How To Stop Kidney Stone Pain Immediately

Does Hydrocodone Work For Kidney Stone Pain

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For Urinary Tract Infections

Since three of the most common causes of kidney discomfort occur in the urinary tract, here are some remedies to relieve pain in the kidneys related to the urinary tract:

1. Stay Hydrated

Hydration is key to relieving pain in the kidneys since water will help flush bacteria out of the body. Plus, staying hydrated will help clear out the urinary tract as a whole and work to eliminate any possible infections.

Many specialists recommend the 8×8 rule, meaning you should drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water a day. However, water intake is highly dependant on you and your health, so take this article into consideration when determining your daily amount of water intake.

2. Drink Cranberry Juice

While not scientifically proven, cranberry juice is known to be a remedy for urinary tract infections. If you choose to alternate between cranberry juice and water, be sure to choose a cranberry juice that isnt packed full of additional sweeteners. A cranberry supplement or pure cranberry juice is always the best way to go!

3. Take Probiotics

Its no secret that probiotics are beneficial for you, especially when it comes to fighting bacteria and kidney pain. Studies show that probiotics can improve kidney function and assist in processing waste too.

4. Drink Parsley Juice

You can also mix parsley into a smoothie to make drinking it more bearable. Check out these recipes for inspiration!

5. Take a Warm Epsom Salt Bath

6. Apply Heat

7. Use Non-Aspirin Pain Killers

Medicine To Prevent Stones

Which medicine you take depends on the type of stones you have.

Calcium stones

• Thiazides.

Uric acid stones

Some kidney stones are made of uric acid, a waste product that normally exits the body in the urine. To prevent these types of stones, you may take:

• Allopurinol.
• Sodium bicarbonate.

Cystine stones

A very small number of stones are made of a chemical called cystine. Medicines to prevent them include:

• Penicillamine.
• Captopril.

Struvite stones

Some struvite stones form because of frequent kidney infections. If you have a struvite stone, you will most likely need antibiotics to cure the infection and help prevent new stones from forming. You may need surgery to remove the stone.

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Take Steps To Bypass Kidney Stones

Even though kidney stones can be common and recur once youve had them, there are simple ways to help prevent them. Here are some strategies that can help:

1. Drink enough water. A 2015 meta-analysis from the National Kidney Foundation found that people who produced 2 to 2.5 liters of urine daily were 50% less likely to develop kidney stones than those who produced less. It takes about 8 to 10 8-ounce glasses of water daily to produce that amount.

2. Skip high-oxalate foods. Such foods, which include spinach, beets, and almonds, obviously raise oxalate levels in the body. However, moderate amounts of low-oxalate foods, such as chocolate and berries, are okay.

3. Enjoy some lemons. Citrate, a salt in citric acid, binds to calcium and helps block stone formation. “Studies have shown that drinking ½ cup of lemon juice concentrate diluted in water each day, or the juice of two lemons, can increase urine citrate and likely reduce kidney stone risk,” says Dr. Eisner.

4. Watch the sodium. A high-sodium diet can trigger kidney stones because it increases the amount of calcium in your urine. Federal guidelines suggest limiting total daily sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams . If sodium has contributed to kidney stones in the past, try to reduce your daily sodium to 1,500 mg.

Why Do I Feel Pain In My Right Kidney

If you have pain in the area of your right kidney, it could be caused by a relatively common kidney problem, such as a urinary tract infection or kidney stone. Pain in the area of your right kidney might also be caused by a more uncommon condition such as renal vein thrombosis or polycystic kidney disease .

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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.

How Does Passing A Kidney Stone Feel

Small stones can pass without any symptoms at all, but larger stones can be a problem.

As long as the stone is in the kidney and not blocking the flow of urine, you probably wont feel it. Eventually, the stone leaves the kidney and enters the ureter on its way to the bladder.

The ureters are tiny, about 1/8 inch wide, so if a stone cant move through, its hard for urine to flow.

This can cause swelling and incredibly painful spasms . Youll feel a sharp, stabbing pain in your side or back, below the ribcage. Pain sometimes radiates to the groin and genitals.

You might find that the intensity of the pain changes as you change position and as the stone continues its journey through your urinary tract. Youll probably find it near impossible to lie still, tossing and turning in an effort to stop the pain. Pain can subside for several hours before returning.

