My girlfriend has been suffering with abdominal pain for around ten days now. This is a pain all over her abdomen and tends to move from one area to the next, above and below the naval. She occassionally feels pain in the area of her kidneys too. There is no pain when urinating etc. She has also felt light headed lately, and described it at one point as feeling very limdly drunk.

She went to the Doctors last night and they suspected what they called a 'water infection'. Can someone explain this?

However they took a sample of her urine to be tested and dip stripped it finding abnormal levels of protein.

I suspect they were looking for kidney problems. Is this correct? She's only 22 and to be honest gets ill quite regularly. She was previously diagnosed with a kidney infection years ago. Her father is also diabetic.

Advice please. Thanks.

I have never heard of a water infection. I have heard of kidney, urine, bladder, or urinary tract infection (the last 3 are all pretty much the same thing). Given her pain I would guess that she probably has a UTI. You don't necessarily have to have pain when you pee, but that is the most common symptom. Protein often appears in the urine when there is an infection. Wait and see what the test results are - they often take a couple of days for the culture. If it is an infection, the results will also tell what is the best antibiotic to take.

In the meantime, don't panic. It could also just be stones.

Cora