My daughter has had sharp shooting pain in her kidneys when she breathes in for about 2/3 years now. It is excruciating pain for her.

[anniehanratty]

My daughter is 16. She has had dozens of tests done, and urine has shown protein a few times. She is constantly being treated for urine infections and kidney infections. The pain is not constant, but comes every day. It is more common in the morning when she has just woken up. The pain can last from 20 mins to up to 6 hours. Lately it is getting a lot worse and more frequent and she has the pain nearly all day. I don't know what to do and clearly the doctors don't know either. Something is definitely wrong. I just want to help her, please answer my question, what is this pain?!!!?!?!?

[Suzie40]

I'd be wary of asking anyone to help you diagnose your symptoms on an Internet forum. If she's in excruciating pain all day, take her to A&E. What are the doctors saying? To whom has she been referred? Have the tests been inconclusive?

[Hidden]

Hi

It must be very worrying for you to feel so helpless when your daughter is clearly in pain but I am sorry, I do not know what is causing the pain.

You say doctors have done dozens of tests, if she has protein in her urine has she been seen by a specialist and if so do you think he is good, ie is he experienced, does he have a good reputation (you might look at the Patient Opinion website to see whether other people have written about him), also you might get onto the National Kidney Foundation website as they may be able to offer advice as to how to obtain further expert opinion, also they can offer support or may have come across the issue you describe.

She is entitled to a second opinion so if she has seen one specialist without much success in understanding the cause of the pain it would be wroth while seeing if there is a kidney specialist at the nearest teaching hospital and asking to be referred there for a second opinion.

I hope you do not take offence at my asking but I am wondering what your daughter makes of the pain and whether she is asking you to help her to solve it or whether you are worrying on her behalf. Those things clarify whether there is a psychosomatic component to the pain - which there could be without your knowing and I am not suggesting there is but you do have to consider that possibility. If you wonder whether there could be then it would be worth while talking with your daughter to see whether she would like to be referred in order to talk with someone about her pain with probably isn't, but could be, symbolic of her need for some other kind of help.

The only other thought I have just had is whether it could be a trapped nerve without the area of the kidney, that would present as shooting pain that lasts different lengths of time - it is worth speaking with the consultant about that possibility.

Suex