What Is A Uti
A UTI is an infection that can affect anywhere in the urinary tract, including the bladder, ureters, urethra, and kidneys. The urinary tract is responsible for passing urine and eliminating waste from the body. UTIs most commonly affect the lower tract, which includes the urethra and bladder. UTIs can also affect the upper tract, which includes the ureters and kidneys, however, infections affecting the upper tract are typically more severe and are accompanied with worsened symptoms and complications. UTIs are caused by bacteria in the urinary tract. Women are more likely to get UTIs than men, in fact, about 20% of women will get at least once in their lifetime.
How To Prevent Kidney Stones
What you can do to prevent future kidney stones depends on the type of stone and your medical history, so youll want to speak with your doctor about your options, Simon says. Prevention strategies might involve drinking plenty of water, making dietary adjustments , or taking various medications to help moderate the levels of certain minerals in your urine, the Mayo Clinic explains.
Additional reporting by Claire Gillespie.
Constantly Having To Pee Little Drops
If you feel like you constantly have to pee, but can only squeeze out a little bit of urine at a time, it’s possible that a kidney stone is passing through the ureter, Kaufman says. When this happens, the stone irritates your bladder, making you feel like you have to go a lot and ofteneven if you dont. What’s more, if large enough, a stone can completely block the ureter, he says. This symptom warrants a call to the doc, even if you aren’t experiencing any other signs of kidney stones.
Also Check: Is Aleve Hard On Your Kidneys
Avoiding Recurrence Of Kidney Stones
If you have had one kidney stone, some tips that may help to prevent a second stone forming include:
- Talk to your doctor about the cause of the previous stone.
- Ask your doctor to check whether the medications you are on could be causing your stones. Do not stop your medications without talking to your doctor.
- Get quick and proper treatment of urinary infections.
- Avoid dehydration. Drink enough fluids to keep your urine volume at or above two litres a day. This can halve your risk of getting a second stone by lowering the concentration of stone-forming chemicals in your urine.
- Avoid drinking too much tea or coffee. Juices may reduce the risk of some stones, particularly orange, grapefruit and cranberry. Ask your doctor for advice.
- Reduce your salt intake to lower the risk of calcium-containing stones. Dont add salt while cooking and leave the saltshaker off the table. Choose low- or no-salt processed foods.
- Avoid drinking more than one litre per week of drinks that contain phosphoric acid, which is used to flavour carbonated drinks such as cola and beer.
- Always talk to your doctor before making changes to your diet.
Drinking mineral water is fine it cannot cause kidney stones because it contains only trace elements of minerals.
Treating And Preventing Kidney Stones
Most kidney stones are small enough to be passed in your urine, and it may be possible to treat the symptoms at home with medication.
Larger stones may need to be broken up using ultrasound or laser energy. Occasionally, keyhole surgery may be needed to remove very large kidney stones directly.
Read more about treating kidney stones.
It’s estimated that up to half of all people who have had kidney stones will experience them again within the following five years.
To avoid getting kidney stones, make sure you drink plenty of water every day so you don’t become dehydrated. It’s very important to keep your urine diluted to prevent waste products forming into kidney stones.
Read more about preventing kidney stones.
Recommended Reading: Aleve Kidney Side Effects
How Will Ibd Affect My Sexual Health
IBD and the surgery and medicines used to treat it can affect your sexual health. Sometimes you may just feel too tired to have sex. You may also have emotional concerns related to the disease. For instance, you may not feel as confident about your body as you did before you began to have IBD symptoms.
- If you have pain during sex, talk to your doctor or nurse. Your doctor may prescribe a hormonal cream or suppository for your vagina.
- If you have an external pouch after surgery, here are some tips:
- Empty the pouch before sex.
- Use deodorizers â one in the pouch and perhaps a pill or liquid you take by mouth .
- Make sure the pouch is secure.
- If the pouch is in the way or causes pain during sex, experiment with different positions.
- Find a pouch cover youre comfortable wearing during sex, or look for different pieces of clothing that could cover the pouch.
Kidney Stones Or Urinary Tract Infection Which Is It
We hardly consider basic bodily functions until they become a problem. Pain with urination or in your lower back can be alarming requiring intervention.
Did you know that UTIs and kidney stones have extremely similar symptoms that appear similar, but they affect your body in different ways? Treating the symptoms requires a proper diagnosis. This is not a time for self-diagnosis. Here are ways to learn the differences between the two conditions.
What is a UTI ?
A UTI is an infection that can affect any part of the urinary tract, including the bladder, ureters, urethra, and kidneys. The urinary tract is responsible for passing urine and eliminating waste from the body. Bacteria causes UTIs in the urinary tract. Women are more likely to get UTIs than men with 20% of women getting at least one UTI in their lifetime.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are hard collections of salt and minerals often made up of calcium or uric acid. They form inside the kidney and can travel to other parts of the urinary tract. About 1 out of every 11 people in the United States will get a kidney stone. Stones are more common in men, people who are obese, and those who have diabetes.
