Favorite Kidney Stone Blogs
CareBlog is the blog of the Urology Care Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting urologic research and providing urologic health information to the public. The blog features information on kidney stones, as well as information on general urologic health .
Want to hear about kidney stones from people whove gone through the experience? Let this website, which was founded by Mike M. Nguyen, MD, MPH, an associate professor of urology at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, be your guide. You can read through essential information from experts, as well as patient accounts and contributor articles that answer questions you may be wondering about, such as: Do vegetarians get kidney stones? and Does drinking a lot of water help a stone pass faster?
With additional reporting by Lauren Bedosky.
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If The Kidney Stone Is Not Causing Any Symptoms Should I Still Be Treated
There are some instances when it is OK to leave a kidney stone untreated. If the stone is small and not causing any pain, there is a good chance that it will pass on its own after it falls into the ureter. Such stones may be followed with watchful waiting. This means that the stone is not actively treated, but instead your doctor keeps a check on the stone to be sure that it is not growing or changing. This can be done with periodic X-rays.
What Causes Kidney Stones
Kidney stones may form when there’s a change in the normal balance of the water, salts, and minerals found in urine. Different kinds of changes result in different types of kidney stones. There are many factors that can trigger changes in the urine, ranging from chronic medical conditions to what you eat and drink.
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Diagnosis Of Kidney Stones
Many kidney stones are discovered by chance during examinations for other conditions. Urine and blood tests can help with finding out the cause of the stone. Further tests may include:
- x-rays, including an intravenous pyelogram , where dye is injected into the bloodstream before the x-rays are taken.
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Huge Variety And Selection
The online platforms around the world are growing exponentially in size, and that applies to the selection of products as well. As they get more popular, more and more brands sign up to sell their products on online platforms.
They have a wide range of products across many categories, divided and organized well. This helps you find exactly what you are looking for easily. You may even get software-generated recommendations for products you may need. This includes urine strainer for kidney stones and many more.
Having a huge variety means that you can assess your preferences and choices. You can choose from a range of alternatives before purchasing. This is often not the case in most physical stores, where there is a limitation to the number of brands.
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Summarized Tips On Why You Should Buy From An Online Marketplace
In the year 2022, you have a multitude of options everytime you look to buy a new product. You have traditional retailers, department stores, online marketplaces, etc. We believe that for your next purchase, you should seriously consider online marketplaces.
Online platforms come with loads of facilities designed to make your entire shopping experience better. They are reputable, well regarded, and provide you with the opportunity to shop from your home and get the best deals.
A very important thing you get when buying from an online platform is flexibility and convenience. In our busy lives, it is quite hard to find the time to visit a physical store. Meanwhile, you can buy anything you want, including urine strainer for kidney stones from an online store, while you are taking a break at work or doing your chores.
As it should be clear to you by now, there are a multitude of benefits when you go with an online platform over physical stores. Some of the benefits are summarized below in a few key points:
How Common Are Uric Acid Stones
Researchers estimate that one in 10 people in the United States will have a kidney stone at some point in their lives. Theyre more common in men than women. For men, the lifetime risk is about 19%. For women, its about 9%.
Most people dont get kidney stones before age 30. But many cases can happen earlier in life, even among children.
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How Long Does It Take A Kidney Stone To Form
You can have kidney stones for years without knowing theyre there. As long as these stones stay in place within your kidney, you wont feel anything. Pain from a kidney stone typically starts when it moves out of your kidney. Sometimes, a stone can form more quickly within a few months.
Talk with your healthcare provider about your risk factors. They might do a 24-hour urine test to check how quickly you develop stones.
When To Strain Urine For A Kidney Stone
When to strain urine for a kidney stone? Urinate as needed into the urinal or container in accordance with your doctors instructions. This is typically from the first onset of kidney stone pain until passage of the stone is complete. Depending on the size and shape of the stone, this may take a few hours or as long as a few days. Strain the urine.
What to expect after a kidney stone treatment? What to Expect at Home. It is normal to have a small amount of blood in your urine for a few days to a few weeks after this procedure. You may have pain and nausea when the stone pieces pass. This can happen soon after treatment and may last for 4 to 8 weeks. You may have some bruising on your back or side where the stone was treated.
Is it normal to have blood in your urine after kidney stone surgery? This is expected and normal after this procedure. When the urine turns red, limit your activities and drink plenty of fluids. It is normal to experience bladder spasms, flank pain, and blood in your urine while the stent remains.
Is it possible to get another kidney stone? After the kidney stone has passed or after it is removed, another stone may form. People who have had a kidney stone in the past are more likely to get another stone in the future. If you have had a kidney stone, talk with your health care professional about your risk of getting another one.