• vomiting
• blood in the urine

The pain tends to ease up once the stone reaches the bladder. If the stone is small, or has broken into small pieces, you may not feel it as it flows from the bladder, through the urethra, and out with the urine.

Stones dont usually block the urethra, since its twice as wide as the ureters, but a larger stone can cause resurgence of pain.

It takes an average of 31 days to pass a small stone. Stones 4 millimeters or larger may take longer or require a medical procedure to assist.

• chills, fever

• imaging tests to check for additional stones or other problems
• 24-hour urine collection
• blood work

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Prevention Tips For Kidney Pain

Kidney pain is commonly caused by urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and direct trauma, so kidney pain prevention entails preventing these causes. Heres what you can do to reduce your risk of developing kidney pain:

• Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water to promote urination and expel bacteria.
• Dont hold in your urine.
• After a bowel movement, wipe front to back in order to discourage bacterial movement from the rectum into the urethra.
• Take showers as opposed to baths.
• Gently wash skin around the vagina and anus do not use harsh soap or scrub vigorously.
• Empty your bladder as soon as possible after intercourse.
• Avoid the use of scented deodorants and scented feminine hygiene products near the genitals.
• Eat a low-oxalate diet.

Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University . He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India. On a three-year communications program in Germany, Mohan developed a keen interest in German Medicine , and other alternative systems of medicine. He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs. An ardent squash player, Mohan believes in the importance of fitness and wellness.

When To See Your Urologist

While it would be nice to avoid the doctors office for kidney pain, its not always possible. Sometimes, the pain is not treatable using an at-home remedy and youll need to see your doctor or urologist to get relief. It should also be noted that just because you experience pain relief, doesnt mean that your infection is gone. To make sure that the infection doesnt spread to other parts of your body and cause further complications, you need to get a proper diagnosis and treat the problem. If you have a high fever, blood in your urine, vomiting, or chills, see your doctor immediately.1 If you experience back, groin, or abdominal pain, see your doctor.3 always better to seek medical treatment early to treat any serious infections and reduce the risks of complications or severe problems.

If you have kidney stones, but the pain is persistent and youre unable to pass them on your own, your urologist will recommend additional treatments. There are a number of different things that can be done to reduce the size of kidney stones and make them easier to pass naturally. Call your doctor if the pain persists and youre unable to pass kidney stones on your own.

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So Now Is The Time To Pamper Your Kidneys

If youre experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should see your health practitioner and have a check-up, including tests to assess your kidney function.

And you should also make sure youre helping your kidneys stay in top shape by doing a thorough cleanse.

Even if you dont have any of these signs, a systemic cleanse is like a spa day for your kidneys. It helps them get in top shape and avoid damage and disease. This is why OsteoCleanse, The 7 Day Bone Building Accelerator was developed in conjunction with the Osteoporosis Reversal Program.

OsteoCleanse is not just about alkalizing your body, feeling younger and more energized, and removing osteoporosis drugs from your system. It does all of these things in just seven days, but at the heart of OsteoCleanses effectiveness are its kidney-boosting, liver-cleansing effects so youll strengthen and build your bones faster.

Its always a good idea to heed early warning signs and treat your kidneys to a cleanse before damage occurs, and its particularly important to offset the effects of aging on your renal system.

Not All Kidney Pain Is Treatable With At

While these solutions may help relieve, or in some cases eliminate, mild kidney pain, they will not stop infections from spreading. When left untreated, even the occasional UTI can turn into something more severe, which is why its always in your best interest to contact your urologist when you are experiencing any type of pain in your kidneys.

Based on your symptoms, an in-office visit may not be required. Talk to your urologist and ask questions about the type of pain you are experiencing. They will be able to tell you if at-home remedies are possible, or if you need to schedule an appointment.

As always, feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. And dont forget to download our Nutrition & Lifestyle Guide before you go for more health and wellness tips from our urological experts!

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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.

Types Of Kidney Stones

Kidney stonesvary in composition depending on the type of minerals in the urine:

• Calcium forms about 80 percent of kidney stones mostly calcium oxalate and, in some cases, calcium phosphate.
• Uric acid crystals tend to form stones in acidic urine. The following contribute to acidic urine: excess weight, chronic diarrhea, type 2 diabetes, gout and diets high in protein and low in fruits and vegetables.
• Struvite forms in alkaline urine, often related to chronic urinary tract infections.
• Cystine is an amino acid that forms stones when in high concentration, due to a rare inherited condition. This is the rarest form of kidney stones.