You May Like: Is Watermelon Bad For Your Kidneys
Kidney Stone Pain Relief
You may be able to take steps at home to ease kidney stone pain:
- Drink plenty of fluids to try to flush out the stone. Aim for 2 to 3 quarts a day. Water is best.
- Take over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen or naproxen.
- Ask your doctor about prescription medicines like nifedipine or tamsulosin that relax your ureter to help stones pass through.
See your doctor right away if you have severe pain or signs of an infection or urinary blockage.
Show Sources
What Does A Ct Scan Of The Kidneys Show
CT scans of the kidneys are useful in the examination of one or both of the kidneys to detect conditions such as tumors or other lesions, obstructive conditions, such as kidney stones, congenital anomalies, polycystic kidney disease, accumulation of fluid around the kidneys, and the location of abscesses.
You May Like: Can Kidney Stones Make You Constipated
Should I Cut Calcium Out Of My Diet If I Develop Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stones
If you develop kidney stones composed of calcium, you may be tempted to stop eating foods that include calcium. However, this is the opposite of what you should do. If you have calcium oxalate stones, the most common type, its recommended that you have a diet higher in calcium and lower in oxalate.
Foods that are high in calcium include:
- Cows milk.
Its also important to drink plenty of fluids to dilute the substances in your urine.
Symptoms Of Kidney Stones
Small stones are unlikely to cause you much of a problem. Symptoms dont usually occur until the kidney stone has got to a size where it becomes stuck in either the kidney, ureters or urethra. A stone blocking the ureter can also cause a kidney infection to develop, which can cause a different set of symptoms.
If you have a large stone you may experience:
- Persistent ache in your lower back or groin
- Intense pain that comes in waves in your back, abdomen or groin that can last for several minutes or several hours
- Feeling generally uncomfortable or restless
- Nausea
Symptoms of a kidney infection include:
- A high temperature of 38C or higher
- Chills and shivering
- Cloudy and/ or foul smelling urine
Read Also: Is A 5mm Kidney Stone Passable
Treatment For Kidney Stones
Most kidney stones can be treated without surgery. Ninety per cent of stones pass by themselves within three to six weeks. In this situation, the only treatment required is pain relief. However, pain can be so severe that hospital admission and very strong pain-relieving medication may be needed. Always seek immediate medical attention if you are suffering strong pain.
Small stones in the kidney do not usually cause problems, so there is often no need to remove them. A doctor specialising in the treatment of kidney stones is the best person to advise you on treatment.
If a stone doesnt pass and blocks urine flow or causes bleeding or an infection, then it may need to be removed. New surgical techniques have reduced hospital stay time to as little as 48 hours. Treatments include:
What About Kidney Stones Are They Involved Here Somehow
Sort of. A kidney stone isnt an infection, but a collection of salt and minerals that hardens and turns into a stone. While some stones may be small others can be much larger. They may stay in the kidney, or begin to move into the ureter, the tube that connects the kidney and the bladder. When this happens, kidney stones can become extremely painful.
Kidney stones can be tricky, since they may have many of the same symptoms as a UTI or a kidney infection pain when urinating, needing to urinate often, and cloudy or strong smelling urine, blood in the urine, fever, nausea or vomiting. And while stones often pass on their own, larger stones sometimes need to be broken up, or removed.
Sometimes, kidney stones can lead to a urinary tract infection or a kidney infection, so its important to get them checked out by your doctor. And, since the symptoms are so similar, getting a checkup is probably a good idea anyway just to rule out the possibility of an infection, and to make sure the stone is moving along as it should.
Recommended Reading: Acv And Kidneys
Going A Small Amount At A Time
Large kidney stones sometimes get stuck in a ureter. This blockage can slow or stop the flow of urine.
If you have a blockage, you may only urinate a little bit each time you go. Urine flow that stops entirely is a medical emergency.
Its common for people with a kidney stone to have nausea and vomiting .
These symptoms happen because of shared nerve connections between the kidneys and GI tract . Stones in the kidneys can trigger nerves in the GI tract, setting off an upset stomach.
The nausea and vomiting can also be your bodys way of responding to intense pain .
How Do You Know If A Kidney Stone Is In Your Bladder
MSU Health Care Urology Clinic an Innovative and Collaborative Home to Urologic Care and Research The MSU Health Care Urology Clinic exists to cure or reduce suffering from urologic disease and disability within an.
Even if nothing is wrong, its far better to know than.
having a tube in your bladder. Long term or repeated UTIs Long term bladder stones An untreated.
Kidney stones are hard collections of salt and minerals often made up of calcium or uric acid. They form inside the kidney and can travel to other parts of the urinary tract. Stones vary in size. Some are as small as the period at the end o.
Heres what you need to know.
or kidney or bladder stones. Blood urea nitrogen measures the presence of urea nitrogen in the blood. Kidneys that are healthy will filter urea from your.
