What You Need to Know About Kidney Stones
Kidney stones can happen to anyone but this happens more often to men than women. So for you guys out there, you should be careful.
You may also already have kidney stones if you have one of these symptoms which include bloating, blood in the urine, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, an increase in the frequency of urination, nausea and vomiting, pain during urination and tenderness in the abdomen and kidney region.
Some people also complain off pain coming from the back or the pelvis that goes on and off. It may last for several minutes to a few hours. You might also experience chills, fevers and a loss of appetite which happen are same symptoms associated with urinary tract infection or UTI.
There is no doubt that something is wrong. What now? Well, you have to see the doctor to find out what is really going on. Once you arrive at the clinic, fill up the questionnaire, wait for your name to be called so the doctor can do a physical exam.
To be sure, the doctor will probably get a sample and run some more tests and if you do have kidney stones, its size will determine if this can be expelled by your body or with a little help.
Doctors determine what course of action to take based on the size of the kidney stone. If they have found the kidney stone to be 4mm in diameter or less, then surgery is not required. But if it is larger than 8mm. doctors have no choice but to perform surgery because the stone cannot exit the bladder on its own.
There are 4 procedures currently being used to treat kidney stones. You have ESWL or extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, PNL or percutaneous nephrolithotomy, ureteroscopic stone removal and open surgery.
What will be used does not only depend on the size of the kidney stone but also the type that is inside your kidney. Doctors know that you have one of four types and this could be calcium, uric acid, struvite and cystine.
It is important to know what type of kidney stone is inside so during post treatment, your doctor can tell you what steps you can take so this will not happen again.
When the doctor tells you that there are kidney stones in your body, dont panic and learn more about the problem. Yes you know what it is and what caused it but you should ask also how serious this is.
Are there risks to the procedures? Has the kidney stones caused any permanent damage in the body? If surgery was successful, what steps should you take so this will not happen again.
Your doctor should be able to answer all your questions. If you have doubts, seek a second opinion. If you do have kidney stones, do whatever it takes to get rid of it.
You may not need surgery after all to get rid of kidney stones since most of the time, the body will be able to do it. But if surgery is required, dont panic. Find out everything there is to know about it so you are well briefed on what will happen. Yes there are risks but things could get worse if you do not do anything about it.
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What Diet is Ideal for People Suffering from Kidney Stones
What Diet is Ideal for People Suffering from Kidney Stones
Indeed, there is no more effective means of fighting any disease but proper diet. Many experts agree that having the right diet is one of the keys in treating and preventing common diseases such as kidney stones. This is because is there is controlled diet, people can choose not to consume foods that can lead to the faster formation and faster growthin the cases of those who already have kidney stones.
Kidney stones refer to the salts and other minerals formed in the vital organs such as kidneys, ureters, and bladder. There are a large percentage of people who can be prone to this because these stones tend to form naturally. However, not all kidney stones should be neglected because they can cause extremely uncomfortable pangs of pain and can even result to more complicated related diseases.
How can diet help
Specialists in the field of medicine would agree that the easiest way to fight kidney stones is by having a diet that is balanced and appropriate for age. This is because having a balanced diet would not ensure that one is getting all the key nutrients he or she needs but also assures them that they will have lesser chances of developing diseases such as kidney stones.
For people who are suffering from kidney stones, experts advise them to take specific preventive measures in preventing kidney stones as early as now. This is because the earlier the possible causes are prevented the greater chances of having kidney stones risks. Here are suggestions when it comes to diet to lessen the chances of having kidney stones:
- increased fluid intake. This is quite effective in fighting kidney stones because if you have enough amount of liquid in your body, it can wash away toxins and flush then out from the body. Increasing fluid intake, especially water, is the simplest yet most effective way of fighting kidney stones because it can help you keep hydrated while leaving your system clean. The ideal water intake should be 8 glasses but since people with kidney stones need more to flush out salts and other minerals in the body, 10 to 12 glasses is recommended daily.
- controlled sodium intake. Too much salt or sodium is one of the primary causes of kidney stones because it increases the calcium levels present in the person’s urine. Doctors advise people with calcium stones to cut down or totally eliminate sodium intake from the foods that they eat. This is because too much salt intake will only make the condition more complicated and may also cause other related diseases.
- higher the intake of fiber-rich foods. Fiber is considered beneficial to people with kidney stones because it contain several compoundsmostly are phytatethat guards the kidney against the formation of stones. Experts say that people who are suffering from kidney stones and those who would want to be spared from it should increase their calcium intake coming from the foods they eat such as wheat, rice bran and soybeans.
