[20F] With severe back pain and urinary symptoms

What might be happening

Based on the information you've provided, you may be experiencing:

• Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): This is a common infection that can cause pain or a burning sensation during urination, a frequent urge to urinate, cloudy or strong-smelling urine, and lower abdominal pain. UTIs can sometimes cause back pain if the infection spreads to the kidneys (a condition known as pyelonephritis).

  • Treatment typically involves antibiotics prescribed by a healthcare provider.

• Kidney Stones: These are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys. Symptoms can include severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs, pain during urination, pink, red or brown urine, and nausea.

  • Treatment can range from pain management and drinking lots of water to flush out the stone, to medical procedures to remove or break up larger stones.

What you can do

You should seek immediate medical attention. In the meantime, here are some things you can do:

1. Drink plenty of water: This can help flush bacteria out of your urinary system.
2. Avoid drinks that may irritate your bladder: Coffee, alcohol, and soft drinks containing citrus juices and caffeine can worsen your symptoms.
3. Use a heating pad: Applying a heating pad to your back might help reduce the pain you're experiencing.

What you should look out for

You should seek immediate medical attention if:

• Your symptoms worsen or do not improve within 24 hours
• You develop a fever
• You start vomiting or cannot keep down fluids
• Your back pain becomes severe or you notice blood in your urine

Remember, this advice is intended to be general in nature, and specific causes may not apply to your situation. Always consult with a healthcare provider for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.