Kidney Pain Relief
Kidney pain refers to pain and discomfort from disease or injury affecting one or both kidneys. The pain may be dull, achy or sharp and localized to one side of the upper stomach, side or back. However, people often mistake pain in their kidneys for lower back pain. Kidney pain occurs higher up the back just under the ribcage, whereas back pain is usually felt in the lower back. Kidney pain tends to travel to other areas like the abdomen or groin.
Kidney pain often occurs due to swelling or blockage in the kidneys or urinary tract. If you’re experiencing fever, vomiting, or pain when urinating, then you may have a problem with at least one of your kidneys.
Kidney Pain Causes
The kidneys filter blood, create urine, and expel it out your body through the urinary tract. If a condition or injury affects any of the areas that the kidneys are involved in, pain could result. The most common causes of kidney pain are the following:
- Kidney stones: occur when minerals and metabolites accumulate in the body. These concentrated stones may be as small as a crumb or larger than a marble. Smaller stones typically pass out the urinary tract without any detrimental effect on the kidneys or body. However, the larger stones could block the urinary tract and prevent the passing of urine, causing excruciating pain.
- Urinary tract infection: An infection anywhere inside the urinary tract often caused by bacteria that weren’t removed after urination. UTI’s may cause fever, pain when urinating, cloudy urine, and overall fatigue.
- Kidney infection (pyelonephritis): occurs when bacteria responsible for a bladder infection spreads to the kidneys. Those with diabetes or blockage along the urinary tract are more susceptible to kidney infections. In rare cases, a urinary tract issue causes urine to go backward from the bladder to the kidneys, causing repeating infections and potentially permanent kidney damage
- Polycystic kidney disease: A condition passed on from the mother where cysts (fluid-filled sacs) develop inside the kidneys. As the cysts grow larger, the kidneys swell and could eventually become unable to function.
- Injury or trauma: Blunt force trauma to the kidney region, whether from a sport or car accident could cause physical damage to the kidneys. Injury to the kidney area may also result in disrupted blood flow throughout the kidneys. Trauma may also induce sudden kidney failure, completely shutting down the kidneys, preventing the filtration of blood.
- Kidney (renal) cancer: The most common cancer that affects the kidneys is renal cell carcinoma. It typically occurs in elderly individuals and rarely shows up in those younger than 50. Symptoms of kidney cancer could be blood in the urine, constant pain in the upper back or side just underneath the ribcage, and a noticeable lump or swelling on the side.
Kidney Pain Relief Treatment
Treatment for kidney pain varies on the cause of the pain. Kidney infections and kidney stones are typically treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil) ketorolac (Toradol), acetaminophen (Tylenol). In some cases, to those in extreme pain from kidney stones. These medications are given to treat the pain from these conditions, not necessarily the actual cause.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) and kidney infections (pyelonephritis) often require antibiotics as well as NSAIDs to manage the pain. Kidney surgery may be required if kidney stones cause an entire blockage of the urinary tract or are too large to pass on their own.
Kidney lacerations or severe damage to the kidneys from an injury may require further surgery and possibly removal of the entire kidney. It may take weeks or months to recover from this type of surgery.
Kidney Pain Relief
There a few remedies you can try at home to achieve effective kidney pain relief:
- Drink lots of fluids. Drinking enough water allows your body to flush out bacteria in the urinary tract. It’s also important to stay hydrated even if you’re not suffering from kidney pain or infection. Avoid diuretics like coffee and alcohol. Diuretics dehydrate you by preventing the body from absorbing water.
- Apply heat. The heat will help increase the blood flow to the abdomen, which can provide kidney pain relief. You could also try alternating cycles of heat and cold treatments. Start with having a heating pad on the abdomen for about 20 minutes. Then, apply an ice pack to the area for 5-10 minutes. Repeat as often as you want. Just make sure you don’t keep ice on for too long. Always wrap ice packs with a paper towel or something to prevent damage to the skin.
- Try probiotics. Doctors usually treat kidney infections with antibiotics. These medications kill both bad and good bacteria in the body. Taking a probiotic may help the body restore its population of good bacteria. Probiotics may also contribute to various health benefits, such as improved kidney function.
Hemp For Kidney Pain Relief?
