Navigating Kidney Stones: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Kidney stones are common, affecting millions of people worldwide. Also known as Renal Calculi, kidney stones are solid masses made up of tiny crystals. They may start off small but can grow up in size, becoming the cause of extreme pain and discomfort. Some people can have kidney stones for years, with no pain. They may stay in the kidney forever and cause neither harm nor pain. Whereas if a stone passes into the ureter from the kidney and becomes lodged there, it may be painful; leading to serious consequences such as obstructing urine flow, injury to the ureter, or sepsis.

Asking from a urologist in Islamabad, we came across the fact that kidney stones are of multiple types.

Types of Kidney Stones

The treatment option for the stones depends on the type of stones you have, which are stated as follows:

• Calcium stones – approximately 80 percent of all kidney stones are found to be calcium stones; either calcium phosphate or calcium oxalate. The most common of the two is calcium oxalate.

• Uric acid stones – A number of reasons may cause the formation of uric acid stones such as acidic urine, gout or chemotherapy. These are found to occur more in men than in women.
• Struvite stones – These stones mostly occur in people who are prone to chronic UTIs or whose bladder does not empty completely. They may grow to be quite large

Symptoms you need to look out for!

The larger the stones, the more noticeable the symptoms. Kidney stones may present themselves as follows:

• Pain that is prominent in the lower back or sides. The pain may come in waves
• Bloody urine
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever and chills
• Urine that smells foul and is cloudy
• Pain in the groin area
• Abnormal urine color

If you present with two or more of these symptoms, do not ignore them. Consult a doctor immediately and get treatment in order to avoid any further complications.

Causes of kidney stones

Although kidney stones can occur at any age, the common ages in which they occur are usually between 20 to 50 years of age.

The following are the most likely causes of kidney stones:

• Low water intake –  Low water intake may lead to dehydration, the main cause of low urine output. When urine output is low, urine becomes more concentrated and thus, darker in color as well. The more concentrated the urine, the lesser the salts in the urine remain dissolved. They may precipitate to form stones.

An optimum level of water intake must be maintained at all costs to prevent the build-up of stones. More water will dilute your urine, reducing the risks of kidney stone formation.

• Diarrhea – Altered bowel conditions such as diarrhea may cause loss of water from the body which as described above, can increase your odds of hosting stones in your kidneys.
• Obesity – Being overweight changes the body’s balance of electrolytes and chemicals, thus changing urine’s acidity and causing stones.
• Diet – A diet that is high in sugar, salt, or protein may increase your chances of kidney stones as compared to a diet of moderation. Too much salt intake causes calcium stones to form; while eating foods rich in oxalates such as tomatoes causes oxalate stones in the kidneys.
• Medication & family history – Some specific medications cause calcium levels to alter which may lead to stones; as well as a previous family history of stones.

Treatment options:

After diagnosis and proper analysis of the size and type of stone, the doctor may advise you to adopt some different treatment options. This may depend on the stone type. These include:

• Wait for the stone to pass out on its own or through medication – Some stones are very small and do not cause any obstruction, neither pain nor discomfort. For these, only water intake is advised, and patience for them to pass on their own within a few weeks. Some are advised medicines to make the process easier.

Simultaneous increase of water intake helps normalize the urine flow. For those who suffer from severe nausea or vomiting, intravenous fluids are advised.

• Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) – This technique uses sound waves to break down larger stones into smaller ones for them to easily pass down from the kidney into the ureter and then out of the body via urine. The procedure may be uncomfortable and sometimes requires anesthesia.
• Tunnel surgery – In case the stones is damaging the kidney or is causing severe infection, or has grown much larger than anticipated, an incision in the back is made to remove it.

Conclusion

Although kidney stones are frustrating and painful, there are treatment options that can make it easier to get rid of them. Additionally remember to keep yourself hydrated and monitor for anything out of the ordinary that goes on with your body to prevent these stones from forming in the first place.