Kidney Stones Treatment

Kidney stones treatment is dependent on the size of the stone and any related complications brought on by the condition. The main goals of treatment are to relieve the pain, which can be excruciating, and to rid the body of the stones before they cause any further damage.

A prompt diagnosis is the key to beginning an effective treatment plan. One of the most common ways to identify the presence of kidney stones is by taking a blood or urine test. Another option is to undergo an x-ray or ultra scan.

This method can also reveal the size of the stone, as well as its position. This information is particularly important if the stone is causing a blockage or obstruction.

Quite often, kidney stones are very small and will eventually pass out of the body through your urine. Drinking plenty of fluids, preferably water, will help to flush the stones out of your system more quickly.

If a stone is large and causing an obstruction, hospital treatment is usually required. A large stone can cause internal damage, so should be removed as soon as possible.

If the stone is lodged in the ureter – the tube which connects the urethra to the kidney- a ureterscope can be guided through to the ureter to locate the stone.

Kidney stones are usually treated by removing them, or breaking them in to smaller pieces, which can then be passed out of the body naturally. A small incision in the back is made to access the kidney, where the stone can be removed with the aid of a specialized tool.

A non-surgical alternative is a procedure called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), which uses shock waves to break up the stone in to smaller pieces. These high-energy sound waves can pass through your body without harming it.

The eventual kidney stones treatment that is recommended will vary for the individual, depending on various factors relating to the stones size and location, but the sooner you seek treatment, the quicker you can end the pain.

Recent figures show that men are four times more likely to experience kidney stones. One of the most painful and also one of the most common disorders afflicting males is that of kidney stones.

If you have ever experienced the shattering pain of passing a kidney stone you will no doubt be saying to yourself “I never want to feel that sort of pain again”.

So, what causes them and how can we avoid them?

KIDNEY STONES – WHAT ARE THEY?

They are hard, crystalline mineral material. The occurrence of these stones, also referred to as nephrolithiasis, is one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract.

Typically all adults over the age of 30 are at risk, but men tend to be affected more frequently than women, especially when they reach their 40s. There are many different types of kidney stone depending on the body’s intake of certain substances or ‘foods’.

Certain chemicals in the kidneys form crystals which bond together to form an oval-shaped ‘stone’. There are many chemicals that contribute to this condition, but the most common type of kidney stone composition is calcium with oxalate or phosphate and uric acid.

CAUSES OF KIDNEY STONES

There are several reasons why kidney stones form – lifestyle is one, medications are another, excesses of certain foods are also at the root, together with urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Drinking too little pure water on a daily basis can be a major contributor to kidney stone formation, as can having a sedentary lifestyle over a long period.

Most of the kidney stones are passed out of the body in the urine stream, those stones which are sufficiently larger in size can cause obstruction to the ureter thus causing extreme pain.

SYMPTOMS

Kidney stones can cause intense pain known as renal colic. The acute pain comes in spasms affecting one or sometimes both sides of the back and can be accompanied by a feeling of nausea and fever.

Acute renal colic is probably the most excruciatingly painful event a person can endure. Striking without warning, the pain is often described as being worse than childbirth, broken bones, gunshot wounds, burns, or surgery.

Kidney stones are hard substances that are formed in the urinary tract. They are considered one of the most painful urologic disorders wherein about one in twenty people will have the probability of developing and suffering it in their lifetime. These people would describe the pain as the most excruciating experience they ever had.

If you could still prevent it from happening, then guard yourself from it. If you already have it, then you should have the weapons to remedy such illness and pain. You should be aware of the common prevention and treatment, unless you want
to undergo and you can tolerate the pain.

Weapon #1 – Fluids!

The most common preventive measure against kidney stones would be fluids. It is advisable to have about 8 to 10 glasses of water per day in order to dilute the mineral or stone-forming salts in the urine. Aside from water, you could also try citric juices such as lemonades because citric acid could prevent stone-formation in your urine.

The color of your urine is a good indicator if you are taking in sufficient amount of water and this could be seen if your urine is clear or light yellow colored as compared with dark yellow colored-urine. However, precautions and medical advice is needed if you have kidney, heart, or liver disease wherein there are required volumes of fluid intake.

Weapon #2 – Balanced-Diet!

With proper diet, prevention and treatment is manageable. It is also advisable to seek for medical opinions before going into a specific diet. It will usually depend upon the results of your laboratory analysis.