Kidney cysts can impair kidney function, although many are what are called simple cysts which do not result in health complications. Heres an overview of what kidney cysts are. When pouches of fluid form on or in the kidneys, this is known.
Relevant and reliable information on the prevention, treatment and scientific explanation of kidney stones. Over half a million people go to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems every year. Symptoms & signs Causes & stone types Calcium.
Urology 33 years experience. Ureter: More than likely the worse pain is when the stone is passing down the ureter and into bladder. You may get some pain or discomfort urinating the sto.
Don’t Miss: Is Watermelon Good For Kidney
Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
Typically, a kidney infection develops after a UTI has already affected your urethra the tube through which urine exits your body and your bladder. This area is known as your lower urinary tract.
If you recognize the earlier signs of a UTI, you can seek treatment and usually avoid a kidney infection. But its possible that your symptoms wont be severe enough to get your attention until the infection has spread to your kidneys.
Whether or not youre also experiencing kidney-specific symptoms, its important to look out for signs of a UTI affecting your lower urinary tract:
Painful Urination Known as dysuria, pain during urination is usually caused by inflammation in the lining of your urethra.
In addition to UTIs, dysuria can be caused by a number of other conditions, including vaginal yeast infections, kidney stones, and sexually transmitted infections .
Frequent Urination A UTI can cause frequent and intense urges to urinate, even when youve recently emptied your bladder.
Thats because an inflamed bladder from your infection may be more sensitive to pressure from your urine, giving you the sensation that your bladder is full even when its not.
What Do Kidney Stone Symptoms Feel Like
You’re probably already aware that passing a kidney stone can be incredibly painful. Perhaps you’ve heard someone compare the pain to childbirth. Or maybe someone mentioned their experience with kidney stones completely recalibrated how they rate pain. Ouch.
But while the most-discussed kidney stone symptom is often the pain where it’s felt and how bad it can get it’s not the only symptom to be aware of.
“Kidney stones are fairly common and often painful, but they’re also treatable and even preventable,” says Dr. Chris Kannady, urologist at Houston Methodist. “If you think you might have a kidney stone, it’s important to see your doctor as soon as possible since delaying care for a kidney stone can lead to serious complications.”
But, when all you’ve heard about kidney stones is how much they hurt, how can you tell if your pain might be kidney stone pain?
Also Check: Std Kidney Pain
What If The Infection Does Not Clear Up With Treatment
Most infections clear up with treatment. However, if an infection does not clear up, or if you have repeated infections, you may be given some special tests such as:
-
a type of x-ray called an intravenous pyleogram , which involves injecting a dye into a vein and taking pictures of your kidney and bladder
-
an ultrasound exam, which gives a picture of your kidneys and bladder using sound waves
-
a cytoscopic exam, which uses a hollow tube with special lenses to look inside the bladder.
How Are Kidney Stones Diagnosed
Most of the time, youll be able to pass your kidney stone without the help of a doctor. If your kidney stone gets stuck in the urinary tract, you may need your doctors help.
To determine if you have a kidney stone, your doctor will ask you about your symptoms. He or she will take a sample of your urine. Your doctor will order images of your kidneys and urinary tract.
Recommended Reading: Can Wine Cause Kidney Stones
Comparing Kidney Stones And Utis: Diet Changes
Diet can play a large role in both kidney stones and urinary tract infections. Making smart diet choices can help reduce your risk of either condition.
To prevent calcium oxalate stones, you should reduce your sodium intake, reduce animal proteins, get enough calcium from food sources to avoid taking supplements, and reduce your intake of foods high in oxalate like spinach, nuts, and wheat bran.
To prevent calcium phosphate stones, reduce sodium intake, reduce animal protein intake, and get enough calcium from food sources. To reduce the risk of uric acid stones, also limit animal proteins.
When you have a urinary tract infection, its recommended that you consume probiotic foods such as yogurt or kefir, bulk up on vitamin C foods , consume cranberries and blueberries, and limit your intake of sugary foods as bacteria thrive on sugar.
Related Reading:
Passing A Kidney Stone
Small kidney stones may pass on their own without treatment. A doctor may recommend drinking more fluids to help flush the stone out of the system.
In some cases, the doctor may prescribe the medication Tamsulosin. This drug relaxes the ureter, making it easier for stones to pass. Some people may also require over-the-counter or prescription pain relief medication.
According to the AUA, a person should wait no longer than 6 weeks to pass a small kidney stone. They should seek medical attention sooner if they experience worsening pain or an infection.
In some cases, a doctor may recommend surgery to place a ureteral stent to allow urine to bypass the stone, with or without removing the stone at the same time. According to the Urology Care Foundation, doctors usually reserve surgery for stones that may have caused or lead to infection or stones that do not pass and block urine flow from the kidney.
Don’t Miss: Watermelon For Kidneys