Kidney stones can be quite painful if they are large in size and not treated. They often form due to an excess of certain minerals in the urine. However, if you take the right precautions, you can prevent them. Let’s find out what kidney stones are, how they form and do kidney stones require surgery.
What are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones are also called nephrolithiasis, calculi, or urolithiasis by doctors. These are hard objects that form in the kidneys. Kidney stones are often the result of excess minerals and dehydration in the body.
They are small, almost the size of a grain of salt or corn, but some stones can also be large, almost the size of a golf ball. Kidney stones consist of salts and minerals and can be yellow or brown in color. In texture, they can be rough or smooth. Depending on the dimensions of the stones, you may not even realize having them.
Large stones can get trapped in the ureter causing bleeding and preventing urine from passing. These stones usually require surgery for removal and don’t pass on their own.
How Common Are Kidney Stones?
According to research, almost one in ten people get kidney stones during their lifetime. They are not as common in children, but the reasons remain similar. Children who have asthma are four times more susceptible to kidney stones.
Symptoms of Kidney Stones
Kidney stones can form without any symptoms. Most people experience symptoms when the stones move from their place. Once it forms in the kidney, it can then travel into the urinary tract from where it leaves the body. However, this movement can cause extreme pain. Symptoms can be mild or severe. Common symptoms that you have stones in your kidney include:
- Feeling pain in the abdomen
- Experiencing intense pain in your back and sides
- It pains when you pee
- Fluctuating pain that changes in severity
- Having pee that is red, brown, pink, or cloudy
- Feeling the urge to pee often
- Going to the bathroom more than often
- Feeling a burning sensation during pee
- Having vomiting and nausea
Causes of Kidney Stones and Risk Factors
Anyone can develop kidney stones; however, men have higher chances. Usually, men in their 30s and 40s are most likely to have kidney stones. The causes of the development of kidney stones are unclear, but they mostly occur due to high levels of certain minerals in the urine.
These minerals include oxalate, calcium, and uric acid. Low urine in your body reduces the chances of flushing out the high concentration of minerals; therefore, the formation of stones becomes more likely. Other risk factors for developing kidney stones include:
- Having a familial tendency for kidney stones
- Having any kind of blockage in your urinary tract
- Excess protein in the diet, such as eating fish, beans, or meat excessively
- Not drinking enough liquids
- Lack of calcium from food
- Taking Vitamin C supplements
Certain medical conditions also lead to developing kidney stones because they can increase or decrease the mineral levels in the body that form the stones. These medical conditions can include:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Kidney cysts
- High blood pressure
- Hypercalciuria
- Gout
- Parathyroid disease
- Chronic diarrhea
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Certain surgical procedures, such as intestine surgery or weight loss surgery
Certain treatments and medicines can increase the probability of kidney stone formation. These include:
- Calcium based antacids
- Diuretics
- Crixivan
- Dilantin and Topamax
- Cipro
- Ceftriaxone
Certain foods that increase the risk of kidney stones include the following:
- Sodium (having a diet high in salt)
- Meats and poultry (animal proteins)
- Sugars (corn syrup, sucrose, and fructose)
How To Diagnose Kidney Stones?
Someone with kidney stones may not always display signs of pain or discomfort. However, if your doctor suspects you have stones, they will first examine you and take your medical history. If they suspect a need, they will ask you to get a diagnostic imaging test like a CT scan for kidney stones that shows clear images of the kidneys and urinary tract.
An x-ray is most likely suitable to spot larger kidney stones, while a computerized tomography (CT) scan is more suitable for finding smaller stones. Your doctor may also require other kinds of tests, which can include the following:
Blood Test: Blood tests reveal any excess of uric acid or calcium in your blood. A blood test also shows the healthiness of your kidneys.
Urine Test: A urine test will show if there is an excess of minerals in your urine that can form kidney stones. You may be required to collect one or two 24-hour urine samples.
In pregnant women, since the babies are at risk of radiation injury, they are asked to get an ultrasound in place of a CT scan in the first trimester. If a woman is in the second or third trimester, then a low-dose CT scan is okay as it poses a lesser danger.
How Long Do Stones Take To Form?
Sometimes, people can have this affliction without any apparent symptoms for years. Unless they stay within the kidney in their place, they don’t cause any discomfort. Usually, the pain from kidney stones starts when the stones start moving out of their place. Kidney stones can take a few months to form. However, when you consult your doctor, they will do a 24-hour urine test to determine how quickly the stones develop.
Common Types Of Kidney Stones
The type of stones you have can affect the treatment. They are as follows:
Calcium Stones: The most common type of stone is calcium stones which occur by eating foods high in oxalates such as rhubarb. They also form due to the intake of high levels of vitamin D. Calcium stones usually develop due to dehydration.
Struvite Stones: infections in the urinary tract can cause struvite stones.
Cystine Stones: Cystine stones are the least common and can occur due to genetic mutation. In this case, the kidneys are not capable of reabsorbing the compound cysteine. Its higher levels in urine can lead to the development of stones in the kidney.
Uric Acid Stones: consuming larger quantities of animal proteins can lead to increased uric acid in the urine, which increases the risk of stone formation.
Treatment for Kidney Stones
Treatment is not necessary in all cases. If the stones are small, they usually exit the body when you pass urine. However, you can speed up the passing of stones by doing the following:
Drinking More Water
Doctors recommend drinking between eight and ten 8-ounce glasses of water to prevent the buildup of minerals in your urine. Aim for clear urine.
Over-The-Counter Medication
Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter medication to ease the discomfort. In this case, you may be given naproxen or Ibuprofen.
Prescription Medicine
Prescription medicine, such as an alpha-blocker, can help relax the muscles in your ureter to ease the passing of the stones with less pain and more quickly.
What Size Of Kidney Stone Requires Surgery?
Kidney stones may be smaller or larger and may require surgery based on their size. Smaller stones are those that are 4mm or less in length and may pass on their own within a month.
Moreover, stones that are between 4mm and 6mm in length, on average, take 45 days to exit the body on their own. Among these, 60 percent of the stones will pass naturally. Stones larger than 6mm in length are the kidney stone size for surgery. These will most likely require medical intervention or cause pain and discomfort.
How To Prevent Kidney Stones?
You can do several things to prevent the formation of kidney stones and save yourself the pain and discomfort. These include taking the following actions:
Limit Salt Intake: If you have a high salt intake, you should start to limit it. Eat less sodium in your food, and avoid taking foods with sodium. A dietitian can help you navigate dietary requirements.
Increase Water Intake: To avoid developing kidney stones, it is recommended that you up your water intake. Drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water every day is advisable. Drinking more water will make you urinate more which will flush away the minerals and other substances that can form stones in the kidney. If you sweat more than necessary, make sure you replace that by drinking more water.
Lose Weight: Try to lose some weight if you are overweight. You should talk to your doctor about your ideal weight and then try to maintain it with exercise and diet.
Take Prescriptions: You may also take prescription medicine after consulting with your doctor to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
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Conclusion
You shouldn’t be too worried if your doctor has asked you to get a CT scan in New Jersey. It will help reveal the size of the stones and the most suitable treatment. There is a risk of relapse, but smaller stones pass on their own.
However, surgical treatment may be necessary to remove larger stones. It has a high success rate and takes less time to recover. You can get kidney stones multiple times in your lifetime. It is advisable to confer with a medical professional to find out why the situation remains unresolved. Alternatively, you should increase your water intake, reduce your salt intake and make sure you have a healthy diet.