More and more experts agree that along with early diagnosis, eating the right set of foods is very crucial in keeping one’s self away from kidney stones. For those who are already suffering from this condition, all the more that they need to pay attention to their diet because this directly affects the degree or severity of the kidney stones.
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What Are the Different Type of Kidney Stones
There are 4 kinds of kidney stones and these are formed by different salts found in your urine. What makes each one different is what caused it.
One of the most common is the calcium stone.
These stones can easily be identified because it looks spiky or at times large and smooth. The reason why these are called calcium stones is because these are made from calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate.
You may have calcium stones if you have excess levels of Vitamin D or an overactive parathyroid gland. This occurs frequently to people suffering from cancer or kidney disease.
The second type of kidney stone is the uric acid stones. These are smooth, soft and color brown and you get it from eating too much meat products. People who are at risk of this are patients who have just undergone chemotherapy.
The third type is the struvite or infection stones. These are big and appear like a horn like shape that often develops when you have excess amounts of ammonia in your body.
You are at risk of this if you already have UTI or urinary tract infection because the bacteria that causes this infection generates ammonia. Unlike the first two types of kidney stones, this one is generally found in women.
The fourth and last is the cystine stones. This is easy to tell because it is color yellow and crystalline. You can also have cystine stones if you have high levels of cystine in your urine. But this is very rare because it can only happen if you have a genetic order known as cystinuria. This occurs when kidney tubules are not reabsorbing the amino acids adequately.
The good news is that kidney stones can be treated and prevented. Sometimes drinking lots of water and taking some medication will help flush it out of the body. If the stones are too big, then surgery will be needed.
If you have had kidney stones in the past, remember that they can be happen again so you should take preventive measures. You should drink lots of water daily and make changes in your diet.
For instance, if you want to reduce the risk of developing calcium stones, you have to reduce your intake of certain vegetables such as asparagus and cooked spinach. You should also drink less tea and limit the chocolate you eat.
Since uric acid stones come from eating too much meat products, cut down your fish, meat and poultry intake. Should you be at risk for cystine or struvite stones, ask your doctor for preventive medication.
You will never know what kind of kidney stones are in your body unless you go visit a doctor. From there, he or she can tell you what it is and then recommend the proper treatment. Most of the time, you can flush it out yourself but if there is no other choice, you may have to undergo surgery.
Believe it or not, in most cases doctors do not know what causes kidney stones to appear. They may have an idea what caused it after identifying what kind of stone it is and only recommend what preventive measures you can take so it does not happen again. If you dont take this seriously, remember they do come back.
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What Are Kidney Stones
Kidney stones form when minerals or salts which are normally found in the urine become solid. Most of the time, they are too tiny and do not cause any damage to the kidney because the body is able to expel it. But if they build up inside the kidney, then we have a problem.
The problem starts when the stones move out of the kidney and then go to through the ureters which are the little tubes that carry urine from the kidney to the bladder. If it gets stuck here, an infection will occur which may lead to kidney damage.
You will find out if you have a kidney problem when there is pain in one side of your back or on both, you experience spasms, notice bloody, cloudy or smelly urine, you dont not feel well, you urinate frequently and when you have fevers and chills.
The symptoms mentioned are very similar to UTI or urinary tract infection and you will only know what is going on when you have yourself checked by a doctor.
What causes kidney stones is still not known. What doctors know is that this happens often to men than to women.
These individuals fall within the 20 and 40 age group, have a family history of kidney stones, take certain medications such as antacids, diuretics and thyroid medications, have one kidney or one that is abnormally shaped, eat a lot of protein in their diet, often dehydrated, have poor mobility and have had a disease in the small intestine or small intestinal bypass. Although it is treatable, a new one can develop within the next 5 years.
Doctors tell the difference between UTI and kidney stones through a variety of tests. These include blood test, urine analysis, x-rays, ultrasound and non-contrast helical computerized tomography. If initial reports confirm the findings, then treatment is administered.
Treatment for someone who has a kidney stone varies per patient because this depends on the type of stone that is inside the body. If it is nothing serious, the doctor may not even have to do anything except tell you to drink lots of water and stay physically active.
It is going to hurt trying to expel the stones out from your system so this can be identified which is why you may be prescribed a paracetamol or codeine to reduce the pain. It is only when there is an infection that antibiotics will be given and surgery will have to be performed.
