Hi Everyone
Kidney pain is also an issue for me. Partly this is because I have a genetic disorder called Meduallary Sponge Kidney, which means my kidneys are calcifying, and I have many kidney stones. However, the kidney pain is also intimately linked to my experience of ME, and energy fluctuations, and a number of other symptoms. The MSK probably helped predicate me for ME, but they are certainly not identical, as I know from comparing my symptoms to others who just have MSK. I saw an environmental doctor called Dr Freed, who has sadly since died, and he examined me and said he thought I had soft tissue rhematism in the area around my kidneys, not from the MSK, but from environmental toxicity which my ME made me bad at metabolising. I think with my kidneys there is an on-going issue with inflamation. In chinese medicine, the kidneys are often regarded as one of the fundamental systems producing chi. In terms of managing pain, Ray Perrin suggested to me to put a cold pack on my mid spine for five minutes - the bit just above the kidneys, and I find it helps. I also find self care in terms of massaging and stretching the area itself helpful. Its worsened since I began Rich's protocol, as it did when I began Perrin technique, so maybe there's something in there about the release of toxins? I drink shedloads of water too. Soem yoga stretches also help.
It makes sense to me, given our systemic issues with metabolism, that our kidneys would also be involved. One thing I would say is that if you suspect an infection, act on it quickly and get your urine tested, because if you leave it, and I have in the past, mistaking one set of symptoms for another, you can end up with long term damage that cant easily be reversed.