Acute Renal Colic

Renal colic is a very intense type of pain that is located in the lower back. It occurs when there is a blockage of the ureter. Kidney stones are the cause of this type of pain. When the stone tries to make its way to the bladder, the diameter of the ureter makes it difficult for it to pass through, so the pain begins.

It is one of the strongest pains that exist, being valued as a 10 in the pain scale from 0 to 10. Typically, the pain begins in the lateral abdomen and lower back region with radiation to the groin. The patient with renal colic appears to be in pain and is difficult to examine as his or her abdominal muscles may be severely contracted by the body’s defense response. These patients may also have nausea and vomiting.

Bruce Blaus, Own work, CC BY 3.0

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