What are kidney stones or nephrolithiasis?
Mineral salt deposits forming hard stone like substances inside your kidney
The wastes in your blood are removed by kidneys. When water is not enough these wastes can weigh down the scanty fluid. Deposits stick to the kidney structures build over time and form stones. There are different kind of kidney stones.T hey are calcium stones, uric acid stones, struvite and cystine stones
Contents
Who has higher risk of kidney stones?
When should you visit a doctor urgently
Where will you find a specialist?
Kidney stones may be an incidental finding on routine abdominal ultrasonography. Symptoms occur when the stone passes through the different part of your urinary tract. This causes the pain to shift and is spasmodic.
The stones are painful when passed through the ureter. Prevention is a very important part of public health awareness. Imaging is often needed for diagnosis. Initial stages of medical management are possible. Delays with experimental therapy make the situation complicated.
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Consultation with a Nephrologist or a urologist is needed Specialized hospitals with good post op care facility is a must for surgery.
Who has a higher risk of kidney stones? (Source)
- Men are more likely than women.
- You don’t drink enough water
- You have diabetes, hypertension
- Repeated urinary tract infection
- Congenital or other kidney diseases
- You previously had kidney stones
- Obesity
- History of gastric bypass surgery
- Certain medicines
Symptoms of Kidney Disease
- Severe spasmodic pain mainly the side and back. The location is below your ribs
- The Pain can spread to lower part of the abdomen and groin
- Pain is spasmodic
- Pain during passing urine
- Reddish or brownish staining of urine
- Cloudy appearance of urine
- Bad smell from urine
- Increased frequency of urination. A small amount of urine being passed but the urge is there
- Fever and chills
- Nausea and vomiting
When should you visit a doctor urgently
- Severe spasmodic pain with nausea and vomiting
- Fever with chills
- Blood in urine
- Pain not relieved by oral medicines
How to prevent kidney stones? (Source)
- Drink enough water. Not just tea, coffee, cold drink. If you have a chronic kidney disease your fluid intake will need to be monitored too.
- Ask your Doctor for diet recommendations, after you know what kind of stone you have.
- Check the heavy metal content of the water you drink and cook with.
- A balanced diet is important. A diet with very high protein intake can make stones likely. Fad diets will make you more susceptible.
- Prevention and good control of Diabetes and hypertension are important. Metabolic syndrome puts you at risk of kidney diseases.
Where will you find a specialist?
Most Government Medical Colleges have experienced qualified specialist to help you with your diagnosis and treatment. Many high-end private hospitals with multi-specialty expertise will have a specialist to help you.
Treatment of Kidney stone
This depends on the size of the stone and symptoms. Several investigations are needed before surgery and lifestyle changes must be understood. Anyone with kidney stones suffers from the risk of repeated stone formation if not taking care. Medicines work in many cases, but surgery may be needed depending on size, location of stone and complications.
Important things you must know (Source)
[bctt tweet=”30 to 50 out of 100 people with a kidney stone are at risk of having another within five years.” username=”misra_amrita”]
80% of all kidney stones are made of calcium Uric acid stones are about 5 to 10 %. Decreasing dietary calcium is bad for health. But you can decrease oxalates in your diet and prevent the calcium oxalate stones. Foods containing a high amount of oxalate are rhubarb, parsley, walnuts, spinach, and chocolate. Calcium supplements need to be taken after doctor’s consultation.
It’s important to know what kind of stone you have, to make dietary changes accordingly. It’s not the same for everyone.
Avoid soft drinks. They can form hard kidney stones.
Low sodium diet is recommended.
Animal protein intake should be properly regulated in those with a high risk of kidney stone formation.
Conclusion
- Prevention is golden.
- Having good personal hygiene and prevention of urinary tract infection is important.
- Lifestyle diseases must be avoided at all costs.
- Drink enough water
- Avoid crash diets and experimental drugs
Get help from a specialist on time
Disclaimer: This is information for awareness. As healthcare information is constantly updated, the blog post is not meant to be a replacement for a doctor consultation, nor is it a medical recommendation or treatments. Any reader of this blog, with problems, should specifically consult his/her doctor for medical conditions and follow the suggested course of treatment’.