Examples of such procedures include extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, ureteroscopic stone removal and percutaneous nephrolithotomy. In simple terms, the doctor may use one machine to break the stones down using shockwaves, by simply pulling it out or using later to cut them into small pieces.
Kidney stone can easily be removed thanks to advances in modern medicine. If you have one or you think that you could have one, it is best to visit your doctor to see what is really the problem and the proper action can be taken.
When it is all over and the kidney stones are removed, it is best to make some lifestyle changes because they could come back and you will have to go through this ordeal all over again. Surely, you wouldnt want that to happen.
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What are Kidney Stones?
Kidney is one of the most sensitive and important organs of the body so if something happens to it, necessary steps have to be taken to make sure that there is still time to fix the problem. When the kidney fails then there is a greater chance that the organs will fail as well. One of the most common ailments to strike the kidney is the formation of kidney stones and even though it seems to be trivial, it has to be given attention.
Kidney stones have affected human beings for many years already. It has been said that traces of kidney stones were found in a 7000 year old Egyptian mummy which means that kidney stones are actually part of ancient history.
Another fact to consider is that more than half a million people rush to hospitals emergency rooms are found to have kidney stone problems. It simply shows how prevalent it is and the commonality of it should not be a reason to take it for granted but it should also not cause us to panic. Despite the long history of humans with kidney stones and the startling increasing number of people affected by it, most cases of kidney stones are actually very minor in the sense that the stones can be flushed out of the body without outside intervention through regular urination.
If however discomfort lingers or complications arise in relation to the presence of kidney stones in the body then there is a need to consult your doctor so that proper assessment can be done. There is nothing to fear though because most of the medical steps needed to get rid of kidney stones do not involve any major surgery.
A kidney stone is scientifically defined as a hard lump of mass that are formed from crystals that are left behind in the urinary tract. For a normal person, the urine has chemicals that disables these crystals from forming. It is when these inhibitors fail to do their job that causes the problem but as mentioned earlier you can easily get rid of smaller stones.
However if the kidney stones are bigger in size that it cant be simply gone then there are procedures available to take it out. The good news is because of advancements in technology, most of these procedures do not require for the person afflicted to be opened up. There are special instruments that can melt or crush the kidney stones and putting them inside the body do not have to involve having a knife go through ones body.
For unqualified reasons, more and more people seem to be getting kidney stones. As per cases reported, it is men in their forties and seventies that are prone to getting kidney stones. It is also important to mention that once a person gets stones then that person is more susceptible to forming kidney stones in the future. Hence the key here is really prevention. The main problem though is that there are really no singularly very particular cause of kidney stones.
Doctors though are one in saying that the best way to prevent it is in drinking fluids preferable water. This is not the same though as in drinking just eight glasses of water a day but rather it is highly advised to drink water whenever you can.
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Understanding Kidney Stones
Kidney stones can happen to anyone regardless of gender or age. But studies have shown that this is more common during middle age and three times more in men. So what the symptoms of kidney stones?
The most common symptoms of kidney stones include bloating, blood in the urine, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, an increase in the frequency of urination, nausea and vomiting, pain during urination and tenderness in the abdomen and kidney region.
You may also experience pain that goes on and off. This may last for minutes to several hours which you may feel in the kidney, lower abdomen or groin. You may also have chills, fevers and a loss of appetite which happen to be the same symptoms associated with urinary tract infection or UTI.
What happens then? To find out what is really going on, you have to see your doctor. Once there, you will answer a few questions and then undergo several tests to see if you have kidney stones or not. The results of the test will determine what type of treatment will be done.
If the kidney stone measures 4 mm in diameter or less, there is a strong chance that you dont need surgery and your body can expel it. If it is 8 mm and above, this is the only time that medical intervention is needed.
Medical intervention is another way of saying surgery. There are 4 types of surgery that can help treat kidney stones and these are namely ESWL or extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, PNL or percutaneous nephrolithotomy, ureteroscopic stone removal and open surgery.
Before you agree to any procedure, you have to know what type of stone is in your kidney. There are 4 types namely calcium, uric acid, struvite and cystine and knowing what it is can already tell you what caused it. It can also help you understand the type of treatment the doctor is recommending.
From there, you can ask how effective is the treatment that they are recommending and what are the risks.
Another good question you can ask is if the kidney stone has caused any permanent damage.
Kidney stones can also be treated by alternative medicine.
