Can pyelo cause lower back pain and abdominal cramps?

Yes: The pyelonephritis is infection and inflammation of the kidney , and when the infection is spreading down via the ureters - the conducting pipes taking urine, down to urinary bladder , the infected debris can block ureters can block and cause colic, infection of urinary bladder can occur causing pain.Also the infection through blood vessels can cause congestion of abdominal and pelvic organs & pain.