Can Drinking Alcohol Cause Kidney Cancer or Kidney Disease?

If you suspect you have kidney stones, increase your water consumption and consult with a medical professional for assistance and possible medication to help break them up. This is why many a hangover recovery involves drinking a sports drink full of electrolytes or (more problematically) a hair-of-the-dog cure in the form of a spicy Bloody Mary. Liver disease makes you susceptible to pain or discomfort after drinking alcohol.

• With constipation, you might also feel bloated, uncomfortable, or sluggish.
• The pain will often resolve when the underlying condition is treated.
• Alcohol can suppress the immune system, making the body more susceptible to infections, including kidney infections.

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This often comes up when I am evaluating someone for kidney disease. 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. Kidneys that have been overworked due to excess alcohol consumption don’t function properly.

Don’t Kid Around with Kidney Function

Kidney pain after drinking alcohol may occur due to acute kidney injury or an infection. Moderate drinking should not cause kidney pain, but binge drinking or frequent drinking may cause kidney problems. If you are at risk of developing kidney stones or any other kidney condition, it may be a good idea to talk to your doctor about how safe alcohol consumption is for you. At The Kidney and Hypertension Center, we have been providing patients with their kidney care needs for nearly 50 years.

How to prevent kidney pain

If you notice blood in your urine, see a healthcare provider within a day or two. Even if you’re pretty sure you have a UTI, it’s crucial you get checked out by a healthcare provider. It can be easy to mistake signs of bladder cancer for those of a UTI.

Small kidney stones may move through your urinary tract and come out with your urine. However, larger stones can be very painful to pass, or you may need surgery to have them removed. Cancer experts strongly recommend not drinking alcohol at all due to its potentially harmful effects on the body.

Your doctor may prescribe kidney medication or recommend programs in your area to help you. Try swapping out alcoholic drinks for alternative beverages such as juices and teas. Coconut does alcohol affect your kidneys water, apple cider vinegar drinks, and hot chocolate are great options. You can make mocktails in a fancy glass if you want to drink something special, especially in social situations.

Treatment Options for Kidney Pain

• Pregnancy can cause abdominal pain as the baby grows inside the uterus (womb).
• Kidney health is essential for filtering toxins and waste out of our blood and transferring those substances to our urine for elimination from the body.
• Chronic kidney pain is not normal, even in many of those who have serious kidney issues.

Kidney pain often feels like a dull ache that gets worse if someone gently presses on that area. While it is more common to feel kidney pain on only one side, some health problems may affect both kidneys and cause pain on both sides of your back. Excessive alcohol use can also cause liver disease and put even more strain on the kidneys.

Liver Disease

In this case, your kidneys may be receiving less blood flow and causing pain. If you believe that you or someone you know is at risk of kidney failure and are experiencing these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. These are signs that the kidneys are not working as they should, and they can be symptoms of acute kidney injury due to a high alcohol consumption. Urine can be cloudy, dark, bloody, or foul-smelling if you have a kidney infection. Other symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting. However, a large enough one can create a blockage in your urinary tract and cause extreme pain, usually in your back, side, lower abdomen, or groin.

• Since the function of the kidneys is to remove toxins from the blood and alcohol is one of those toxins, alcohol affects how hard the kidneys need to work.
• Other times your healthcare provider might remove it or break it up into small pieces to get rid of it.

The infection itself can be cleared with a combination of antibiotics given over seven to 14 days. Always get immediate medical care in the case of emergency. You may not have suspected it, but recent sexual activity can cause blood in your urine.