Pain in the kidney area can be quite severe, and it can seriously debilitate an individual and prevent simple movements as well, because the pain usually occurs in the flanks and the sides of the person, and often stretches further towards the back as well. The pain occurs sharply and suddenly, and comes and goes from time to time. A serious disease/disorder will often lead to intense pain in the kidneys immediately after eating, and this is a clear sign that you are afflicted by a serious medical condition that needs to be checked by a medical expert. Common Causes of Kidney Pain There are a few well-known factors that can lead to discomfort in the kidneys, and especially after eating. Preventing these conditions completely is not possible, but you can take certain measures in order to reduce their intensity and frequency. Once the pain starts appearing regularly, you must take some curative action in order to ease your suffering. Failure to do so could even lead to kidney failure.

• Kidney stones are the most common cause of pain in the mornings, and this implies a condition where a small particle of concentrated minerals gets stuck in the tube that connects the kidney to the bladder. This results in the blockage of urine which swells up the kidney, and thus causes tremendous pain, especially while passing urine.
• Kidney infection (also known as pyelonephritis) is also something that plagues many people around the world, and this causes the inflammation of the tissues inside the kidney. The resulting pain is quite severe and intense.
• Bleeding in the kidney (or infarction of the kidney) can also cause severe pain from time to time.
• Kidney cancer, polycystic kidney disease, arteriosclerosis, blocked urine flow, and bladder or ureteral spasms can also cause a great degree of pain in the kidneys of individuals.

All of these causes inadvertently lead to kidney pain after eating as well, although the degrees of pain will certainly differ from condition to condition. One of the surest ways of knowing that the pain is being caused by a kidney disorder, is to ascertain if the pain is spreading or not, and if the pain occurs in waves. The problem of determining the real source of the pain can be distressing and prolonged, due to the nature of the symptoms. There are many different conditions that cause similar symptoms in similar areas, and this tends to confuse people. A few tests need to be conducted on the individual before determining that the pain is occurring as a result of some kidney disorder or kidney infection. Treatment of the Condition The mode of treatment and the time span for which it would need to be administered, depends on the nature of the condition, and the severity with which it manifests. This is something that can only be accurately diagnosed by a medical expert, and as mentioned before, it will take some time to pinpoint the real cause of the pain. If your pain is accompanied by other signs like loss of appetite and nausea, then the course of treatment to be adopted may be slightly different as well. One of the clearest indicators of a kidney infection, is the sensation of pain after drinking alcohol. People who consume heavy amounts of alcohol on a regular basis will be more prone to contracting such conditions, and they need to be more alert and wary about the pain as and when it arises. Toxification of the kidney and the liver is something that alcohol is notorious for, and you need to curb your drinking habits in order to avoid this. A test known as a urinalysis will be conducted to determine the root of the problem, and in many cases a CT scan will also be necessary before achieving relief. The key is to observe the symptoms as and when they arise, and take action immediately. This pain can be quite disruptive in an individual's life, and if you are experiencing this problem, you need to visit a doctor at the earliest. Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.