What Is A Kidney Stone
Kidney stones are formed by a buildup of different minerals in your body. Minerals like calcium, oxalate and phosphorus can become concentrated and form stones that can range in size. Kidney stones can be as small as a grain of sand or as big as a pearl. In some cases, they can be larger.
Kidney stones either stay in your kidneys or travel through your ureters and out of your body with your urine, says INTEGRIS family medicine physician Dr. Ashley Cochran.
Depending on where the kidney stone is located, you may have pain in your back, your side or your groin. This pain is severe, sudden, and is often described as being like childbirth, Dr. Cochran says. It is also associated with nausea and vomiting, and you may notice blood or feel pain when you urinate.
Gallstone Vs Kidney Stone: Differences Based On The Types Of The Stones
Gallstone can be divided in to two types, namely cholesterol gallstone and pigment gall stone. Pigment gall stone is most commonly seen in people suffering from liver diseases, infected bile tubes in patients with blood disorders.
Kidney stones are divided in to 4 prime types namely, calcium stones, uric acid stones, struvite stones, cysteine stones. Cysteine stones are rarely found and mostly found in patients with cystinosis, cystinuria, and Fanconi syndrome.
A Conversation About Kidney Stones And Gallstones
A kidney stone is a solid piece of material that forms from the crystallization of substances in urine. Its estimated that one in ten people in the U.S. will have a kidney stone at some time. Chances are, you have already experienced a kidney stone or know someone who has experienced one.
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Don’t Underestimate Your Sweat
Saunas, hot yoga and heavy exercise may be good for your health, but they also may lead to kidney stones. Why? Loss of water through sweating – whether due to these activities or just the heat of summerleads to less urine production. The more you sweat, the less you urinate, which allows for stone-causing minerals to settle and bond in the kidneys and urinary tract.
One of the best measures you can take to avoid kidney stones is to drink plenty of water, leading you to urinate a lot. So, be sure to keep well hydrated, especially when engaging in exercise or activities that cause a lot of sweating.
Summary Of Gallstones Vs Kidney Stones Pain
- Gallstones pain is focused in the upper right side of the abdomen and between the shoulder blades.
- Kidney stones pain starts in the middle of the back and usually moves down as the stones move towards the bladder.
- Both gallstones and kidney stones cause severe disabling pain when stones become lodged in a duct.
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Gallstone Vs Kidney Stone
Kidney stones are hard crystalline structures that are formed within the kidney or urinary tract while gallstones are hard lumps that develop in the gallbladder or bile duct. These stones differ in their position and composition in the body. Kidney stone patients are more likely to be men while gallstone patients are more likely to be women. Both kidney stones and gallstones are often asymptomatic until the stones grow too large, at which time the patient experiences excruciating pain.
Whatare The Causes Of Kidney Stones
Kidney filters the blood which is then converted into urine. Kidney stone is formed when mineral deposits build up in the kidneys. Insufficient liquid intake is the reason behind this. Kidneys use fluids in order to process minerals ordinarily so if there is insufficient liquid your kidneys wont be able to process the mineral and the minerals buildup proficiently. This may lead to stone formation in Kidney.
Some of the other causes of kidney stones include obesity, diet, heredity, age, and calcium supplements. It is observed that kidney stones are more dominant in men over 40. If youve one stone then youve got a 50% chance of developing another over the next 10 years.
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When Should You Call A Doctor Or Go To The Emergency Room
You should call your doctor if you have any symptoms of gallbladder pain that concern you.
Certain complications of a gallstone attack can be serious or life threatening. You should seek immediate medical care if you develop:
- severe abdominal pain
- yellowing or discoloration of your skin or whites of your eyes
- a high fever with chills
Doctors may perform different tests to diagnose your condition, including an:
How To Treat Kidney Stones
Treatment for kidney stones involves some natural methods such as these:
- Drinking water: Drinking as much as 3.6 litres of water every day helps dissolve the stones and lets them pass out of your body naturally.
- Pain relievers: Eliminating kidney stones is a painful process, but pain relievers can help relieve a part of the stress patients feel when passing kidney stones.
If the kidney stones are too large, the doctor may suggest surgery to have them removed.
- Shock wave lithotripsy is one treatment option. This treatment uses shock waves to break kidney stones into small pieces. Following the treatment, small pieces of kidney stones will pass through your urinary tract and out of the body through your urine.
