Kidney stones, also called nephrolithiasis, renal calculi, or urolithiasis, are hard deposits inside the kidneys. Such deposits are made of salts and minerals.
In a simpler explanation, these are hard objects, forming chemicals in the urine. There are different kinds of kidney stones, although they all have the same symptoms, which can cause exceptional discomfort, specifically if they are left to grow bigger in time.
According to Mayo Clinic, among the causes of kidney stones are excess body weight, certain medical conditions, diet, and some drugs and supplements.
Essentially, kidney stones can impact any part of the urinary tract, from the kidney to the bladder. Frequently, stones from the urine turn out to be concentrated, enabling crystallization and sticking together of minerals.
5 Common Symptoms of Kidney Stones
A Daily Express report specified that the size of the kidneys is similar to the size of a fist that handles the fluid and the chemical levels of the body.
Most people have a pair of kidneys located one on each side of the spine at the back of the stomach, liver, intestines, and pancreas.
Healthy kidneys function by cleaning waste from the blood and eliminating it out from the urine. More so, they control the sodium, calcium, and potassium levels in the blood.
Essentially, calcium stones are the most typical type, resulting in too much calcium in the kidneys.
According to the National Health Service, five of the most common symptoms of kidney stones include:
1. Severe pain on any of the sides of the lower back
2. Appearance of Blood in the Urine
3. Fever and Chills
4. Cloudy Appearance and Foul Odor of Urine
5. Urine Infection
The kidney stone begins to feel pain when it is causing blockage or irritation. This develops quickly into extreme pain.
In most conditions, kidney stones are passing minus leading to damage, although usually not without leading to so much pain.
Treatment
The National Kidney Foundation said the treatment for kidney stones is the same in both adults and children. An individual may be asked to drink ample amounts of water.
Doctors are trying to let the kidney stones pass sans the surgery. A patient may also receive medication to help lessen the acid in his urine.
However, if the stone is too large, if it is blocking the flow of urine or an indication of infection, it needs surgery to be removed.
A non-invasive procedure known as shock-wave lithotripsy uses high-energy sound waves for the stones to explode into fragments that are quite more easily passed out in the urine.
Meanwhile, in ureteroscopy, an endoscope is injected through the ureter to recover or destroy the stone. Infrequently, for excessively large or complicated kidney stones, the doctor will use percutaneous nephrolithotripsy or nephrolithotomy.
One can prevent having kidney stones by drinking adequate fluid, specifically water, as this will help him keep his urine less concentrated with waste products.
Experts recommend drinking at least 12 glasses of water every day. They add water is certainly better and healthier than soda, coffee or tea, or sports drink. More so, they advise too that sugar and high-fructose corn syrup need to be limited to small amounts.
Related information about kidney stones is shown on TED-Ed's YouTube video below:
Check out more news and information on Medicine & Health on Science Times.