Cannabidiol or Hemp is a naturally occurring phytocannabinoid found in cannabis that’s often extracted into oil or infused in various products ranging from topical balms to food and drinks. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the popular cannabinoid known for producing the distinct high associated with consuming marijuana. However, Hemp isn’t the same as THC, with the most obvious difference being the lack of intoxication after consuming cannabidiol. Those suffering from pain can take Hemp without the fear of becoming intoxicated. This may be a very appealing option for those who seek kidney pain relief but can’t afford to be high because they’re at work, around people, driving, or for any reason.
Currently, the FDA only considers Hemp as a medication for treating seizures in two rare forms of epilepsy under the brand name “Epidiolex.” However, studies are currently investigating Hemp and other cannabinoids to determine their efficacy in treating various conditions and diseases, particularly pain and inflammation disorders.
Hemp possesses huge potential in providing kidney pain relief due to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Why Is Hemp Getting So Popular For Kidney Pain Relief?
Safe Alternative To Painkillers
People are looking for alternative options for pain relief since traditional anti-inflammatory drugs aren’t always effective and come with various risks with long-term use. Also, amid a devastating opioid crisis, those with pain are turning away from highly addicting painkillers and are seeking pain relief options that don’t cause adverse side effects.
Exciting Research
Clinical researchers, naturopaths, and thousands of anecdotal accounts from those suffering from pain all agree that Hemp shows promise in treating pain, inflammation, and cancer in addition to various other physical and psychiatric conditions. Cannabidiol is demonstrating its potential in relieving symptoms of various psychiatric disorders. Particularly schizophrenia and anxiety because of its antipsychotic and anxiolytic effects.
2018 Farm Bill
Also, the 2018 Farm Bill federally legalized the growing and sale of hemp and its extracts. Hemp is a type of cannabis Sativa that does not contain the psychoactive compound THC. This is important because hemp and Hemp products derived from hemp are only legal if they contain less than 0.3 percent THC. If a hemp plant or hemp-derived Hemp product contains more than 0.3 percent THC, then it’s classified as marijuana. Marijuana is still a schedule 1 drug, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), making it federally illegal to buy, sell, or possess. However, several states have legalized both medical and recreational use of cannabis even while the federal government fails to recognize cannabis’s medicinal purposes. Make sure to check your local state laws regarding Hemp as they vary by state.
How To Take Hemp for Kidney Pain Relief
Sublingual Dosing
The most popular way to take Hemp for kidney pain is to place drops of Hemp oil beneath the tongue, where it’s quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Because there aren’t any clinically established guidelines for dosing cannabidiol, let alone specifically for kidney pain, finding the best dose will mainly be a series of trial and error. However, you could start by placing 1-2 drops of Hemp oil under the tongue and then slowly increase the drops until your pain subsides.
Locally Applying Hemp
You could also apply cannabidiol directly to the skin using a topical skin product. The idea is that the skin absorbs the Hemp found in the topical cream, salve, or balm. However, no studies have confirmed whether topicals actually penetrate the skin to get Hemp into the body. Also, be aware that most products contain additional ingredients. These ingredients could be beneficial, such as soothing aloe vera or moisturizing coconut oil. However, there could also be artificial fragrances, and dyes added. Just make sure to read the ingredients label to ensure that you know what you’re putting on your body.
Vaping Or Smoking Cannabidiol
There’s an abundance of cannabis flower that contains high amounts of Hemp with little THC. You could smoke the flower using a pipe or a dry herb vaporizer. Portable vape pens are also highly available. They vaporize small cartridges containing cannabidiol distillate. Vaping prevents the inhalation of carcinogens that combustion produces. However, the CDC is investigating vaping’s association with about 1600 hospitalizations and 30 deaths due to unknown lung disease. Unregulated black market THC cartridges appear to be causing these hospitalizations. The CDC recommends that you hold off on vaping until they figure out exactly what’s causing these health problems. If you decide to vape, always get your products from reputable and regulated dispensaries.
Best Hemp Dosage For Kidney Pain Relief
There is no “best” dose when it comes to treating kidney pain with Hemp oil because it’s entirely subjective and depends on several factors, including weight, pain severity, metabolism, genetics, and more. What may work for you may do nothing for your friend, so it’s essential to observe your body when you are taking Hemp oil to determine which dose works best for you.
Safety
Hemp rarely produces side effects, but when it does, they tend to be relatively mild. Side effects may include dry mouth, nausea, fatigue, or headache. No deaths have been confirmed to be due to consuming Hemp, and most individuals can take Hemp without experiencing severe side effects. Many individuals well tolerate cannabidiol, and clinical studies have revealed that Hemp appears to produce little to no toxicity.
