Question:

My mom has high blood pressure. When ever she has high pressure, she gets pain in her back along the spinal cord just above her hip. I know that high blood pressure influences kidney`s ability to excrete salt and maintain its balance. So I think, as she only gets the pain when ever she has high pressure, it could be her kidneys that`s causing the pain. What could be the cause of the pain? Should not she be put on diueretics along with her blood pressure medicine?

Answer:

It is extremely unlikely that her back pain is caused by her kidneys.  Please see our article “Kidney Pain.”  However, the important thing is for her to keep her blood pressure well-controlled, in order to prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney damage in the future.  She should work closely with her doctor to find the right combination of meds and diet to achieve excellent blood pressure control.  Be aware that sometimes it takes 2, 3, or more meds to control blood pressure, and the meds may include a diuretic, especially if the person has any leg or ankle swelling.

Related Resources:

Kidney Pain

For more information:

Go to the Kidney Diseases health topic.