Kidney stones are a painful urological disorder caused by solid masses that develop from crystals in urine. While urine usually prevents stones from forming, certain chemicals from a person’s diet can contribute to their development. Symptoms include extreme pain, vomiting, and a burning sensation when urinating. Drinking lots of water and medication can help prevent stones from forming, while extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy can break up stones for easier passage.
Kidney stones are a very painful and very common urological disorder, affecting 600,000 patients a year. Stones are a solid mass that develops from crystals that separate from urine and accumulate on the inside surfaces of the kidney. Urine usually contains chemicals that prevent stones from forming, but sometimes they don’t work. If the stones are small enough, they will travel through the body with urine and go unnoticed. Even the biggest ones usually pass without medical help, but there are various techniques for treating those that cannot be eliminated without help.
In many cases, a kidney stone, also called a kidney stone, contains chemicals such as calcium, which combines with other chemicals such as phosphate or oxalate. These chemicals come from a person’s dietary intake and are needed to maintain healthy muscles and bones. A rarer form is called struvite; this is caused by an infection in the urinary tract. The medical term used to describe stones that appear in the urinary tract is urolithiasis.
Medical experts aren’t sure exactly why kidney stones appear. While the ingestion of certain foods contributes to their development, no specific food is thought to be directly responsible. People who have a family history of this problem may be more likely to develop it as well. There is also a rare inherited disease called renal tubular acidosis, and people with this disease are much more likely to develop stones.
The first sign that a person has developed a stone in a kidney will be extreme pain when it blocks the flow of urine. He will feel an intense cramp or sharp pain in the lower back, side or groin area. The individual may also suffer from vomiting and nausea. He may feel the need to urinate more often and may feel a burning sensation when he does.
When the stone or stones move or get bigger, blood may appear in the urine. If the person experiences chills and fever along with the above symptoms, this is a sign of an infection and a doctor should be called. He or she will do an x-ray or ultrasound and possibly do a computed tomography (CT) scan. These tests will help the healthcare professional see a picture of your urinary system to make a correct diagnosis.
Drinking lots of water can help kidney stones pass through the body. A doctor may also prescribe medications to prevent uric acid and calcium stones from forming. For more severe cases, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy may be used, in which shock waves will be passed through the body to break up the stones into small particles that can be passed easily when urinating. The healthcare professional can advise the patient on future lifestyle changes that should prevent the stones from returning.
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