Introduction
Kidney stones, one of the most painful urological disorders, have troubled humans for ages. They form when there is a large amount of calcium oxalate or uric acid in the urine; a lack of citrate in the urine; or insufficient water in the kidneys to dissolve waste products. Kidney stones are most prevalent in persons between the ages of 30 and 45, and the incidence declines after age 50. They can be as small as a grain of sand or as big as a pearl and often do not cause any signs or symptoms.
Symptoms
Stones that produce lasting symptoms or other complications may be treated using various methods, most of which do not necessitate major surgery. Sometimes "silent" stones (those that do not produce symptoms) are found on x-rays taken during a general health exam. The doctor determines if the patient has a history of kidney stones, documents past health conditions, and evaluates present symptoms.
When the stone enters the bladder, the blockage in the ureter is relieved and the symptoms are resolved. Kidney stones usually exit the body by passage in the urine stream, and many are formed and passed without causing any pain. People with severe symptoms might need hospitalization. Call your doctor if you have symptoms or if symptoms return, urination becomes painful, urine output diminishes, or new symptoms develop.
Treatment
Treatment varies, depending on the kind of stone and the cause and usually includes pain medication and increased fluids (to drink) until the stone has exit the body. If a stone has been removed, or if the patient has passed a stone and saved it, an analysis by the laboratory may help the physician in planning treatment. A second twenty four hour urine collection may be needed to determine whether the prescribed treatment is effective. Today, treatment for kidney stones is greatly improved, and many options do not need major surgery and can be performed in an outpatient setting.
To lower the chance of complications, doctors routinely tell patients to avoid taking aspirin and other drugs that affect blood clotting for several weeks prior to treatment. Sometimes the stone is not totally shattered with one treatment, and additional ones may be necessary. As with any interventional, surgical procedure, possible risks and complications should be discussed with your doctor before making a final decision.
If no specific therapy exists, you may be able to stave off more kidney stones simply by drinking more water and making a few dietary changes. After therapy, the pain may return if the stone moves and causes blockage in another area of the body. The goal of therapy is to relieve and prevent further symptoms.
Conclusion
Kidney stones are tiny, hard deposits of mineral and acid salts on the inner surfaces of your kidneys and form when a change comes about in the normal balance of water, salts, minerals, and other things found in urine. They are very painful but often can be removed from the body without causing permanent damage. They normally cause no pain while in the kidneys, but can produce sudden, severe pain while traveling to the bladder. Kidney stones are more common in developed nations and do have regional variation in occurrence. They occur all year; however, most people seem to develop or become aware of stones during the summer time. They are an ancient affliction dating back to the age of the Egyptian pyramids, yet are still a common ailment in present times. Stones are usually passed out of the body within 48 hours, but attacks can sometimes last for more than 30 days. Most however, pass out of the body without help from a doctor.
If someone in your family has them, you're more likely to develop them too and if you've already had one or more, you have an increased risk of developing another. Most people who develop stones are between 20 and 70 years of age. Having high blood pressure doubles your risk. According to The National Institute of Health, 1 person in 10 develops kidney stones during their lifetime and renal stone disease accounts for ten out of every one thousand hospital admissions. Conventional wisdom and common sense have long believed that consuming too much calcium could promote the development of kidney stones. However, current evidence suggests that the consumption of low-calcium diets is ACTUALLY associated with a higher overall risk for the development of kidney stones. Call your physician right away if you have symptoms that suggest you have them.
Kidney stones, one of the most painful urological disorders, have troubled humans for ages. They form when there is a large amount of calcium oxalate or uric acid in the urine; a lack of citrate in the urine; or insufficient water in the kidneys to dissolve waste products. Kidney stones are most prevalent in persons between the ages of 30 and 45, and the incidence declines after age 50. They can be as small as a grain of sand or as big as a pearl and often do not cause any signs or symptoms.
Symptoms
Stones that produce lasting symptoms or other complications may be treated using various methods, most of which do not necessitate major surgery. Sometimes "silent" stones (those that do not produce symptoms) are found on x-rays taken during a general health exam. The doctor determines if the patient has a history of kidney stones, documents past health conditions, and evaluates present symptoms.
When the stone enters the bladder, the blockage in the ureter is relieved and the symptoms are resolved. Kidney stones usually exit the body by passage in the urine stream, and many are formed and passed without causing any pain. People with severe symptoms might need hospitalization. Call your doctor if you have symptoms or if symptoms return, urination becomes painful, urine output diminishes, or new symptoms develop.
Treatment
Treatment varies, depending on the kind of stone and the cause and usually includes pain medication and increased fluids (to drink) until the stone has exit the body. If a stone has been removed, or if the patient has passed a stone and saved it, an analysis by the laboratory may help the physician in planning treatment. A second twenty four hour urine collection may be needed to determine whether the prescribed treatment is effective. Today, treatment for kidney stones is greatly improved, and many options do not need major surgery and can be performed in an outpatient setting.
To lower the chance of complications, doctors routinely tell patients to avoid taking aspirin and other drugs that affect blood clotting for several weeks prior to treatment. Sometimes the stone is not totally shattered with one treatment, and additional ones may be necessary. As with any interventional, surgical procedure, possible risks and complications should be discussed with your doctor before making a final decision.
If no specific therapy exists, you may be able to stave off more kidney stones simply by drinking more water and making a few dietary changes. After therapy, the pain may return if the stone moves and causes blockage in another area of the body. The goal of therapy is to relieve and prevent further symptoms.
Conclusion
Kidney stones are tiny, hard deposits of mineral and acid salts on the inner surfaces of your kidneys and form when a change comes about in the normal balance of water, salts, minerals, and other things found in urine. They are very painful but often can be removed from the body without causing permanent damage. They normally cause no pain while in the kidneys, but can produce sudden, severe pain while traveling to the bladder. Kidney stones are more common in developed nations and do have regional variation in occurrence. They occur all year; however, most people seem to develop or become aware of stones during the summer time. They are an ancient affliction dating back to the age of the Egyptian pyramids, yet are still a common ailment in present times. Stones are usually passed out of the body within 48 hours, but attacks can sometimes last for more than 30 days. Most however, pass out of the body without help from a doctor.
If someone in your family has them, you're more likely to develop them too and if you've already had one or more, you have an increased risk of developing another. Most people who develop stones are between 20 and 70 years of age. Having high blood pressure doubles your risk. According to The National Institute of Health, 1 person in 10 develops kidney stones during their lifetime and renal stone disease accounts for ten out of every one thousand hospital admissions. Conventional wisdom and common sense have long believed that consuming too much calcium could promote the development of kidney stones. However, current evidence suggests that the consumption of low-calcium diets is ACTUALLY associated with a higher overall risk for the development of kidney stones. Call your physician right away if you have symptoms that suggest you have them.
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