- Ureteroscopy is another treatment option. This treatment is also performed under general anesthesia. The procedure involves a doctor using a long tube shaped tool to find and eliminate the stone or to find and break kidney stones into small pieces. Your doctor may be able to remove the stone, if it is small. If the stone is big, it has to be broken into pieces. In such case, a laser will be used to break the stone into small pieces so they can pass through your urinary tract.
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Studies On Stones Using Libs Technique
Pathak et al. employed the LIBS technique to characterize cholesterol and pigment gallstones based on their atomic lines appeared from different elements and C2 swan molecule bands in the LIBS spectra. The authors used principal component analysis method on the LIBS data of stones to classify the gallstone samples. Further, the same group also studied gallstone samples using the LIBS technique. For this, LIBS spectra of the different layers of the gallstones were recorded in the spectral region 200900 nm to analyze the behavior of Ca, Mn, Mg, Cu, Si, P, Fe, Na, and K. In this study, lighter elements such as C, H, N, and O were also measured in gallstones. They correlated the presence of elements in the analyzed gallstones with the common diet of the general population of northeast part of India.
Unnikrishnan et al. carried out experiments using the LIBS technique on calcified tissues in order to investigate trace elements and their mapping. Recently, Gondal et al. developed a laser sensor based LIBS technique for the measurements of heavy metals Cr, Pb, Cd, Ni, and Hg in gallstones. The concentrations of these heavy metal elements were further compared with ICP data. Jaswal et al. performed spectroscopic studies of heterogeneous cholesterol and pigmented type gallstones using the LIBS technique and verified the data using the WD-XRF method.
What Are The Complications Of Gallstones
Gallstonescan lead to the following serious complications:
- Empyema i.e. pus in thegallbladder
- Gangrene
- Injury to bile ducts draining theliver
- Infection within the gallbladder
- If bile builds up within thegallbladder, causing cholecystitis, the bile might become infected
- Untreated gallstones destroy thegallbladder tissue which leads to a tear in the gallbladder or causes thegallbladder to burst
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Can Kidney Stones Be Prevented
While not all kidney stones can be prevented, there are ways to lower your risk of developing one or developing another one. The first and foremost way would be to drink enough fluids to ensure your urinary system gets flushed out well.
Your doctor could recommend that you avoid certain types of foods, but that is an individual call. For certain types of stones, sometimes medications are prescribed to help reduce the risk as well.
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Whats The Best Way To Alleviate Gallbladder Pain
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, theres not much you can do to stop a gallbladder attack while its happening.
You may want to apply a heated compress to the area to relieve the discomfort. Usually, the pain will ease once the gallstone has passed.
Traditional treatment options for gallbladder attack include surgery to remove your gallbladder or medicines to help dissolve the gallstones.
You might be able to prevent a gallstone attack by reducing your fatty food intake and maintaining a healthy weight.
Some other measures that could lower your chances of having gallbladder pain include:
- Eating on a schedule. Skipping meals or fasting may increase the risk of gallstones.
- Eat more fiber. Foods like veggies, fruits, and whole grains contain lots of fiber.
- Try to lose weight slowly. If you lose weight too quickly, youre at an increased risk for developing gallstones. Aim for 1 to 2 pounds a week.
- Exercise. According to the Canadian Society for Intestinal Research, studies show that regular physical activity can lessen your chances of gallstones.
- Check your meds. Some medicines, such as postmenopausal hormones, may boost the risk of gallbladder disease.
- Try magnesium.Studies suggest that males who consume the most magnesium have a lower risk of developing gallstone disease.
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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 stone’s journey.
Nothing subtle about a kidney stone
“Contrary to popular belief, passing a kidney stone once it reaches the bladder isn’t 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 shouldn’t 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.”
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Treating the stone
Capturing the stone
Treatment For Kidney Stones
Smalls stones can and will usually pass on their own. The patient can stay home drinking liquids and taking pain medication as needed, until the stone passes. If pain is too severe or a stone is blocking the urinary tract, then a medical procedure called lithotripsy can be performed to remove the stone.
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Gallstone Vs Kidney Stone: Differences Worth Knowing
Stones forming in your body might worry you for sure. It is true that Gallstones and Kidney stones develop in many people every year. There are many similar symptoms of the gall stone and kidney stone. However, there are also some differences between the two, which must be known. So, here we will be talking about the differences between gall stone and kidney stone.