Stones that form in your kidneys are not the same as bladder stones. Bladder stones develop in different ways. But small kidney stones may travel down the ureters into your bladder and, if not expelled, can grow into bladder stones.

The most common cause of kidney stones is dehydration. Youre not drinking enough water to dilute the concentration of minerals in your urine.

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Get Care From An Expert

Kidney stonesare formed when there are more of certain chemicals in the urine than fluid to dilute forming a crystal. That crystal tries tomake its way out of your system through the urinary tract. Sadly, the urethrais smaller than the stone, so its a painful process. Symptoms of kidney stones can include intense pain inthe lower abdomen or back, blood in your urine, or a blockage that stops youfrom being able to urinate. If the pain you are feeling resemblesone of the stories above, get to your healthcare provider fast. They can helpwith some of the pain and put a treatment plan together.

Risk Factors You Can Control

Things you can control include:

• How much fluid you drink. The most common cause of kidney stones is not drinking enough water. Try to drink enough water to keep your urine light yellow or clear like water .
• Your diet. Diets high in protein, sodium, and oxalate-rich foods, such as dark green vegetables, increase your risk for kidney stones. If you think that your diet may be a problem, schedule an appointment with a dietitian and review your food choices.

Being overweight. This can cause both insulin resistance and increased calcium in the urine, which can result in a greater risk for kidney stones.

Medicine. Some medicines, such as acetazolamide and indinavir , can cause kidney stones to form.

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What Are The Most Common Types Of Kidney Stones

The most common type of kidney stone is a calcium oxalate stone. This type happens when calcium and oxalate combine in your urine. It can happen when you have high quantities of oxalate, low amounts of calcium and arent drinking enough fluids.

Stones caused by uric acid are also fairly common. These come from a natural substance called purine, which is a byproduct of animal proteins .

Why Passing A Kidney Stone Can Be So Painful

Think of the urinary tract system as your bodys plumbing system, explains Timothy F. Lesser, MD, a urologist at Torrance Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles. The kidney makes urine, which spills into the ureter, a tiny tube that transports the urine from the kidney down to the bladder. The bladder fills, then empties. “‘Passing a stone’ a stone traveling from the kidney down to the bladder, and traversing the length of the ureter, he says. The stone leaves the urinary tract through the urethra, the tube that transports urine outside the body from the bladder.

A stone passing is so painful because the kidney itself is exquisitely sensitive, explains Dr. Lesser. When a stone blocks the flow of urine through the urinary tract, backed-up urine can put pressure on the kidney, resulting in pain.

It is thought that the kidney itself does not have nerves with classical pain fibers, says John C. Lieske, MD, a consultant in the division of nephrology and hypertension at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. But the tissue surrounding the kidney called the capsule does contain nerve fibers that transmit pain. Backed-up urine swells and expands the capsule, he says.

This swelling activates those nerve fibers, causing signals that are interpreted by the brain as an intense, visceral pain, says Prakash N. Maniam, MD, a urologist at the Medical Specialty Group at Poinciana in Kissimmee, Florida.

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Dietary Calcium And Kidney Stones

Only lower your calcium intake below that of a normal diet if instructed by your doctor. Decreased calcium intake is only necessary in some cases where absorption of calcium from the bowel is high.

A low-calcium diet has not been shown to be useful in preventing the recurrence of kidney stones and may worsen the problem of weak bones. People with calcium-containing stones may be at greater risk of developing weak bones and osteoporosis. Discuss this risk with your doctor.

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

This means using a machine to send shock waves from outside your body to break up the stone. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy doesnt always work as well as other treatments, but it means less time in hospital and a lower risk of complications.

The shock waves break the stone into fragments small enough to be passed in your urine. You may feel some pain as the stone breaks up, so youll usually have a sedative and a painkiller. The treatment takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on how big the stone is. You need to lie as still as possible. You should be able to go home within a couple of hours.

The procedure can cause skin blistering or bruising. This should disappear after about a week. You can use skin cream to soothe your skin. You may have some pain and bleeding as you pass the stone fragments. Contact your doctor if this is severe.

You may need to have ESWL more than once to completely get rid of your kidney stones. It may not be suitable if youre pregnant, if your blood doesnt clot properly or if you get a lot of urine infections. Being obese can make it harder to target the stone. You may need to have medical expulsive therapy afterwards to get rid of any fragments.

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