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Flank pain

• Overview
• Treatment

Definition:

Flank pain refers to pain in one side of the body between the upper abdomen and the back.

Alternative Names:

Pain - side; Side pain

Considerations:

Flank pain often means kidney trouble. If flank pain is accompanied by fever , chills, blood in the urine, or frequent or urgent urination, then a kidney problem is the likely cause.

See also: Kidney stones

Common Causes:

• Kidney problems
  • Acute pyelonephritis (kidney infection)
  • Kidney stone
  • Kidney abscess
• Shingles (flank pain with one-sided rash )
• Spinal arthritis
• Disk disease
• Muscle spasm

• Review Date: 1/22/2007
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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