Treating And Preventing Kidney Stones
Most kidney stones are small enough to be passed in your pee, and it may be possible to treat the symptoms at home with medication.
Larger stones may need to be broken up or removed with surgery.
It’s estimated up to half of all people who have had kidney stones will experience them again within the following 5 years.
To avoid getting kidney stones, make sure you drink plenty of water every day so you do not become dehydrated.
It’s very important to keep your urine pale in colour to prevent waste products forming into kidney stones.
The kidneys are 2 bean-shaped organs that are roughly 10cm in length.
They’re located towards the back of the abdomen on either side of the spine.
The kidneys remove waste products from the blood. The clean blood is then transferred back into the body and the waste products are passed out of the body when you pee.
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Does Pain Go Away Immediately After Passing Kidney Stone
The Biden administration is putting final touches on long-sought consumer protections against so-called surprise medical bills Parents and community members have been threatening board members.
A gallbladder attack often happens after.
stones. They are not related to kidney stones, which pass through the ureters and can cause bladder or kidney problems. Gallstones pass into the intestine,
So you’ve been told that you have kidney stones. You want to know how much pain you’re going to have and when it’s going to end. Read on to find out!
May 18, 2021 · “The pain associated with a kidney stone typically isn’t felt until after its already formed and is passing through your urinary tract,” explains Dr. Kannady. “In addition, due to differences in anatomy, men and women describe kidney stone pain slightly differently.
Surgical treatment of kidney stones. If a kidney stone does not pass out of the body with fluids and pain medications, it may have become lodged in the ureter.
“Start with just one healthy habit and then build on that by adding one more, and then one more after that until youve created a strong foundation,” advises Ilana Muhlstein, M.S., R.D. Read them.
Dr. David Koota answered. Kidney stone, lymph: It is very unlikely passing a kidney is related to the lump in the groin. It the lump is painful or not resolving it should be evaluated. 90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more.
Symptoms Associated With Kidney Stones
When a kidney stone starts to pass, symptoms typically occur suddenly and without warning. Sharp, stabbing pain usually develops in your side or back, typically right at the bottom part of the ribcage. Sometimes, the pain will travel downward into the genital area. Stones that have nearly passed into the bladder may be associated with an intense urge to urinate.
Stone pain typically comes and goes. After an initial period of severe pain, you may feel better for a few hours before developing another attack. Many patients will require medication to help with stone pain.
Nausea and vomiting are also very common and are often a reason for hospital admission during stone attacks. You might also see blood in your urine. This can be unsettling to many patients, but is generally not life-threatening.
The most concerning symptom during a stone attack is fever, which indicates that you may have an infection in addition to a kidney stone. This is a potentially life-threatening combination and requires immediate evaluation and treatment.
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So Which Is Worse Kidney Stones Or Gall Stones
As I have had a preliminary diagnosis of each & I wonder which I should be hoping for?
Or should it be which I am dreading
I find my gallstones manageable with codeine and buscopan, so I’d opt for them if I had to !
I had suspected kidney stones and it was awful I would rather be in albour than feel that pain again ,however my friend had gallstones and went bright yellow !But both of us sort of described it as an awful griping pain and we both had morphine.The consultant told me to drink loads of lemonade and touch wood no kidney stones for two years don’t know if it was to do with that though but thought I would mention it.Hope you get it sorted both seem to be bloody awful.
Obviously I don’t want either…..but I kinda hoed there would be a better option
Had both – equally painful I’m afraid. Had gall bladder removed surgically which was pretty straightforward, not had recurrence of kidney stones……
Kidney stone pain is supposed to be the nearest that a man can get to labour. I would get the kidney stones sorted before the gallstones.
My gallstones tend to kick off in times of stress – that feeling that it’s suddenly all too much – If you haven’t started gall stones attacks, it might be worth thinking about telaxation, or how to combat potential sources of stress.
Easy Ways To Prevent Kidney Stones
Did you know that one in ten people will have a kidney stone over the course of a lifetime? Recent studies have shown that kidney stone rates are on the rise across the country. Those in the know believe that some major misconceptions may be the culprit.
The National Kidney Foundation has teamed up with Dr. Allan Jhagroo, a kidney stone specialist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, to help you stay stone-free by debunking some of the major kidney stone myths and misconceptions.
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