What Are The Symptoms
Kidney stone sufferers may tell you that trying to pass a kidney stone is the worst pain they have ever experienced in their lifetime . Some of the most common signs and symptoms of kidney stones include the following:
- Sudden, severe pain that waxes and wanes in intensity. Common areas afflicted include the back, groin, abdomen, side, and genitals.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Blood in the urine or abnormal urine colors
- Frequent and painful urination
Though kidney stones are not normally life-threatening situations, they are typically not a pleasant experience. And its not unusual to suffer from so much pain that you make your way to the emergency room to find out what is going on.
Climate Change As A Risk Factor
Besides metabolic conditions increasing kidney stone risk, theres another component that may increase the risk over time for the whole population: climate change. Researchers have long noted a correlation between kidney stone rates and temperature, notes Sweet.
Here in the U.S., we call it the Stone Belt: hotter, drier climates in the Southeast and South show a higher prevalence of stones and stone patients. We already know heat is a risk factor, as well as fluid intake, he says.
If you are extremely active and not replenishing fluids in hot, dry weather, that can also increase your risk of developing kidney stones.
Can A Large Kidney Stone Cause An Injury
Your risk of injury from a kidney stone can go up based on the size and location of the stone. A larger stone could get stuck in a ureter, causing pressure to build up. This can lead to renal failure and, in the worst-case scenario, you could lose your kidney. The chance of passing a 1 cm stone is less than 10%, and stones larger than 1 cm typically dont pass.
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Take An Epsom Salt Bath
Both Epsom salts and warm water can ease pain. This can help make the uncomfortable side effects of the kidney infection a little more tolerable while you wait for the antibiotics to take effect.
Since abdominal pain is sometimes a symptom of antibiotics, as well as kidney infections, Epsom salts could also help even after symptoms from the kidney infection are resolved.
Whats The Outlook For Kidney Stones
The outlook for kidney stones is very positive, although there is a risk of recurrence . Many kidney stones pass on their own over time without needing treatment. Medications and surgical treatments to remove larger kidney stones are generally very successful and involve little recovery time.
Its possible to get kidney stones multiple times throughout your life. If you keep developing kidney stones, your healthcare provider may work with you to discover why the stones happen. Once the cause is found, you may be able to make dietary changes to prevent future stones.
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Considering Your Risk Factors
How To Prevent Kidney Stones
While there is no way to completely rule out the chance of developing a kidney stone, there are steps that can be taken to decrease your odds. One of the most important preventative measures to kidney stones is to drink enough water each day at least 64 ounces is the recommended daily value by most healthcare providers.
Other tips include:
- Consume less sodium
- Consume less sugar
- Consume less animal protein
- Consume less oxalate-rich foods
- Avoid vitamin C supplements
Best practice for avoiding kidney stones centers around consuming enough daily purified water, maintaining a healthy weight, and basing a diet around vegetables, fruits, and other fibrous foods.
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How Are Children Treated For Kidney Stones
Most childrens kidney stones can be treated with the shock wave lithotripsy , a completely non-invasive procedure. Your child is placed under anesthesia and sound waves of specific frequencies are focused on the stones to shatter them into fragments small enough to be easily passed during urination.
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Quick Read Yes Women Can Get Kidney Stones
- Kidney stones are being diagnosed in women at increasing rates.
- Obesity, diabetes and associated conditions increase kidney stone risk in women.
- Other risk factors include climate change and hot, dry climates.
While youve likely heard of kidney stones , theres a lot of misconceptions about these pebble-like deposits.
Kidney stones are hard formations that develop in your kidneys when there is a high concentration of substances like calcium, oxalate, uric acid and phosphorus in your urine. They can vary in color, density, location and shape, and range in size from as small as a grain of sand to, in rare cases, as large as a spikey golf ball.
Perhaps the most common misconception is that kidney stones only happen to men, but this is simply not true. Around 11% of men and 6% of women are diagnosed with kidney stones in their lifetime, and this gender gap is closing as women are diagnosed at increasing rates.
While some of this is likely due to improved sensitivity of imaging even tiny, symptom-free stones can be seen with todays advanced technology much of the increase can likely be attributed to common health-related challenges: our ongoing obesity epidemic and the health challenges posed by our diets and sedentary lifestyles.
