Can back pain be a sign of a UTI? 25 weeks pregnant

[kalidasa]

I have had a horrible week with increasingly severe back pain, but around the upper/middle of my back mostly so I don't think it is SPD. I have also had some cramping pains in and below my bump, though nothing regular. I had a hospital appt this morning and I had 2+ protein in my urine, but my bp is fine and I've never had the protein before (so it's not a normal thing for me). The doctor mentioned I could have a UTI of some kind and they're checking a sample. Now I am wondering whether this very painful back could be connected?

I have been peeing very frequently but I thought that was just the baby sitting on my bladder. It doesn't hurt to pee though. I do feel exhausted and have just slept for several hours after getting back from the hospital. Any thoughts?

Hi kalidasa. I'm 18 weeks and just back from hospital diagnosed with a UTI and had exactly the same symptoms as you (plus some brown blood), 2+ protein and normal BP. V frequent peeing but no pain with the pee. Had backache earlier in the week in the middle and left side of my back and felt crap/exhausted generally, and then horrible pain low down on my abdomen the last few days. Doc took a sample and swab and results will be back in a couple of days but was convinced it's a UTi and gave me some antibiotics. Yours sounds v similar and reckon the backache could be connected.

Thanks Tugstonia. I have had a miserable pregnancy so far - only stopped throwing up every single day last Friday (hyperemesis) and was so depressed at the thought that I might have this back pain now until the end. Will be really relieved if it is caused by something else.

hi kalidasa,
it sounds like a UTI to me. protein in your urine doesn't always mean pre-eclampsia and it can be a sign of a urine tract infection. do you know if they tested for the urites and leucocytes too? that is also on some dipsticks they put in your urine. either way make sure you call your GP surgery a couple days after the sample was taken. sometimes results take longer to come back to the GP, so you can also call the hospital that the sample was sent to (which should be the hospital you booked at).

backache is the main symptom of a UTI, it tends to be up around your kidneys which would be your upper back as your kidneys are quite high up under your ribs at the back.

UTIs can cause pre-term labour (very occasionally) so its important to get it treated with antibiotics if it is a UTI.

good luck, you didn't mention how many weeks you are? but if you get any signs of labour i.e. painful tightenings, bleeding, waters breaking etc. then you do need to contact the hospital as some moms will need antibiotics through a drip. don't worry though, UTIs are common in pregnancy as your body is changing and the tubes that join your kidneys to your bladder which are normally straight get a bit kinked so infections are more likely in them.

Take care,
Emma - midwife

Thanks Emma, that's really helpful. I'm 25 weeks.

The nurse used a machine in the hospital to read the dipstick results and there was a long list of results but I didn't really see them, they just gave it to the doctor. The only bit I remember definitely is the protein 2+. The doctor mentioned something else was raised which might have been leucocytes but I didn't catch it properly. The appointment was at the hospital I'm booked at (I'm under the consultants for hyperemesis) so I'll call the antenatal clinic in a few days and see if they've got the results. For now I'll take it easy can call the hospital if the pain gets worse or I get a temperature or anything. I am feeling very nauseous too but to be honest that's pretty normal for me as I'm still dealing with the tail-end of the hyperemesis.

oh bless you, feeling nauseaous can all come with the UTI too. just rest up and if they took the sample at the hospital it usually takes about 48 hours to get results. will take a few horus to get to the lab and started, culturing it in the petri dish takes 24 hours and then a few extra hours to do the results and test what antibiotics it is sensitive against. hospitals are pretty good at contacting you, but you can contact them too.

Good luck!
Emma x