Conquering Kidney Stones

You have difficulty with urinating. You’re in pain when you try. When you do manage to urinate there is blood in your urine. You could have kidney stones.

Kidney stones are hard, pebble-like material that form in one or both of your kidneys when high levels of certain minerals are in your urine. Kidney stones can vary in size and shape—as small as a grain of sand or as large as a pea and rarely as big as golf balls.

A small kidney stone may pass your urinary tract on its own, causing little or no pain or other symptoms. A larger kidney stone may get stuck along the way and block the flow of urine. If kidney stones are not treated, they can cause blood in the urine; severe pain; urinary tract infections (UTIs), including kidney infections and loss of kidney function. Kidney stones are fairly common and can be extremely painful, but there are methods to manage the pain and eliminate the stone.

If you have kidney stones, you likely won’t feel symptoms until they move inside your kidney or pass the ureters—the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. If a stone gets stuck, it can block the urine flow, cause the kidneys to swell and the ureter to cramp. Once a stone gets lodged, you may experience the following symptoms:

·       Sharp pain in the back that comes in waves and varying intensity

·       Pain and burning during urination

·       Bloody or cloudy urine

·       Nausea and vomiting

·       Fever and chills.

Kidney stones affect more men than women. According to National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, about 11 percent of men and 6 percent of women in the United States have kidney stones at least once in their lifetime.

If you have a family history of kidney stones, you are more likely to develop them. You are also more likely to develop kidney stones again if you had them once, have high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity or if you don’t drink enough fluids.

While kidney stones are scary and painful, there are treatments to help you manage your symptoms. Small kidney stones generally pass on their own or with a bit of help from medications to help your muscles relax so you can pass the stone. However, larger stones that can’t pass through the urinary tract may need more extensive treatments.

Depending on the stone’s type, size and location, your doctor may recommend surgery or scope to remove the stone. There have been recent innovations in the medical field that make it easier to treat kidney stones. Laser technology enables surgeons to remove kidney stones more effectively and completely. The laser can break stones of any type, size and shape so they can be fragmented and dusted, leading to easier removal by a surgeon or comfortable passing by the patient. Even large stones can be treated more efficiently because of the laser’s ability to fire multiple pulses.

The technology reduces surgery time and risk of reoccurrence. Plus, the procedure is done on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to go home the same day and avoid extended hospital stays.

The good news is that 9-in-10 kidney stones will pass on their own. The bad news is that it can take three to six weeks. While waiting for nature to take its course, drink six to eight glasses of water and other fluids per day. This will help your kidneys produce more urine to flush the stone out. Tamsulosin (Flomax), a medication that relaxes muscles in the ureter, can help, too.

Because kidney stones are among the most painful conditions you are likely to face, pain relief is critical. If over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) don’t work, ask your doctor for prescription pain relievers.

Three dietary tips to prevent kidney stones are:

·       Drink plenty of fluids when exercising or sweating. Sweat water loss leads to less urine production, allowing stone-causing minerals to settle and bond in the kidneys and urinary tract.

·       Maintain your calcium intake but cut back on sodium. A diet low in calcium increases your risk of developing kidney stones.

·       Eat more fruits and vegetables and less animal-based protein to help decrease urine acidity which can reduce the chance for stone formation.   

With these measures, you can go on to lead a pain-free life. Contact your health provider right away if you suspect you have a kidney stone.