What are Kidney Stone Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, & Prevention

Author: Rajpal Singh Lamba

Kidney stone has become one of the major health problems across the globe and not only adults even small children are also being affected by this disease. The two small bean-shaped organs play a great role in your renal system and help the body to successfully pass the waste products out of the body in the form of urine. If you are diagnosed with kidney stone disease, the best kidney stone treatment can help you overcome the problem as you are treated under the guidance of expert nephrologists. The article addresses the following questions about kidney stone treatment:

  • What are kidney stones and where can occur?

  • What are the symptoms of kidney stones?

  • What are the different types of kidney stones?

  • How to diagnose the disease for successful treatment of the problem?

  • What types of kidney stone treatments available?

  • How can you prevent the disease from occurring?

What are kidney stones and where can occur?

When the urine contains a high amount of dissolved salts and minerals and these do not easily pass through the urine, such impurities get stuck in the kidney. These impurities take the form of solid masses, for example, crystals that keep on deposit in the kidney. When these stones harden, they take up the form of hard stones, commonly known as kidney stones. Although these stones originate in the kidney but can also develop different parts of the urinary tract such as kidneys, urethra, ureters and urinary bladder.

What are the symptoms of kidney stones?

The symptoms of kidney stones usually depend on the size of the stone. Sometimes, when the stone size is small and the stone might pass unnoticed, no potential symptoms may be shown. But in case of large kidney stone, several symptoms can be seen in the patient:

  • Vomiting and nausea

  • Severe pain while urinating

  • Constant fever and chills

  • Blood in urine

  • A restricted flow of urine

What are the different types of kidney stones?

Apart from the size, type of kidney stones is also an important factor to be considered in kidney stone treatment. Four commonly found kinds of kidney stones are :

Calcium stones: These are the widely found types of kidney stones and are formed of calcium, oxalate, and phosphate.

Struvite stones: These stones are made up of phosphate, magnesium, and ammonium. A person suffering from urinary tract infections might develop such stones due to bacteria in the urine.

Uric acid stones: When the urine is highly acidic, these types of stones are formed on their own or with excessive deposition of calcium.

Cystine stones: Those people who are suffering from certain kinds of genetic disorders may develop these types of stones. These are rarely found but can occur in both men and women.

How to diagnose the disease for successful treatment of the problem?

Once you are detected with certain symptoms of kidney stones, the urologists and the kidney stone specialists may recommend the patient several diagnostic procedures tests, so that it may be confirmed that the person is suffering from the disease. Following are the most commonly adopted diagnostic procedures:

Urine testing: The test helps in identifying whether there are excessive stone-forming substances or very few substances that prevent the formation of kidney stones in the urine.

Blood tests: The test can reveal useful results regarding the presence of calcium and uric acid in the blood and thus, helps in complete monitoring of the health of the kidneys. Not only kidney diseases other medical problems can also be identified with the help of blood tests.

Imaging tests: There are several types of imaging techniques that range from simple X-rays to complex CT scans depending on the location of the stones and the severity of the condition. Other diagnostic options include sonography, intravenous urography and other types of noninvasive tests.

What types of kidney stone treatments available

The type of kidney stone treatment in Jaipur depends on several factors such as the existing condition of the stone, its type, the size of the stone, and the duration for which you are suffering from the symptoms. The small-sized stone can pass through urine without causing much pain while medium-sized stones can be treated through medication. In case of large stones that cannot pass through on their own, the nephrologists recommend the patients to undergo surgical procedures in which the large stones are broken down into small pieces making them easier to move out the body. The major kidney stones removal surgeries include the following:

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL): This kidney removal stone surgery is highly useful for treating large kidney stones. About half-inch incision is made in the back or the side of the body so that the instrument (nephroscope) can easily pass through the hollow part of the kidney to the place where the stone is located. Thereafter, the large stone is broken up into small pieces so that the instrument easily suctions out the broken pieces of the stones. One of the in-patient procedures, the patient needs to stay in the hospital for a night or two-three days.

Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL): The procedure is used to treat stones in the kidney as well as ureters. Shock Waves are continuously targeted at the stone which leads to breaking of the stones into small pieces. Thereafter, the stones are left to pass through urine over a few weeks. One of the benefits is that the patient can go home on the very same day of the procedure.

How can you prevent the disease from occurring?

Although kidney stone treatment in Jaipur can provide the necessary relief but adopting simple preventive measures can reduce the chances of occurrence of kidney stones to a great extent. Drinking enough water and liquid every day can decrease the possibility of deposition of waste products and impurities in the kidney and they can easily pass through the urine. Moreover, the intake of products rich in sodium and animal proteins such as fish, eggs, and meat should also be limited.