You can drink various herbs such as bearberry, cleavers, corn silk, crampbark, gravel root, kava kava, khella, seven barks and stone root. Homeopathic remedies include berberis vulgaris, cantharis, ocimum canum and pennyroyal. Hot packs may also work.
Keep in mind that alternative treatments for kidney stones can only be used if the stones can be expelled by the person. If not, this must be discontinued and a health professional should be the one who will monitor the situation.
Kidney stones should be taken seriously because things could get worse unless it is attended to immediately. You should know that even if the treatment is successful, kidney stones do recur and your best defense against that is prevention.
You will need to make some lifestyle changes and follow the doctors directions because there are a few other things you need to know based on your chemical risk factors. In the end, the power is in your hands because this may put you at risk later on of kidney failure. While getting a transplant is possible, just remember that you have to wait because there are other people who also need it.
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Treating Kidney Stones
Treating kidney stones may or may not involve surgery. Ninety-percent of the time, you dont even have to go under the knife because your body will be able to expel it. But what happens to the remaining ten percent?
That remaining ten percent requires surgery because the stones which have clogged up your system are too large to pass through your bladder and is still growing bigger. It could also block urine flow, give you constant pain, damage your kidney tissue or cause you to have UTI or urinary tract infection.
There are currently 4 methods to deal with kidney stones.
The first is ESWL or extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy. Here non-electrical shock waves created outside your body will travel to the skin until it reaches the dense stones. Within minutes, the stones will form into san. For this to work, you will be placed in a tub or warm, purified water or onto a machine that acts as a medium for the non-electrical shockwaves to pass through.
Second, you have PNL or percutaneous nephrolithotomy. This is used when the kidney stone is quite big and ESWL does not work. Here, the doctor will make a small cut on your back to create a tunnel into the kidney. The stone will then be removed using an instrument known as a nephroscope. If the stone is too large, an energy probe will be used. There are two types namely ultrasonic and electrohydraulic.
Third, there is what is known as ureteroscopic stone removal. Here, a small fiberoptic instrument goes through the urethra and bladder to reach the ureter. Once inside, the stone is located and removed with a special instrument that emits a shockwave. After surgery, a tube will be left inside the uterer for a few days to help the lining of the ureter heal.
The fourth option is open surgery. Basically, the doctor will open the affected area and then remove the kidney stone. It is also possible to inject a solution consisting of calcium chloride, cyroprecipitate, thrombin and indigo carmine into the kidney first to trap the stones in a jelly like clot so it will be easy to remove using forceps.
Kidney stone can come back even after you have had surgery. Should it happen again, it only means one thing and that is you did not take preventive measures.
These precautions include drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water a day which is about 3 liters as this will make your urine look clear instead of yellow. You should make changes in your diet because too much calcium is bad for your health. Some of the things you should reduce include apples, black pepper, chocolate, coffee, cheese, grapes, ice cream, oranges, tomatoes and yogurt.
Reductions should also be made in fish, meat or poultry products because this increases your uric acid. If you drink alcohol often, cut it down since there is no harm if this is taken in moderation.
Now we all know that it is impossible to eat the same things everyday to maintain a balanced diet. What you can do however is take supplements.
The best way to treat kidney stones is prevention. It will also save money since you have to pay for the doctor, the medication and the fees that are done to make the correct diagnosis.
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The Natural Way of Fighting Kidney Stones
For those people who are suffering from kidney stones, experts say that the easiest means for them to deal with the condition is to flush it out from one’s system. Although this can be done by using medication or through simple medical procedures, it is always best to do it the natural way. Some of the natural means in dissolving kidney stones and flushing it out from person’s system is by drinking tea. Since time immemorial, tea has been giving people a lot of benefits. And one of which is helping the body’s system to flush out waste products that could bring health complications.
More and more individuals who have suffered from kidney stones would agree that teathose that contain Chinese herbs such as plantain leaf, meadowsweet, Joe-pye weed, and sarsaparillacan help dissolve kidney stones because these contain natural properties, which are good in eliminating excess uric acid in the body.
People in China are known to use the mentioned herbsin the form of teato treat kidney stones. Combined with other herbs such as corn silk, wild yam root, hydrangea root, yarrow leaf, and cramp bark, tea preparation can be an effective means of dissolving small kidney stones in no time. To make the tea more effective, longer time in preparation is a must. This is done to ensure that all the natural properties will be intact. Although many people attest to its effectiveness, this may not work for everyone especially to those who bleed easily.
