Less common causes are gallstones, pancreatitis, or gastrointestinal issues Twelve-step program that refer pain to the flank. It’s well-established that consuming alcohol regularly or in excess has long-term effects on your health, especially the health of your liver and kidneys. Still, if you’ve ever woken up after drinking with pain in your back or side, it might surprise you to learn that your kidneys could be the source of your discomfort. The kidneys have several jobs, mainly filtering toxins (such as alcohol) from your blood.
Why does my kidney hurt after drinking alcohol?
The liver plays a role in maintaining blood flow to the kidneys, and alcohol-related liver problems can further impact kidney health. Acute kidney injury can also occur after binge drinking or extreme alcohol consumption, even after a short period. Therefore, the risk increases with both the duration and intensity of alcohol use. The NKF explains that chronic drinking can cause liver disease, which impairs the rate of blood flow to the kidneys. If you notice kidney pain after binge drinking, specific care measures can help while you await a check-in with a healthcare provider.
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The pain usually goes away after you have expelled the excess urine. Swelling in your feet, ankles, or face, particularly around the eyes, suggests that your kidneys aren’t managing fluid balance properly. This type of edema often becomes more noticeable in the morning and may persist throughout the day.
- When suppressed, kidneys excrete more water, leading to dehydration.
- The kidneys are the body’s essential tool for filtering out harmful substances.
- After reading about excessive drinking limits, you may be wondering if your alcohol consumption could be impacting your kidney function.
Does alcohol affect your liver or kidneys first?
Hydronephrosis is a condition characterized by one (or two) swollen kidneys, filled with urine due to an obstruction or blockage of the urinary tract. This could be caused by kidney stones, and may present with flank pain or an inability to urinate. Anyone noticing these symptoms, particularly in the context of regular alcohol use, should seek medical evaluation. Early detection can lead to more effective treatments and help prevent irreversible kidney damage.
Concerning urination changes include painful urination, increased frequency, decreased output, or blood in the urine. Swelling in the legs, ankles, or face can indicate fluid retention from impaired kidney function. Regular, heavy alcohol use can also be harmful to your kidneys over time. According to the National Kidney Foundation, regular heavy drinking can double the risk of chronic kidney disease.
How does alcohol harm the kidneys?
Dehydration is a natural result of the diuretic effect of alcohol. You may notice that after a night of drinking, you feel thirstier than normal or experience a dry mouth. Beyond these immediate symptoms, dehydration can have adverse effects on kidney function. Over time, repeated dehydration episodes can reduce the kidneys’ filtration capabilities, eventually affecting other organs and systems in the body.
Even before cirrhosis, fatty liver or fibrosis increases kidney workload. If you’ve been told you have liver issues, protecting your kidneys should be part of the plan. A liver transplant may also be necessary in cases of liver failure.
Alcohol risks: A body out of balance
Mild dehydration can usually be rectified by consuming water and electrolytes, but chronic dehydration places ongoing stress on your kidneys. Alcohol can prevent our kidneys from doing their job effectively, making it more difficult for them to filter out toxins and waste. Over time, heavy, long-term alcohol and kidney pain consumption of alcohol can damage our kidneys and lead to chronic kidney disease or failure. Alcohol can also increase our risk of kidney infections and contribute to the development of kidney stones.
She is a registered Zumba instructor, as well as a Canfit Pro trainer, who teaches fitness classes on a weekly basis. Emily practices healthy habits in her own life as well as helps others with their own personal health goals. Because alcohol is a diuretic, some might think it helps “flush out” the kidneys, but that’s not the case. In fact, it makes them work overtime while depleting the body of important nutrients and damaging the kidneys in the process. Dehydration from beer and purines in it can worsen existing stones or raise your risk of forming new ones.
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One reason alcohol may affect the kidneys is through acute kidney injury. This may result from high levels of toxins leading to tissue injury and inflammation. People who drink too much are more likely to have high blood pressure. And medications for high blood pressure can be affected by alcohol. More than two drinks a day can increase your chance of having high blood pressure.
Hard deposits of minerals can build up in your kidneys over time. Kidney stones can range from very tiny (smaller than a grain of sand) to larger than a pearl. Since alcohol causes you to urinate more often than usual and dehydrates you, heavy drinking can increase your chances of developing a kidney stone and lead to kidney pain. A kidney infection can come about due to a number of causes, including bacteria that enters through the urethra and bladder, and then moves up to one (or both) kidneys. This would be a UTI (urinary tract infection), and drinking alcohol can worsen the severity of a UTI.
- If you have a history of disordered drinking behavior, your liver may work less efficiently or be affected by liver disease.
- UPJ obstruction can be treated with a minimally invasive procedure.
Continue reading to explore the relationship between alcohol and kidneys, understand why you might be experiencing kidney pain after drinking alcohol, and learn tips for responsible drinking. Long-term alcohol consumption can have significant detrimental effects on the kidneys, contributing to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and other complications. Being in pain or discomfort after drinking alcohol is more common in people with liver disease. In particular, if you drink excessively or are an alcoholic, this is likely. Without adequate blood flow, the kidneys struggle to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood. The NKF also notes that excessive drinking can cause acute https://ecosoberhouse.com/ kidney injury (AKI) — a sudden decrease in kidney function that usually resolves with time but may be lasting in some cases.
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