Kidney stones consist of salts and minerals that crystallize into small stones that vary in size. They can be the size of sand grains, or as large as a golf ball. The stones may remain inside the kidneys or they may move out of the body through the urinary system.
The urinary system is the system responsible for producing urine in the body and delivering it outside the body, as it consists of the kidneys, ureter, bladder, and urethra.
You will likely not feel any pain when the stones pass through the bladder, but sometimes this process may be accompanied by the appearance of severe pain in addition to other symptoms.
Symptoms of kidney stones
Most of the time, symptoms of kidney stones do not appear if they are in the kidneys, but they cause sudden and severe pain when they move outside the kidneys towards the bladder. Therefore, you must seek immediate medical treatment if some symptoms appear that indicate the presence of stones in one or both kidneys. Like the following:
- Sudden, sharp pain on one side of the body, in the abdominal cavity, or in the groin.
- Urine color tends to be red or pink.
- Feeling nauseous and vomiting.
- Causes and risk factors for kidney stones
- Stones form in the kidneys as a result of disturbances in the levels of fluids, salts, minerals, and some other compounds in the urine. The main reason for this is not consuming sufficient amounts of fluids.
- Some people are more susceptible to kidney stones than others, and this may be due to genetic factors if a family member has them.
Diagnosis of kidney stones
A person may notice that he has kidney stones when he visits the treating physician, or when he goes to the emergency room due to the appearance of pain in one side or in the abdominal cavity.
The treating physician asks some questions about the nature of the pain and the patient’s lifestyle, then performs a comprehensive physical examination. He may also request various imaging tests , such as: X-ray imaging to examine the patient’s kidneys and urinary tract system.
In such a case, a person may also need to perform other additional tests, especially when it is discovered that he has more than one stone, or if there is a medical or family history of kidney stones.
The doctor may recommend blood and urine tests to find out the cause of the stones. These tests also help determine whether the person is at risk of developing kidney stones in the future.
Treatment of kidney stones
In most cases of kidney stones, the doctor may request that the patient be treated in his home environment by taking pain relievers, in addition to making sure to drink sufficient amounts of water and other fluids in order to prevent dehydration. The treating doctor may also prescribe some medications that will help with the condition. Excretion of stones from the body.
In some cases, when the size of the stones is large, so that they cannot come out on their own, or if the stones are stuck inside the urinary tract, it is possible that the patient will need additional treatment that differs from simple home remedies.
The most common medical treatment for kidney stones is based on sound waves, and this treatment method is called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy - ESWL .
This treatment is based on breaking up stones in the kidneys, turning them into very small crumbs using ultrasound or shock waves. These crumbs are so small that they can pass through the urinary system and exit the body.
In other cases, the urologist may need to remove the stones through a surgical procedure called ureteroscopy, or by inserting a stent into the bladder to create a passage that allows the stones to pass through the bladder.
Prevention of kidney stones
Some measures and procedures can be followed to prevent kidney stones, such as the following:
- Make sure to drink sufficient amounts of fluids: You must try to drink sufficient amounts of water, approximately 8-10 cups per day, gradually.
- Be sure to change your diet: Diet is closely linked to the formation of kidney stones.
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