Bruised kidneys how long to heal

For more information, please see our University Websites Privacy Notice. Kidneys are the third most common solid organ injury in blunt abdominal trauma.

Even with significant renal injuries, patients can fully recover with conservative management alone. Kidney rupture is similar to splenic rupture in that it is usually caused by a direct blow to the abdomen, side, or mid-to-low back which causes damage or a tear to the organ. This is frequently seen with high-contact sports such as football, rugby, ice hockey, soccer, horseback riding, gymnastics, boxing, sledding, and skiing.

Though it is very rarely possible to happen spontaneously. The kidneys are well protected by the ribs, abdominal muscles, back muscles, and supporting fascia.

However, the lower poles of the kidneys are inferior to the 12 th ribs and are therefore more susceptible to trauma. Acute kidney injury also called acute renal failure means that your kidneys have suddenly stopped working. Your kidneys remove waste products and help balance water and salt and other minerals electrolytes in your blood. It may also cause pain, tenderness , and discoloration of the skin. Your back muscles and rib cage protect your kidneys.

If a kidney becomes injured, you may also have injured other muscles and bones. A bruised kidney is considered a serious injury. Left untreated, it can lead to serious health complications, even death. The common symptom associated with a bruised kidney is pain, specifically on the sides of the abdomen and in the flank area. This is the region between the lower rib cage and upper hip. Blunt force trauma to the back or abdomen is a common cause of kidney bruising.

This type of trauma can happen during a car accident or a bad fall. A direct hit or kick in the lower back, particularly within sports, can also cause kidney bruising.

Treatment depends on the cause and resulting symptoms. Before providing treatment, your doctor will run tests to diagnose the condition and rule out other health complications. Your doctor will examine your physical symptoms and ask about your medical history. They may then conduct imaging tests to rule out internal bleeding and further injury, such as:. In milder cases, your kidney will heal on its own within one or two weeks. Your doctor may recommend bed rest during this time to closely monitor your condition.

In more serious cases, your doctor may administer fluids to maintain blood pressure. Your doctor will also address internal bleeding issues. A bruised kidney is a serious injury that often requires immediate medical attention. If the injury was minor, it can take up to two weeks for a bruised kidney to heal on its own.

See More See Less. It includes two kidneys, two ureters, a bladder, and a urethra. Healthy kidneys work day and night to clean our blood. These 2 bean-shaped organs are found near the middle of the back, just below the ribs.

One kidney sits on each side of the spine. They clean about quarts of blood daily. Every day, they form about quarts of urine by pulling extra water and waste from the blood. Urine normally travels from the kidneys down to the bladder and out through the urethra.

When the kidneys are damaged, they may not function well. But, major damage may require more treatment, like dialysis. Kidney renal trauma is when the kidney is hurt by an outside force.

There are two types of trauma Blunt and Penetrating Trauma. Sometimes the blood can be seen with the naked eye. Other times, it can only be seen through a microscope. Blunt trauma kidney injuries may show no outside signs. Or bruises may be seen over the back or abdomen where the kidneys are. But sometimes these wounds may be small or hard to find.

Also, sometimes the skin wound is far away from the kidney. Kidney trauma can occur as kidney injury alone or with other damaged organs. The kidney is the urinary tract organ most often injured by severe trauma. Kidney injury is rated on a five-grade scale based on how bad it is.

Grade one refers to minor injury, such as bruising.