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In our daily lives, we have so much to deal with: our work, school, home, and ourselves: body, health, etc. And sudden pain and discomfort would bring nothing but problems.
Kidney stone pain is a common situation in all ages. It causes pelvic and lower back pain with fever and problems such as incomplete and frequent urination, which discomfort patients.
In this article, we will learn about the signs of kidney stones, symptoms, types, and other general information.
What Are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones are hard stones that contain solid minerals, salts, or chemicals in the urine and kidneys. The shape of the kidney stones is irregular; they can be very small or as big as a tennis ball. Some may be so small that you don’t even realize; some can be seen in sand form, etc.
Four common types of kidney stones exist in different forms, named:
- Calcium Stones
- Uric Acid Stones
- Struvite Stones
- Cystine Stones
We will learn about them in detail in the next titles.
Causes of Kidney Stones
The causes of kidney stones differ from patient to patient, but the most common causes of kidney stones can be listed as:
- Dehydration: Staying dehydrated or not drinking enough water can cause kidney stones since the water helps minerals and chemicals filter and get out of the body. Please note that hydration is essential for health.
- Other Diseases: Diseases such as urinary tract infections, urinary tract problems, and gout can increase the risk of kidney stones.
- Diet: Not having a healthy diet or consuming foods and drinks high in salt, animal protein, etc. might cause kidney stones.
Kidney Stone Symptoms
Signs of kidney stones depend on the size, location, condition of the patient, etc. Every patient might confront different symptoms; however, the most common ones can be listed as:
- Kidney stone pain: The most common symptom is heavy pain, which gradually increases around the body’s lower back and ribs. It causes discomfort as well as heavy pain.
- Frequent urination: Sudden and frequent urination that results in small amounts is another common sign of kidney stones in the toilet.
- Moving stones during urination are the cause of pain and discomfort.
- Blood in the urine: This condition is called hematuria caused by moving stones.
Kidney Stones Treatment
The treatment methods are shaped according to the patient’s condition, the size and location of the kidney stone, its type, and many more factors. Let’s take a look at them with some mini tips as well:
- Hydration: Hydration is essential to fight against and prevent kidney stones and other kidney-related problems. Don’t forget to drink water regularly; you can support it by drinking healthy fruit juices, etc.
- Medications: Your doctor might prescribe medications such as painkillers and ureter-relaxing pills.
- Lithotripsy: This method is used to break huge stones so that they can pass through the urinary tract.
After the treatment, regular follow-ups are advised for the patients.
Types of Kidney Stones
As mentioned in the previous titles, there are four types of kidney stones. They are classified according to their characteristics. Here they are:
- Calcium Stones: Calcium stones are the most commonly seen type of kidney stones, divided into calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate stones. Calcium oxalate stones may occur when high consumption of oxalate-rich foods like spinach.
- Uric Acid Stones: Uric acid stones are generally caused by consuming high-quality red meat, which causes high uric acid levels in the body.
- Struvite Stones: They consist of chemicals and minerals in the body and are mostly seen because of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
- Cystine Stones: These are the rare types of kidney stones seen in patients with a genetic disease called cystinuria.
