Your kidneys help filter waste products and excess water out of your blood. The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse states that your kidneys filter about 200 quarts of blood every day. Some individuals may develop kidney problems that cause pain in various parts of the body, including the low back and flank. Some dietary approaches may help treat your kidney problems and pain. However, you should always discuss the immediate and long-term health implications of this natural healing method with your doctor first.
Kidney Problems
Back or flank pain, though sometimes caused by kidney problems, may not always involve your kidneys, notes MayoClinic.com. Most true kidney pain occurs relatively high up on your back and is usually unilateral, or one-sided, is dull and achy and may be accompanied by fever, especially if the cause of your kidney pain is pyelonephritis, or kidney infection. Other possible causes of kidney pain include kidney stones, polycystic kidney disease, urinary tract infection, kidney hemorrhage and kidney cancer.
Dietary Strategies
Increasing your consumption of vitamin A rich foods may be a helpful dietary strategy in treating or preventing kidney pain -- especially kidney pain caused by kidney stones. According to Phyllis A. Balch, a certified nutritional consultant and author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," foods containing high amounts of vitamin A -- apricots, cantaloupes, alfalfa, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, squash and carrots -- are beneficial to your urinary tract and help prevent stone formation. Other foods that may be helpful in treating your kidney problems include watermelon, celery, cucumbers, garlic and papaya.
A Beneficial Food
Celery may be a beneficial food in treating your kidney problems and kidney pain. Celery is known for its diuretic activity, notes biologist and nutritionist George Mateljan, author of "The World's Healthiest Foods." The potassium and sodium contained in celery helps maintain a proper fluid balance in your body and stimulates the production of urine. Celery also possesses antioxidants known as coumarins that help increase the action of your immune system. The nutrient content in celery is optimal when the stalks are crisp.
Warning
Mid-back and flank pain may be indicative of kidney problems, although many conditions may cause pain in this part of your body. If you develop mid-back or flank pain, do not delay seeking treatment. Your primary care provider can counsel you on the advantages, disadvantages and limitations of various kidney pain treatments, including natural therapies such as diet and nutrition. Further scientific scrutiny may be required to determine the true health benefits of certain foods traditionally used in treating kidney problems and pain.
References
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: The Kidneys and How They Work
- MayoClinic.com: Kidney Pain
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC; 2010
- "The World's Healthiest Foods"; George Mateljan; 2007