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When Should You See A Doctor
Consult a doctor for any discomfort symptoms or signs that suggest kidney stones. Visiting your doctor or visiting an emergency room to check for kidney stone symptoms in these situations:
- You are experiencing a series of intense and severe abdominal pain.
- Your urine appears like blood or pink
- The pain of the groin or flank is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and fever. It can also be accompanied by chills, chills, or fever.
- Only small amounts of urine
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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.
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How Do Doctors Treat Kidney Stones
The treatment for a kidney stone depends on:
- The size of the stone
- The type of stone
- If the stone is causing you pain
- If the stone is blocking your urinary tract
If your kidney stone is small, your doctor may have you take pain medicine and drink fluids to help push the stone through your urinary tract and out through your urine .
If your kidney stone is large or if it is blocking your urinary tract, a different treatment may be needed. Treatment options include:
The 4 Stages Of Passing A Kidney Stone
Your kidneys work hard to remove fluid and waste from the body. During this process, kidney stones can sometimes form. Kidney stones are hardened mineral deposits that can form in the urinary tract. They often pass unnoticed or can be extremely painful and require treatment.
This article provides a look at the four main stages of passing a kidney stone.
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Let Kidney Stones Pass
Stones typically take several weeks to a few months to pass, depending on the number of stones and their size. Over-the-counter pain medications, like ibuprofen , acetaminophen , or naproxen , can help you endure the discomfort until the stones pass. Your doctor also may prescribe an alpha blocker, which relaxes the muscles in your ureter and helps pass stones quicker and with less pain.
If the pain becomes too severe, or if they are too large to pass, they can be surgically removed with a procedure called a ureteroscopy. Here, a small endoscope is passed into the bladder and up the ureter while you are under general anesthesia. A laser breaks up the stones, and then the fragments are removed.
Are Kidney Stones Real Stones
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Also question is, what are the first signs of kidney stones?
Here are eight signs and symptoms that you may have kidney stones.
- Pain in the back, belly, or side.
- Pain or burning during urination.
- Urgent need to go.
- Going a small amount at a time.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Fever and chills.
Likewise, can kidney stones kill you? Passing a kidney stone can be very painful, but usually it doesn’t lead to serious problems or complications. Untreated kidney stones can block the urinary tract and increase the risk of a urinary tract infection or put added strain on the kidneys. Can kidney stones kill you?
Considering this, what causes kidney stones?
Kidney stones form when your urine contains more crystal-forming substances â such as calcium, oxalate and uric acid â than the fluid in your urine can dilute. At the same time, your urine may lack substances that prevent crystals from sticking together, creating an ideal environment for kidney stones to form.
What color are kidney stones when they come out?
Composition
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Kidney Stones In The Elderly
Kidney stones are as painful as they sound.
Anyone who has been through the experience of having kidney stones will confirm this.
One of the things we strive to do here on the blog is to educate you on common healthcare problems you can expect to encounter as a caregiver and how you can offer your assistance when these problems arise.
- What kidney stones are and symptoms
- The kind of medical care you can expect for kidney stones in the elderly
- What complications can arise from kidney stones
- The kind of support you can provide your elderly loved one during an episode with kidney stones
Kidney Stones On The Rise Among Women
HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Feb. 13, 2018 — Kidney stones are becoming more common, especially in women, new research has found.
Better diagnostic tools could be part of the reason for the steady rise in diagnoses, according to Mayo Clinic researchers.
By using CT scans, “we are now diagnosing symptomatic kidney stones that previously would have gone undiagnosed because they would not have been detected,” lead researcher Dr. Andrew Rule said in a Mayo news release.
Rule and his colleagues analyzed the records of more than 7,200 residents of Olmsted County, Minn., who were diagnosed with kidney stones for the first time between 1984 and 2012.
The investigators found that women — especially those 18 to 39 years old — developed stones more often than men. They were most likely to have so-called infection stones, blamed on chronic urinary tract infections.
Bladder stones were less common. However, they were found more often in men, because of blockages involving the prostate gland.
