Confused - is this a kidney infection or back pain?

[Chocol8]

I'm very confused - have been suffering with a pain on one side in my lower back (just above my pelvis) since Thursday. Because I have a long history of back problems and have a displaced pelvis, I thought it was that.

The last time I had this pain, I could hardly walk but the nurse at the Walk-In said it was a UTI after testing my urine sample. I'd had alot of blood in my urine a few days previous.

When I went again on Friday, she did the urine test and said it looked like a tiny infection but blood was present and gave me Trimoethroprim 200mg.

She said if I was still in pain in a couple of days to not just ignore it (fat chance)- come back as the medication wasn't working. I went back this morning and had another urine test in which there was still blood. I was given Cefalexin 500mg.

What's confusing me is the doctor who prescribed the Cefalexin said that the pain was not in my kidneys (as the nurse had said it was kidney inf) it was my sacriliac (sp?) joint.

I have googled images of kidneys and they seem to be higher in the body than where my pain is. Do you think this is a back problem? When I had kidney stones a few years ago, the pain is where it is now! What about referred pain? Anyone have experience of this please?

[Nelsonsgirl]

I don't want to suggest what the source of your pain is as I wouldn't like to be wrong, but I have had a kidney infection and the pain is in the small of your back. HTH

[Chocol8]

Yes, this is where it is Nelsonsgirl! I can touch the pain like a bruise almost. I'm like an old lady when I try to stand up and walk after sitting.

The doctor put the palms of his hands against the upper part of my body (where I imagine my lungs would be at the front) and told me that what I was having was back pain.

[Nelsonsgirl]

Well, to help you further, I was also very ill - high temperature, barely coherent and going to the loo was sheer agony, pain shooting up the small of my back. I would have thought the blood in your urine was a pretty good sign that you had a kidney infection, but I don't know. I am not a doctor.

Cefalexin is an antibiotic though so whatever the doctor said, it would seem you are being treated for an infection and not your back problem.