Question: Hi there,

Over the last few months, I've experienced bodywide itching and sometimes rashes. I haven't found a specific cause, and the rashes seem to come and go. However, last week while on vacation out of town, after a night where I did drink some extra alcohol and probably didn't drink enough water, my lower back started hurting around where my kidneys would be. I drank extra water and am back to normal levels of alcohol (I do drink, but keep it moderate most of the time - I won't say I never overdo it during holidays/vacations, but I try to keep that rare). However, the itching and slight discomfort in my lower back has continued on and off. I feel fine other than that - appetite is normal, no nausea, urine color is light or straw-like and I'm going the normal amount, I'm exercising normally and seem to have normal energy levels, no fever, etc.

I do take a relatively large number of supplements (most whole-food based from well-established brands with my doctor and nutritionist's awareness and approval), and I've cut out many of those except for the essentials to see if that makes a difference. I did that 2 days ago, and no real change so far.

Additionally, I've had prostatitis in the past, which seems to come back from time to time. I've had the back ache/groin ache and similar symptoms from that before, but not widespread itching (though I did have a little bit of localized itching with it...never anything like this though).

I also have allergies in the spring/summer, but I'm not sure that those generally can present this way.

I'm just wondering if I can rule out kidney issues or anything too serious. Your thoughts would be very helpful.

Thanks!
XXXXX

Hi Doctor Saha,

Thanks for getting back to me. I will schedule something with my primary care physician and get those tests done - it's about time for a physical anyways as it's been a little over a year.

I do know in the past, my eosinophils have been elevated, and I also had allergic asthma and allergy shots as a kid.

I'm very glad you don't feel kidney issues are a concern. So just to clarify, you feel there's nothing to worry about even with a dull ache where I think the kidneys would be (both sides of lower back)? Is the reasoning that there would be other symptoms if it was the kidneys?

Regarding the supplements, understood, and I'll probably leave those pared back to essentials just to make sure I'm not overworking my filtering systems. Because heart disease runs in my family, there are some I feel better taking that even the doctor recommended (whole foods multivitamin, fish oil, garlic + CoQ10), but a lot of the others can probably be cut. This is, of course, along with lifestyle improvements like regular exercise and eating much healthier than I used to (which I've been doing a few years now).

Thanks again for your help and answering my followup!