The Kidney Complex

A Cause for Lumbar Immobility and Pain

Most of us have experienced acute low back (lumbar) pain or a lack of low back mobility. We usually assume that the culprit is a muscular spasm, an irritated joint or worse case scenario, disc injury. It is often attributed to poor fitness in the low back or abdominal musculature, poor biomechanics or a traumatic insult.

There is another cause of low back pain which is often overlooked but is more implicated as a primary cause or at the very least a co-contributor. The kidney complex which is comprised of the kidneys, ureters and urinary bladder can often be the cause of lumbar immobility or acute back pain. This systems role is to filter the waste products from the fluid system of our body. As one of many excretory systems that our body relies upon to filter toxins, it can become overwhelmed in its function and results in spasm of the kidneys, ureters or bladder.

Have you ever been working with solvents, chemicals of some kind like painting, using a new cleaning product etc. and felt your low back was sore and stiff or experienced achiness in the flank area? This is your kidney complex responding to the exposure by going into spasm. Yes the kidneys, ureters and bladder do have the capacity to spasm. The pain can be severe enough that you can’t straighten up; it can create a protective lumbar scoliosis (curvature of the spine), altering low back biomechanics. This is an example of an organ to musculoskeletal response.

What can you do to prevent this from happening to you?

• ­Reduce or eliminate you toxic load exposure.
• Drink clean water.
• ­How much? This depends on environment factors and your body’s metabolic rate.
• ­If your urine is almost colourless your water volume is adequate.
• ­When you feel the urge to urinate, don’t delay.

If you find yourself in a ‘pain in the low back’ situation consider seeking out the help of a therapist who has training in releasing organ, connective tissue and rebalancing vertebral joints.

In my practice, I have seen this scenario often and upon further investigation the client has had exposure to some toxic load that overwhelmed their system. With the use of Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT) the organs were release and the client was up and walking within one treatment session. There can be other causes for this kind of presentation; direct or indirect trauma, systemic infections, medication use, etc.

Organ or viscera referring into the musculoskeletal system happens quite frequently and should be considered as a causal or contributing factor when addressing biomechanical dysfunction or pain.