Kidney stones are small and hard mineral deposits which
are formed inside a person’s kidney. These stones are a combination of minerals
and acid salts. There can be various causes why a kidney stone is developed and
it is likely to affect any portion of the urinary tract. In most of the cases
the stones are formed when the urine gets concentrated which allows the
minerals to get crystalized and stick together.
Passing of these kidney stones
can be very painful but it is only temporary pain, in most of the cases it does
not cause any lifelong damage. In many cases the person will only have to take
some pain relief medication and drink plenty of water to enable the kidney
stone to pass from the body. But in some cases where the stone gets blocked in
the urinary tract or any other complication due to which the kidney stone
cannot be passed a surgery may be required.
If a person has an increased chance of developing a
kidney stone again, the doctor may suggest certain preventive treatment to
avoid such a scenario.
Symptoms of kidney stones:
The presence of kidney stone in a person may not show
any symptoms in the initial stage. The symptoms will be visible only once it
starts moving around within the kidney or passes to the ureter which is the
tube that connects the kidney and the bladder. The symptoms that will be
experienced at this point of time are given below;
- Unbearable
pain on the side and back area below the ribs
- Pain will keep
coming and going on and off and the intensity of the pain will differ
every time
- The pain will
spread to the lower abdomen and groin
- Pain while
urinating
- The urine
color will be pink, red or brown and it may have a foul smell
- Nausea and
vomiting
- Urinating more
than usual
- Temperature if
there is an infection caused due to the kidney stones
The pain experienced due to kidney stone will
keep fluctuating and will be in different areas depending upon the movement of
the stone through the urinary tract.
What
are the causes of formation of kidney stones?
There
is no one particular reason but there can be certain factors which increase the
chances of developing kidney stones. The kidney stones are formed when the
urine consists of more crystal forming substances like calcium, oxalate and uric
acid. These substances are in more proportion for the fluid in the urine to
dilute them. Also the urine may not consist of the substances that are required
to restrict the crystals from sticking to each other which makes it possible to
form the kidney stones.
What are the types of kidney stones?
It is essential to know the type of kidney
stone as this will help in understanding the cause and will help in taking the
preventive measures to avoid getting more kidney stones.
- Calcium Stones – Majority of
the kidney stones are usually calcium stones which are in the form of
calcium oxalate. Certain fruits, vegetables, chocolates, nuts have very
high levels of oxalate. Even the liver produces oxalate. Thus certain
diets, increased dose of vitamin D, intestinal bypass surgery and some
metabolic disorders can be some of the factors that increase the level of
calcium or oxalate in the urine.
- Struvite Stones – This type of
stones are formed due to some infection like the urinary tract infection. This
type of stones grows very fast and become very big and may not necessarily
have any symptoms of its presence.
- Uric Acid Stones – This type of
stones can be developed in people who drink less of fluids, those who eat
very high protein diet or those who have gout. This kind of stones can
also be formed due to certain genetic factors.
- Cystine Stones – This type of stones is formed due to some hereditary disorders, due to which the kidneys excrete excessive amount of certain amino acids.
What are the treatments and medication for kidney stones?
The treatment will depend upon the type and
cause of the kidney stone. In many cases the kidney stones can be passed
through simple remedies and medicines. The small kidney stone can be passed by
the following measures;
- Drinking plenty of water in a
day which will help flushing out the urinary system
- Passing of the small stone may
cause mild pain so the doctor will suggest some pain killer for giving
relief to the patient
- The doctor may also suggest
certain medication known as the alpha blocker to help pass the kidney
stone. By taking this medication the muscles in the ureter are relaxed
enabling the kidney stone to pass faster and smoothly with very less pain
However for larger stones which cannot pass
out naturally due to its size, or stones which can cause bleeding or damage to
the kidney will need other treatment options. Some of the options available
depending upon the type of the stone are – Ultra sound waves to break the
stones, surgery for removing very large stones, make use of a scope for stones
or parathyroid gland surgery.
What are the preventive measures to avoid formation of kidney stones?
The formation of
kidney stones can be prevented by making certain changes in the lifestyle
pattern and also by taking certain medications prescribed by the doctor.
Lifestyle changes:
- Drinking a lot
of water
– People those who have had kidney stones in the past are advised by doctors
to drink a lot of water. The urine passed should be light and clear which
is an indication that sufficient water has been consumed.
- Eat less of
food containing higher levels of oxalate – If a person has had a
calcium oxalate stone then he/she must avoid food that have very high
levels of oxalate which can be okra, tea, chocolate, nuts,
sweet potatoes, spinach, soy products etc.
- Eat food that
is low in salt and animal protein – A person must control the diet
strictly to ensure that he/she is eating low salt and animal protein food.
One can consider taking salt substitutes.
- Eat calcium
rich food and avoid calcium substitutes – A person can continue eating
food that is rich in calcium because this in not linked with formation of
kidney stones. But it is advisable to consult with the doctor before doing
so. Also, one must avoid eating calcium supplements as this increases the risk
of developing kidney stones.
The patient can ask
the doctor to suggest a dietician who can give a complete diet plan with the
food that can be eaten and those that cannot be eaten. This will vary from
patient to patient.
Medications:
Medicines
will help reduce the minerals and acid in the urine. The medicines will be
prescribed by the doctor depending upon the type of kidney stone. These
medicines should be taken as prescribed for the given period of time to get the
results.
