What are kidney stones?

Kidney stones are also called renal calculi, nephrolithiasis, or urolithiasis. These stones are hard deposits formed inside the kidneys. They exist in the form of minerals and salts. Typical and the most prominent causes of kidney stones include your diet, being overweight, certain supplements and medications, and some medical conditions.

Remember that kidney stones are extremely painful. They even result in kidney infection, kidney damage, and other serious complications. So, don’t ignore your symptoms, and consult a kidney stone doctor on a priority basis.

Why do kidney stones form?

Stones form inside kidneys when the urine contains substances with crystal form, such as uric acid, calcium, and oxalate, and when the urine fluid can dilute. Simultaneously, the lack of substances in the urine preventing crystals from staying together also contributes to creating the perfect ground for stones to be developed.

The best approach is avoiding stone-forming foods, such as chocolate, tea, beets, and most oxalate-rich nuts, as they form stones inside the kidneys.

What symptoms do kidney stones cause?

Kidney stones cause various symptoms, including pain, vomiting, nausea, difficulty urinating, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, and others. Call your kidney stone doctor if any symptoms lead you to feel pain on the waist or while passing urine.

Don’t wait for your health to get worse. So, be aware of the most prominent symptoms of kidney stones, including severe and uncomfortable pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, bleeding while passing urine, or trouble urinating.

How are kidney stones diagnosed and treated?

Imaging, blood and urine tests help determine the size and location of the stones and thus help plan treatments. The kidney stones can be as painful as the neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve or childbirth without anesthesia. Generally, patients experiencing renal colic arrive at the emergency room with a lot of agitation, for which they are administered intravenous analgesics to control the pain. The clinical diagnosis is complemented with other tests that seek to identify the characteristics and location of the stone.

More water consumption, medications, such as Analgesics (Ibuprofen, Naproxen Sodium), and proper medical treatment (through tamsulosin or a combination of dutasteride and tamsulosin), are some general treatments.

For large stones to be broken or removed, sound waves, surgery including parathyroid gland surgery, and endoscopic treatments are recommended.

Remember that prevention is the best cure. Preventing kidney stones may require a perfect combination of lifestyle changes and proper medications.

Consult your kidney stone doctor right now!