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Is There Anything Else I Should Know
Not everyone who drinks too little liquid or who has an excess amount of a chemical in their urine will form kidney stones. Some stones will form in people for other reasons. Those who have had one kidney stone are at an increased risk for developing additional stones.
Other factors that can contribute to the formation or increased risk of kidney stones include:
- A family history of kidney stones
- Presence of a urinary tract infection
- Abnormalities in the structure of the kidneys and/or urinary tract
- Kidney disorders such as polycystic kidney disease, a condition characterized by the presence of numerous cysts in the kidney
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Signs And Symptoms Of Kidney Stones
Pain is a classic symptom of kidney stones, says Prakash N. Maniam, MD, a urologist at Oviedo Medical Center in Oviedo, Florida. The pain is usually sharp and felt along the sides of the torso. It may radiate around to the abdomen and into the groin area as the stone moves through the urinary tract system, he says.
As the stone moves along the tract, it can block the natural flow of urine, which causes the kidney to swell, Dr. Maniam explains. The swelling activates nerves, which sends signals that are interpreted by the brain as an intense visceral pain, he says.
More than half a million people go to the emergency room because of kidney stones every year.
In addition to pain, blood in the urine and a burning sensation during urination are other common symptoms of kidney stones, says Maalouf. Sometimes with severe pain, patients develop nausea and vomiting, he adds.
If stone pain and fever develop, go directly to the ER, advises Timothy F. Lesser, MD, a urologist at Torrance Memorial Medical Center in Torrance, California. Fever is a sign of infection. Notably, a kidney stone with a urinary tract infection may cause and must be treated immediately.
Other symptoms of a kidney stone can include frequent urination, a strong need to urinate, what looks like gravel in the urine, urine that smells bad, and cloudy urine.
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What Is Shock Wave Lithotripsy
Shock wave lithotripsy is a common treatment for kidney stones. Providers sometimes call this procedure extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy .
Shock wave lithotripsy uses high-energy shock waves to break up stones. Tiny pieces of kidney stones can then move through the urinary tract more easily.
Shock wave lithotripsy may help reduce your symptoms and allow you to pass the kidney stones on your own. It may help you avoid more invasive surgery to remove kidney stones.
Kidney Stone Causes And Risk Factors
Both men and women can get kidney stones, but menâs chances of getting them are about double that of womenâs.
Itâs often hard to figure out what caused a kidney stone. But they happen when your urine has high levels of certain minerals. These include:
If you donât have enough urine in your body to water down the high concentration of minerals, stones can form. Think about stirring up your favorite drink from a powder mix. If you donât add enough liquid — say, water or juice — the powder will clump up and turn into hard, dry chunks.
Things that can raise your risk for kidney stones include:
- Some medications like triamterene , a diuretic that treats high blood pressure antiseizure drugs corticosteroids and protease inhibitors like indinavir sulfate for HIV.
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Factors You Should Consider Before Buying The Kidney Stone Strainer
As you already know, research is essential before making any purchase. So, there are some factors you should consider before starting your research. This is important so that you can make your entire buying process as hassle-free as possible.
Remember, your time has as much value as your money. So, there are a few things you should determine which will affect your research as well.
There are a few questions you should ask yourself to determine your course of research on the kidney stone strainer:
- Is this kidney stone strainer serving the purpose of purchase? What are your expectations from the product?
- What functions must the kidney stone strainer have? Are there any specific functions that you are seeking in the product?
- Is there a specific budget, or is the budget flexible?
- Will the kidney stone strainer require maintenance and upkeep costs?
- Are you looking to buy the kidney stone strainer online or offline? What will be the best places to purchase the product?
- Where will you seek reliable information on the kidney stone strainer?
Having multiple options from various brands can get confusing, so ask yourself these questions to narrow down your research.
Once you determine your expectations from the kidney stone strainer and your price range, you decide which ones you must research. The research will help you determine the pros and cons. But before that, where will you get the reliable information to conduct your research?
How Are Uric Acid Stones Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will ask you about your medical history and do a physical exam. Then your provider will do other diagnostic procedures, including:
- Blood tests: A blood test can detect too much uric acid or calcium in your blood. These tests can also suggest or rule out other conditions that may be causing your symptoms.
- Urine test: Your provider may ask you to do a 24-hour urine test. You collect your urine over 24 hours so your provider can test it for calcium and uric acid.
- Imaging: You may need a CT scan or ultrasound to find uric acid stones in your urinary tract. These imaging scans can help find even small stones. Usually, providers dont use abdominal X-rays because they may miss smaller stones.
