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Kidney Stone Facts One Must Know About

by Akash Sharma Akash Sharma
Solid masses made of crystals are called Kidney stones or renal calculi. Kidney stones most commonly begin in the kidneys. Though, they can occur anywhere along the urinary tract, which consists of these parts: kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra.

Kidney stones are one of the most unpleasant and painful medical conditions. The problems of kidney stones vary according to the type of stone.

Urine contains many dissolved minerals and salts. When the urine contains high levels of these minerals and salts, stones are likely to be formed. Kidney stones might be little in the beginning but they can grow more substantially in size, even pervading the internal hollow structures of the kidney. 

Some stones can stay in the kidney and not be the source of any problems. But when the kidney stone travels down the ureter and gets stuck there it ends up blocking the urine flow and causes pain. In some cases, it reaches the bladder and is passed out of the body in urine.

Types Of Kidney Stones

Calcium

Calcium stones are the most commonly found kidney stones. Eating fewer oxalate-rich foods like potato chips, chocolates, beets, spinach, peanuts can reduce your risk of developing this type of stone. Even though some kidney stones are made of calcium, taking enough calcium in your diet can prevent stones from forming.

Uric Acid

This type of kidney stone found in men more than in women. They happen to occur in people with gout or those going through chemotherapy. This type of stone forms when urine is too acidic. A diet rich in purines (fish, shellfish, meat) can increase urine’s acidic level. 

Struvite

It is found often in women with urinary tract infections (UTIs). These stones can be substantially large and cause urinary obstruction. They result from a kidney infection.

Cystine

This kind of kidney stones is rare. They occur in both men and women who have genetic disorder cystinuria.

Symptoms

●Sharp, cramping pain in the back and side
●A feeling of needing to urinate.
●Urinating more than often 
●The feeling of burning while urinating.
●Pain at the tip of the penis
●Presence of blood in the urine 
●vomiting
●nausea
●discolored or foul-smelling urine
●chills
●fever
●frequent need to urinate
●urinating small amounts of urine

Risk Factors

●A previous episode of kidney stones.
●Family history of kidney stones.
●Lack of enough water in the diet.
●Diet high in protein, sodium and/or sugar.
●Being overweight or obese.
●gastric bypass surgery or another intestinal surgery.
●Polycystic kidney disease or another cystic kidney disease.
●Any condition that causes swelling or irritation in your bowel or your joints.
●Certain medicines like water pills or calcium-based antacids.
●Diet with high levels of salt or glucose
●hyperparathyroid condition

Diagnosis

●Physical test
●blood tests for calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, and electrolytes
●blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine to determine the kidney functioning
●urinalysis in order to look for crystals, bacteria, blood, and white cells
●examination of passed stones to determine their type
●abdominal X-rays
●intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
●retrograde pyelogram
●ultrasound of the kidney 
●MRI scan of the abdomen and kidneys
●abdominal CT scan

Treatment

●Medication
●Lithotripsy
●Tunnel surgery 
●Ureteroscopy

If you notice two or more symptoms that can point towards kidney stones, immediately book an appointment at the best kidney hospital in Hyderabad. It is important that the process of stone removal happens quickly and painlessly under the observation of a skilled medical staff.


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About Akash Sharma Advanced   Akash Sharma

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Joined APSense since, May 8th, 2019, From Delhi, India.

Created on Mar 16th 2020 01:45. Viewed 425 times.

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