I’m 77 and developed left flank pain about 3 months ago. I still have the pain. Two weeks after the pain started, I developed a uti, my second one in as many years. The first UTI was preceded with left hip muscles clenching - took months for muscle to loosen up/heal. I suspect there’s a nerve pathway in the gut area that sets muscles off when infection is first detected - I have fibromyalgia, so nerves are super-sensitive to pain. The UTI cleared with antibiotics. Never ran a fever.

I had a CT for the left flank pain and it was ruled musculoskeletal - but an incidental finding was a 14mm kidney lesion. I’ve seen a urologist & am getting more imaging this week to determine if it’s a benign cyst or solid tumor.

The lesion is located in one of those vessels that drains urine to the bladder. The urologist does not think a needle biopsy or surgery is recommended if it’s a tumor, just active imaging surveillance. He believes its location is tricky in terms of quality of life outcomes to have surgery or biopsy. They grow slowly and someone my age, I guess they think something else might get me first. He’s also concerned about complications at my age, like slow-to-heal infection, with any treatment of it.

I can’t help but wonder if my very sensitive nerves are able to detect the small cyst and causing muscle tension in that area.

BTW, I’m getting a different type of CT scan this week, not an MRI.