The kidney punch test, also known as Murphy’s kidney punch or Costovertebral Angle Tenderness Exam (CVA Tenderness Exam), is a clinical test done to assess the kidneys as well as its surrounding areas.
Medically reviewed by Mike Kenneth Go Doratan, MD · General Surgery · The Medical City Ortigas
The kidney punch test, also known as Murphy’s kidney punch or Costovertebral Angle Tenderness Exam (CVA Tenderness Exam), is a clinical test done to assess the kidneys as well as its surrounding areas.
This is usually done during a physical examination, especially if the patient is experiencing symptoms such as pain in the flank, groin and or abdomen, vomiting, burning sensation when urinating, fever, and chills. When a patient is experiencing more than one of these symptoms, the health professional will conduct a kidney punch test.
A positive result from the kidney punch test might indicate the possibility of kidney disease. The patient will have to undergo further tests to confirm if they do have a disease and what could be causing the pain.
The kidney punch test involves striking the costovertebral angle. The costovertebral angle is the acute angle located at the bottom of the ribcage and the spine. To locate the costovertebral angle, count to the 12th rib of the patient’s ribcage and locate the center where the spine and the rib meet.
When this angle is hit by blunt force, a patient with some form of kidney disease such as pyelonephritis, will feel pain. The pain is due to the inflammation of the kidney. Since the kidney is directly anterior to the costovertebral angle, disturbance in the inflamed tissues elicits pain.
Note: A forceful blow will cause pain even in normal patients. The examiner must be gentle in applying force to the costovertebral angle.
If the patient reports pain during the kidney punch test, they have tested positive for the test and this might indicate that there is inflammation in the kidneys.
If the person tests positive in the kidney punch test, they most likely have inflammation in the kidneys or the area around the kidneys.
The kidney punch test alone cannot fully confirm diagnosis. It is only an indication that there can be inflammation in the urinary tract and the areas that surround it. Further tests such as stool, blood and urine exam must be conducted.
Learn more about Kidney Disease here.
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Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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