Symptoms:

• Abdominal pain, right or left lower belly area
• Back pain, may be on only one side
• Blood in the urine
• Increased urinary frequency/urgency
• Frequent need to urinate at night
• Painful urination
• Severe flank pain that may occur on one side, but may also be felt in the groin, thigh, and genitals
• Urinary tract infection

Signs and tests:

Your health care provider will perform a physical exam, which includes feeling your abdomen. The exam may reveal a swollen kidney.

A blood pressure measure may reveal high blood pressure. A urinalysis may show blood in the urine. A urine culture can determine if you have an infection.

Kidney swelling or blockage of the ureter may appear on these tests:

• Abdominal ultrasound
• Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
• Kidney or abdominal CT scan