Question
I've been down with a cold for several days, spending a great deal of time in bed. I've noticed in the past, over years, that if I'm in bed more than 12 hours a day, for a couple days, there's a sensation of bruising inside around where the kidneys would be, I believe. It's quite bad this time. I can't sleep and cannot work without sleep, so caught in a vicious cycle. The feeling around the kidneys includes part of the mid and lower back as well, hence the choice of this category. If I get up and try to have a normal day, the pain eventually becomes less, but I'm still quite uncomfortable and cannot rest as the pain, the dull pain, increases the longer one lays in bed.

I should add that I am in my mid-30s and in otherwise very good physcial condition. Please try to assist. Thank you,
David

Answer
David,
I feel strongly that your symptoms are skeletal muscle back strain caused simply from lying in bed too much. Perhaps your mattress needs replacing or is not suited well for your back. It happens frequently that people who have to spend more than 10-12 hours in bed find this happening. Our bodies are not meant to be so sedentary, and the skeletal muscles are going into mild spasm because they aren't being supported properly by being upright.

You could try placing a small pillow right under your knees, which would take pressure off of your lumbo-sacral area. You could try lying on your side with a folded blanket between your knees. This also takes pressure off the lumbosacral muscles. Since you are over the cold try some stretching exercises first thing in the a.m. Long, graceful stretches for the skeletal muscles in the back will help strengthen them. And also pay close attention to your posture. I could be wrong about the above, however, based on your age, good health and recent bed-ridden situation it all points to the lumbosacral muscles in my opinion. If you are considering a physician you might try consulting a chiropractor first. There are some things they really can help with, and this is one.
Good luck, good health to you David.