Another means of dissolving kidney stones the natural way is through diuretic tea. For this type of tea, you can choose either dandelion or corn silk. Many people say that these herbs are the two most popular choices of diuretic that can produce early results. When combined with other herbs such as nettle leaf, fennel seed, and oat straw, diuretic tea can be more effective in dissolving even medium-sized kidney stones.
If you are not the type of using herbs as a natural means of fighting kidney stones, there are much simpler ways such as:
1. Taking in lots of fluid. People with kidney stones must drink at least 8 glasses of water to flush out body waste.
2. Opting for lemonade preparation. With the properties present in lemons, it can delay the development of stones in the person’s body.
3. Eating foods that are rich in fiber but low in protein, calcium, and salt. By doing this, you will have lesser risk for kidney stones because you are veering away from the major causes of kidney stones.
4. Engaging on a regular physical exercise. Experts say that one of the reasons why people become prone to kidney stones is due to lack of movements. By veering away from a sedentary living, you can delay and even postpone the formation kidney stones.
Today, many studies show that the most common problems of people involving their kidney is the presence of kidney stones which, are pieces and clumps of waste products formed in this specific body organ. People may not know this but kidney stones can be literally compared to the real stone because they are hard and can be painful specially when they grow in terms of numbers.
But, unlike the real stones, kidney stones can be dissolved once they are diagnosed early.
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The Importance of Early Diagnosis in Kidney Stones
Those 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.
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.
Medical alerts for 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:
- pain in varying 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 painwhich can be mild or extremeis 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.
- presence of blood in the urine or the condition called “hematuria.” The presence of blood in the urine is quite disturbing but this is one of the most common medical alerts of kidney stones.
Immediate diagnosis is a must
Most people dont know it but 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.
Once you feel pain in different extent along with nausea or vomiting, pain with urination, and at times, the urgent need to urinate which are usually characterized among children and adults, then you should have yourself checked by the doctor because you might be suffering from kidney stones.
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The Effective means of Treating Kidney Stones
Doctors say that are generally not harmful. It only becomes harmful and even life threatening when a person suffering from it feels discomforting pain and presence of blood in their urine. Many experts say that the problem why people who are suffering from kidney stones is that they always tend to be complacent in keeping up with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Theydeliberately or not deliberatelywithout realizing that they will suffer and spend more money once the condition gets worse over time.
Today, the most common types of kidney stones among people are the calcium oxalate stones and uric acid stone, which are caused by too much calcium and sodium intake. These types of stones are not really that harmful unless they increase in size fast and block the uteterthe tube that is connected to the bladder and will cause urination problems.
To avoid further complications, it is but natural for people to seek for treatments to spare them from too much pain and expenses. Today, there are so many types of treatments and medications available for people with kidney stones. These forms of treatments vary depending on the severity of the condition. Experts say that people who have mild kidney stones can sort to medication, which are usually prescribed for certain types.
Medication is considered, as the initial form of treatment especially for symptomatic kidney stones which is common among patients. This is used by people who show early signs of kidney stones such as pain with varying degrees. The most common medication includes the Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs ot NSAIDs like ibuprofen, naproxen, nifedipine, and tamsulosin, which are effective in speeding up the passage of ureteral stones along the uterer. These come in different brands, come in pill form and can be brought over the counter.
For extreme pains, medication can be through the vein to ensure that it will take effect faster. This process of medication is also ideal for people who have low tolerance in taking oral pills. If NSAIDs cannot be administered directly, fluids can also be given to the patient suffering from the pain of kidney stones through the mouth to ensure that there will be enough supply of fluid for the urine.
Other treatments options
Although medication can be administered at home, there will be times that the patient need to be brought to the hospitalized especially if the pain does not subside immediately. Once hospitalized, the patient will be asked to strain urine in order to cover the stone and collected for laboratory analysis. Here, the type of stone will be determined as well as its size and number through an imaging test. If your kidney stones are smaller than 5 millimeters, you’re safe to take medication.
But if the stone is about 10 millimeters, you will need to undergo a procedure such as: “Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL)” which is the most common option of procedure because it can easily remove stones in the renal pelvis and upper ureter.
The “Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PNL),” that is ideal for complex and extremely large kidney stones because it involves invasive surgical procedure in the process of removal which are small telescopic instruments passing through the person’s skin.
And the “Ureteroscopy” which is used for removing stones that are obstructed in the middle and lower portion of the person’s ureter with the aid of a tiny telescopic instrument passes through the urethra and bladder and into the ureter and kidney to remove the kidney stones.
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