You could either increase your fiber intake such oat bran, beans, whole wheat breads, wheat cereals, cabbage, and carrots. The fiber will absorb chemicals and minerals rather than being accumulated in the kidneys and these fibers will be excreted from your body through your bowel along with those particles.

Weapon #3 – Medical and Surgical Techniques!

If you already have stones in your urine, pain medication is usually applied for symptom relief. A procedure called lithotripsy is often used to break down the larger sized particles into smaller pieces so that the stones could pass through the urinary system.

Everybody should be aware of kidney stones prevention and treatment, who loves pain anyway?

One of the most painful and unfortunately one of the most common disorders affecting men are kidney stones. Research has shown that men are more vulnerable to kidney stones then women.

What are Kidney Stones?

Formed within the kidney or the urinary tract, kidney stones are hard, crystalline mineral material. The occurrence of these stones, also referred to as nephrolithiasis, is one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract, affecting nearly 10% of Americans at some point in their lives.

While typically all adults over the age of 30 are at risk, men tend to be affected more frequently than women especially, when they reach their 40s.

Causes of Kidney Stones in Men

There are many causes of kidney stones such as certain urinary tract infections or medications. Lifestyle and personal health such as drinking fewer fluids, inactivity over long periods and consuming too much calcium oxalate which is found in milk, tea and chocolate can contribute to the problem. However, the main cause of kidney stone formation is inherited from family genetics.

The reason why men have more kidney stones than women is because of the larger muscle mass. Thus, the daily breakdown of the tissue results in increased metabolic waste and a predisposition of stone formation. The other more significant cause is because of the male urinary tract being more complicated than the female urinary tract.

Symptoms of Kidney Stones in Men

The presence of kidney stones is indicated by the intense pain, also known as renal colic. The excruciating pain spasms usually affect one or both sides of your back. The pain will radiate around the abdomen and sometimes affect the groin and genitals which maybe accompanied by nausea and fever, hematuria and chills.

Treatment for Kidney Stones

Based on the size and type of the stone, the kidney stones treatment options may vary. While stones smaller than one quarter inch can be passed off with adequate hydration and exercises, the stones that do not pass off naturally, may have to be treated. The most common treatment for kidney stones is the use of the extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) method.

The best option for avoiding the pain of kidney stones is, to drink plenty of water with each meal and especially after any physical activity. However, remember to consult a doctor, as soon as symptoms of kidney stones appear.

Kidney stones can cause moderate to severe pain. Kidney stone pain relief can be as simple as taking over the counter medication, or stronger medications that only a doctor can prescribe.

The pain caused by kidney stones is usually in proportion to how large the stones are, but this can change if the stone is small however in a very sensitive place.

Immediate kidney stone pain relief can be sought by taking plenty of fluids and staying away from salt. Physical activity such as jumping up and down can sometimes loosen the stones, helping them to pass more quickly. Taking a hot bath or placing a heating pad on the area is also a way to bring some form of immediate relief.

Over the counter medications, like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are very effective in providing kidney stone pain relief. Ibuprofen or naproxen are common NSAIDs that are available over the counter.

Drugs like acetaminophen and aspirin can be used with the NSAIDs, but should only be mixed under a doctors care. People that want to take over the counter medication for moderate stone pain should still consult a doctor to find out the correct dosages for mixing the drugs and the prescribed times they should be taken.

Kidney stone pain relief can also come in the form of a visit to the doctors office. A doctor can run the tests that are necessary to find the stone and determine its size.

This will lead to a decisive course of treatment that will alleviate pain and get rid of the stone. The size of the stone will determine the course of treatment. A doctor can prescribe a higher dose of Ibuprofen than what is currently available over the counter.

A doctor can also prescribe opioid analgesics such as Tylenol with codeine, Vicodin (a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen), Percocet (oxycodone combined with acetaminophen) or Darvon (propoxyphene) for more severe pain.

Again, a doctor should be notified of any allergic reactions to any of these drugs. It is possible to become dependent on opioid analgesics if used for an extended period. Pain relief should be sought through removal of the stone as soon as possible.

For the people suffering from more severe cases, kidney stone pain relief can come from the emergency room. Doctors will run tests and wait for results, but when the results have determined that stones are the cause for the pain, medication can be administered and a course of treatment can be decided on.

The effects of the medication can start to work within minutes, even seconds if the medication is given through an IV. These medications can include morphine, Dilaudid and Toradol, so doctors should be notified in cases of allergies or reactions to these drugs before they are administered.