People prone to kidney stones should make some changes to their diet to help prevent recurrences, the researchers advised. This may include drinking more water, reducing salt intake and eating less meat.
The researchers noted that their findings may not apply to everyone because study participants were mainly white. White people have a higher risk for kidney stones than other racial groups, they said.
The findings are published in the March issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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What You Need To Know About Kidney Stones
Aug 07, 2019Cedars-Sinai Staff
Passing a kidney stone is said to be some of the most severe physical pain a person can experience.
You may picture someone passing a kidney stone in excruciating pain while a small rock moves through their bladder, but according to Dr. Brian Benway, director of the Comprehensive Kidney Stone Program, pain peaks much earlier in the stones journey.
Nothing subtle about a kidney stone
Contrary to popular belief, passing a kidney stone once it reaches the bladder isnt the painful part, says Dr. Benway.
The pain usually starts once the stone has migrated from the kidney into the ureter, the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder.
Basically, for the first-timer with a kidney stone, the symptoms are not subtle.
The pain is usually sudden and quite severe on one side of your back and it can cause immediate nausea and vomiting, says Dr. Benway
Basically, for the first-timer with a kidney stone, the symptoms are not subtle.
This sudden pain will begin to ebb and flow after the first few hours, gradually getting better after a few days. Dr. Benway says you shouldnt wait for the pain to easeseek evaluation right away.
Along with pain, kidney stones can sometimes be associated with infection, which will present itself as a fever, he says.
Go to the ER right away if you have strong pain with nausea or fever.
How Kidney Stones Affect Women
While womens overall lifetime risk is lower than mens, obesity, diabetes and associated metabolic syndromes have narrowed the gap, according to Dr. Robert Sweet, medical director of the Kidney Stone Center at UW Medical Center Northwest.
Plus, a recent epidemiological study spanning decades demonstrates that people who develop symptoms from kidney stones tend to be female, with the highest increase in incident rates between women ages 18 to 39. Women also had a higher frequency of infected stones as a result of recurrent urinary tract infections .
Womens risk of getting stones is greater than for men if they are obese, says Sweet. When women who have these other conditions have a kidney stone, they are also more likely to have complex stones that are more difficult to treat and have accompanying urinary tract infections and pain that reduces quality of life.
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Calcium Oxalate And Calcium Phosphate Stones
Calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stones, and can be either calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate. As mentioned, good hydration is important to prevent calcium stones. It may be surprising, but results of a randomized clinical trial show that people with calcium kidney stones should not cut back on dietary calcium. In fact, they should consume the recommended daily allowance of calcium . Why? Calcium binds to oxalate in the intestine and prevents its absorption through the gut, so there is less in the urine to form stones. Ideally, calcium should come from food. Talk with your doctor before taking calcium supplements, and increasing fluid intake might be beneficial depending on how much calcium you take.
Foods high in oxalates can increase the amount of oxalate in the urine. Consume these in moderation.
Calcium phosphate stones are less common than calcium oxalate stones. Causes include hyperparathyroidism , renal tubular acidosis , and urinary tract infections. It is important to understand if one of these conditions is behind the formation of calcium phosphate stones.
Good hydration can help prevent recurrence of calcium stones. In addition, thiazide diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide can help the kidney absorb more calcium, leaving less of it in the urine where it can form stones. Potassium citrate is another medication that can bind to calcium and help keep calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate in the urine from forming into stones.
Water To Flush The Infection
Most kidney diseases are due to improper drinking habits. People either drink excess water or never notice their very low consumption of water.
Drinking very low water makes it easy for kidney infections to spread to the organ.
Excess of water will lead to low sodium levels in the blood and it is very dangerous.
Therefore, you must try to be conscious about how much water your drink every day. Never drink water if you arent thirsty.
Drink only when you are thirsty. Thirst is an important signal from our body that indicates the need for water. So, drink only water when you are thirsty.
Dont drink any other liquid items such as juices when you are thirsty. It will not quench your thirst as well as doesnt help the kidneys.
While drinking water, dont rush it. Find a comfortable spot to sit and take small sips. Do not gulp the entire bottle in one go. Try to take small sips and feel the thirst-quenching with every sip.
Following this treatment will solve most kidney-related problems.
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