Feb 3, 2011

Kidney stones symptoms – Medical alerts for kidney stones

Many people are not aware of it but there are actually different types of kidney stones that some individuals suffer from. among those types, the most common that most people develop is called “calcium oxalate stone.” While others are called “struvite stones,” “uric acid stones,” and “cystine stones.” these types vary depending on what cause them and their characteristics.

People who are prone to kidney stones must familiarize themselves with the different types as early as possible so they would know what to adjust. Aside from setting lifestyles changes, knowing what type of kidney stones develop in the body is also important because it will help you do the things that will prevent their existence in your body system.

The symptoms of kidney stones

To be able to address the condition properly, it a must for people who are prone to having kidney stones to familiarize themselves with the condition. In order to determine if one is suffering from kidney stones, here are some medical alerts or symptoms to be noted:

1. Pain in all levels. as vague as it is, pain in varying levels is one of the major medical alerts of kidney stones. Considered as a common symptom for kidney stones, pain may vary depending on the size of the kidney stone and the length of time that it remains undiagnosed. Experts say that pain—which can be mild or extreme—is normal for people who suffer from kidney stones. this is because as the stone increases in size and weight, the more discomfort it brings especially during urination. another form of pain that can be experienced due to kidney stones is from renal colic, which brings waves of severe pain that lasts for more than 10 minutes and can even last for an hour depending on the location of the kidney stone.

2. Blood in the urine or “hematuria.”  The presence of blood in the urine is quite disturbing but this is one of the most common medical alerts of kidney stones.

Other symptoms of kidney stones include nausea or vomiting, pain with urination, and at times, the urgent need to urinate which are usually characterized among children and adults.

The importance of diagnosis

Did you know that almost 50 percent of the people who suffer from kidney stones would likely have them again in the next 10 years or so? this is because many of the sufferers do not continue medication and they cease from maintaining healthy diet and lifestyle.

People who are likely to suffer from kidney stones can go to any hospital’s Emergency Room or “ER”. Here, you can ask the attending physician or the hospital clerk on duty to undergo testing. It is advantageous for you to go straight in the ER because hospital people will attend to you directly. In most cases, it would take a long time before one can actually set at check up with a specialist. so it would be best if you go directly to the ER and get the prompt attention that you need.

Diagnosis can be done through an assessment of the person’s clinical history, a physical examination, laboratory evaluation, and x-ray for follow up. having early diagnosis can definitely help you determine which type of kidney stone is present and would lead to faster and reliable treatments.

A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or urinary tract. It is one of the most painful problems of urinary tract. A kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. one or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time. Kidney stones, usually comprised of a compound called calcium oxalate, are the result of a build-up of dissolved minerals on the inner lining of the kidneys. Kidney stones often occur when urine becomes too concentrated.

Kidney stones consist of a center that consists of crystal-like substances and a surrounding region that is composed of layers. Different kinds of kidney stones include calcium stones, uric acid stones, cystine stones and struvite stones. Kidney stones are experienced between the ages of 30 and 50.

- Urine contains certain substances which converts into crystals.- Lack of water.- an excessively acidic environment in the kidneys is conducive to the formation of kidney stones.- Heredity.- Intake of certain foods results in too much of certain stone-forming components in the urine.- Bowel disease.- Chronic urinary tract infections.- Urinary tract blockage.- Minimal activity.

- Intense, colicky pain that may fluctuate in intensity over a period of 5 to 15 minutes. The pain usually starts in your back or your side just below the edge of your ribs.- Severe Pain.- Nausea and Vomiting.- Blood in the urine.- Increase in frequency or urgency of urination, or the inability to urinate.- Fever, chills and weakness.- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine.- Pus in urine.

- Diagnostic tests include a blood test, a urine test and a 24-hour urine collection test.- Kidney-ureter-bladder (KUB) x-ray, a kidney ultrasound, an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) and if recommended, a CAT (CT) scan.

- about 90 percent of all kidney stones can pass through the urinary system spontaneously with the help of plenty of water (two to three quarts a day) to help the stone move along.- Pain medications.- Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESLW) – Shock waves generated in water (like very tiny tidal waves) can be very precisely directed into the abdomen to break up the stone into smaller particles that can be easily passed in the urine.- Percutaneous nephrolithotomy – This method makes use of a tunnel-like surgical device that is inserted into a small hole in the patient’s back and positioned on the kidney.- Ureteroscopy – When the stone is located in the ureter, this device, which looks like a wire, is inserted into the patient’s urethra and threaded through the bladder and up the ureter to where the stone is lodged.

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