- Stone analysis: You may need to urinate using a special strainer to catch any stones you pass. Your provider will send the stone to a laboratory for analysis to figure out what type of kidney stone it is. Analyzing the stone helps your provider determine the cause and how you can prevent it from happening again.
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Use Sodium Intake Cautiously
A sodium-rich diet can trigger kidney stones forming because it increases the volume of calcium in the urine.
According to federal guidelines, you need to limit 2,300 mg sodium per day.
If sodium was the main cause of your kidney stones, then you should cut down on your sodium consumption to 1,500 mg.
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What Is A Kidney Stone
Kidney stones are small, hard deposits of mineral and acid salts that form on the inner surface of the kidneys, Roger Sur, M.D., director of the Comprehensive Kidney Stone Center at UC San Diego Health, tells SELF.
True to their name, kidney stones look like little pebbles that can vary in color , texture , and size , according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases . In rare nightmare scenarios, they can even reach the size of a golf ball .
Kidney stones are made of minerals normally found in your pee, like calcium, oxalate, and phosphorus, that dont cause issues at low levels, the NIDDK explains. As these minerals start to accumulate and crystalize, they can begin to stick togetheroften when the urine becomes more concentrated, the Mayo Clinic explains, which can happen due to things like dehydration.
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A Brief Explanation Of Why It’s A Good Idea To Buy From An Online Marketplace
New products will be available in 2022 with a wide range of options. Traditional merchants, department stores, internet marketplaces, and so on are all options. If you are planning to make a purchase in the near future, we recommend seriously considering internet markets.
Your overall shopping experience can be improved through the features offered by online platforms. Shop from home for the best prices on a well-known and respected website.
Online shopping is convenient and easy. Our hectic lives make it difficult to find a real store. An internet store allows you to buy anything you want, including kidney stone strainer, while you are at work.
Online platforms have several advantages over physical businesses, as you should now know. Some advantages can be found in the following areas:
SPECIAL OFFERS
Online marketplaces often offer the best deals on the market. Many retailers offer kidney stone strainer. The extensive dealer and supplier networks and efficient supply chain management of online platforms, on the other hand, can often undercut rival physical stores.
Online platforms often offer discounts and promotions around holidays such as Black Friday. The offers you’ll find here aren’t available anywhere else.
RELIABILITY ON A ROCK
In an online shop, one of your main concerns is the quality of the product, especially if you haven’t checked it personally. As a result, you are unable to inspect the product before purchasing, so you must rely on the website.
What Can I Do To Avoid More Stones
Drink more water. Try to drink 12 full glasses of water a day. Drinking lots of water helps to flush away the substances that form stones in the kidneys. You can also drink ginger ale, lemon-lime sodas, and fruit juices. But water is best. Limit your coffee, tea, and cola to 1 or 2 cups a day because the caffeine may cause you to lose fluid too quickly. Try to drink 12 full glasses of water every day. Your doctor may ask you to eat more of some foods and to cut back on other foods. For example, if you have a uric acid stone, your doctor may ask you to eat less meat, because meat breaks down to make uric acid. If you are prone to forming calcium oxalate stones, you may need to limit foods that are high in oxalate. These foods include rhubarb, beets, spinach, and chocolate. The doctor may give you medicines to prevent calcium and uric acid stones.
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Why Do I Need To Know The Kind Of Stone
The therapy your doctor gives you depends on the type of stone you have. For example, a medicine that helps prevent calcium stones will not work if you have a struvite stone. The diet changes that help prevent uric acid stones may not work to prevent calcium stones. Therefore, careful analysis of the stone will help guide your treatment.
How Are Ureteral Stones Treated
Treatment of ureteral stones depends on the size and location of the stones and the substances from which they are formed. Treatment may also be directed by your current circumstances, such as obesity, the use of anticoagulants , and other considerations. The size and location of the stone will give you an idea of the likelihood that you can pass it.
If you have larger stones and your urinary tract is blocked, a urologist may treat you with the following:
- Shock wave lithotripsy: During this procedure, you are set up with a machine that produces focused shock waves to break up the stones. The small pieces of the stones then pass through your urinary tract when you urinate. This is the least invasive option.
- Ureteroscopy: The urologist feeds a long tube with an eyepiece, called an ureteroscope, into your urethra . The doctor feeds the scope through the bladder into the ureter, finds the stones, and removes or breaks them up with lasers.
- Percutaneous nephrolithotomy: This procedure, which is used for larger or irregularly shaped stones, uses a scope to find and remove the stones. The scope is inserted directly into your kidney through a small incision in your back.
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