent care clinic, and if none are open, then the ER. There they will examine you and check a urine specimen. First with a dip urine stick which can give immediate information, and then with a urinalysis. If there are signs of infection, they should send the urine specimen for a full culture and sensitivity test. The latter tests different antibiotics to make sure that if they give you a prescription for an antibiotic, that it is one that works. Usually trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole will take care of a urinary tract infection.
If there is blood in the urine but no significant sign of infection, they should do imaging studies (X-ray, ultrasound) to check for a stone or other abnormality.
A kidney infection usually also has nausea, fever, and feeling overall poorly in addition to flank/back pain, but I don't think you should wait for all of that to happen.
So - while it may not be a UTI, it should be checked out now.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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