Kidney Stones — Types, Symptoms, And Treatment
Kidney stones are small sized masses of minerals and salts that are formed inside the kidneys. They may travel down the urinary tract. The size of a kidney stone can be as small as a speck to as large as a ping pong ball.
Kidney stone types
Kidney stones are of different types:
· Calcium stone — These are the most common type of kidney stones and are in the form of calcium oxalate. Oxalate is a natural substance that is found in food and is also made by the liver. High dosage of vitamin D and metabolic disorders may tend to increase the concentration of calcium that is present in urine. Calcium stones can also be found in the form of calcium oxalate and this is common in certain metabolic conditions.
· Struvite stones — This is formed because of a urinary tract infection. They grow very quickly and are also large in size. They form with very little warning or few symptoms
· Uric acid stones — This is formed in those who drink less fluids or those who lose a lot of fluids. People who have a high protein diet ,gout or genetic factors may increase the chances of uric acid stones
· Cysteine stones –This is because of a hereditary disorder and is caused because the kidney secretes a lot of amino acids.
Kidney Stone symptoms
The symptom of a kidney stone may not occur till the stone starts moving down to the ureters. It causes a lot of pain and this pain is called renal colic. The pain may occur on one side of the back or the abdomen. Men may also feel pain radiating to their groin area. This pain comes and goes but is intense and may make one feel restless.
The other symptoms of kidney stone are:
· Red, pink or brown blood in urine
· Nausea
· Vomiting
· Foul smelling and decoloured urine
· Fever
· Chills
· Frequent urination
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· Less quantity of urine
If the kidney stone is very small, then one may not face any discomfort as the stone gets easily passed from the urinary tract.
Kidney stone removal surgery
A kidney stone can be removed with the help of surgery. Once you know the surgery procedures, there are many affordable surgery packages that you can book for kidney stone removal.
The surgery may be required if the stone:
· Does not pass of its own and causes constant pain
· Is large in size and is caught in a difficult spot
· Is blocking urine
· Causes any urinary tract infection
· Damages the tissue in the kidney or causes constant bleeding
· Has grown very large in size
An open surgery was the only option until recent times. However, now the kidney stone removal surgery can be performed in an outpatient setting.
Surgeries to treat kidney stone
The surgeries to treat kidney stones are:
· Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy — This is the most commonly used procedure. In this method, shock waves are created outside the body and they travel through the skin and the tissues till they find the denser stone. The stones get broken down because of these shock waves and then pass through the urinary tract in the urine.
· Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy — This process is used when the stone is of a very large size and in a place which does not allow the use of the ESWL procedure. In this method, a tiny cut is made in the back to create a tunnel to the kidney. An instrument is passed through the tunnel to locate and remove the stone.
· Ureteroscopic Stone Removal — This is used for stones in the mid and the lower part of the ureters. In this method, a small fiberoptic instrument is passed through the urethra and the bladder into the ureter. This helps to locate and remove the stone.
Conclusion
There is no definite cause for kidney stone formation. It can occur because of an excess of calcium, uric acid, and oxalate in the urine or because the urine lacks the substances that stop the crystals from sticking to each other.
