Kidney Stone: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Kidney stones are crystals that form inside the kidneys. The other names for this condition are renal calculi, nephrolithiasis, or urolithiasis. These hard chemical crystal objects are made of minerals, acids, and salts. Often, their size is as small as a grain of sand. They pass out from the urine without causing pain or discomfort when they are very small 

 (less than 4 mm) in size. If the kidney stone does not pass out from the urine, it starts to grow abnormally in the kidney. Its size gradually becomes too large to leave your body through urine. 

In such a situation, you may experience pain or a burning sensation while urinating. Kidney stone disease also shows lower back aches, nausea, vomiting, fever, or urine that gives a foul smell. The early detection of the disease ensures an easy treatment procedure. It involves only a few pain medications and drinking plenty of water to discharge stones with urine.

Otherwise, kidney stones larger than a marble block the urinary tract, causing infections or complications. Surgery is the option to remove the stone. The surgeon breaks the kidney stone into smaller sizes to remove the stone, depending on the size and location. 
Read this thorough and balanced article to learn about kidney stone pain, its symptoms, causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment.

Urinary and Kidney Stones & Pain 

Let’s understand the breakdown of the intensity of kidney stone pain, based on the size and location:

1. When the stone is inside the kidney – Kidney Stones

When the stone forms inside your kidney, you may feel spasms when your kidney tries to push it out. In this condition, you may suffer from colicky pain i.e. severe pain in your back that comes in waves, often coming and ending suddenly. 

2. When the stone enters the ureter – Uretric Stones

A ureter is a tube that connects the kidneys to the bladder. When the stone traps in a narrow ureter, you may feel intense pressure and persistent pain. Nausea or vomiting and blood in the urine are signs and symptoms of this stage. 

3. When the stone travels downward the bladder – Bladder Stones

Once your kidney stones travel downward the bladder, the intense pain starts to go away on its own. In such a situation, you may feel an increased pressure in your bladder. This raises the issue of frequent urination. In some cases, the stone gets stuck at the opening mouth of the urethra. It temporarily blocks the urine. 

4. When the stone reaches the urethra

This is the stage of the kidney stone in which the stone(s) reaches the urethra, when it blocks the urine.

Here are some tips you should consider for kidney stone pain relief:

• Drink plenty of fluids, particularly water throughout the day to make at least 2 quarts (2liters) of urine within 24 hours
• Choose low-salt food; Avoid highly processed, red meat, and canned foods because of a higher salt amount
• Consume dairy products (yogurt, milk, cheese, etc.) in a limited quantity
• Eat citrate foods (such as oranges, lemons, etc.) to resist the growth of kidney stones
• Limit the intake of protein food
• Have a low-fat diet
• Take pain medications according to the doctor’s advice. 

Signs and Symptoms of Kidney Stones

What are the first signs of kidney stones? The first signs of kidney stones are difficulty in urination and a painful or burning sensation when you pee. The general rule of kidney stone disease is that the larger the size of the stone, the more noticeable the symptoms are. 

Check out the following signs and symptoms of kidney stones: 

• Severe pain in your lower back or one side
• Blood in the pee
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever or chills 
• Trouble with urination
• Foul-smelling urine
• Painful urine discharge
• Pink, brown, or red urine
• Feeling the urge for frequent urination 
• Stomach ache that does not go away. 

Now that you have come to know the symptoms of kidney stone disease. If you experience one or two symptoms, consult the doctor for medical help. These warning signs indicate stones inside your kidney(s_. Also, they can be the red flag signs of urinary tract infection or cancer. So, book an appointment with the doctor for on-time diagnosis and support. 

Causes and Risk Factors

Around 85% cause, no cause/ 15% family history/ specific cause like enzyme deficiency 

Typically, your urine contains many substances, including calcium, sodium, oxalate, zinc, and acids. When the quantity of these substances increases in the urine, the increased particles or chemical crystals start to stick together, forming kidney stones. 

Let’s know kidney stone causes based on the following breakdown of the types of kidney stones: 

• Calcium Oxalate Stones
  Calcium oxalate stones are the most common forms of kidney stones. This condition happens when there is a low urinary volume and a high concentration of calcium or oxalate in the urine. The following factors account for the formation of calcium oxalate stones:

• Intake of high-oxalate or low-calcium foods such as nuts and chocolate in the diet
• Not drinking too much fluid
• High doses of vitamin D
• Intestinal bypass surgery
• Bowel disease 
• Surgery for obesity
• People with gout (Have an excess level of uric acid in the urine)

• Calcium Phosphate Stones
  The second most common form of kidney stones is calcium phosphate stones. Take a look at the following factors that cause the risk of this condition:

• Metabolic disorders, such as renal tubular acidosis
• Medications used to treat migraines or seizures, such as topiramate (Topamax Trokendi XR, Qudexy XR)

• Struvite Stones
  Struvite stones are made of ammonia (a waste product) and magnesium. Their main cause is urinary tract infection or bacterial infection. People with urinary catheters are more susceptible to this condition. The key noteworthy point is that they are more common in women than men. These stones can grow, more quickly and become too large with few symptoms. 

• Uric Acid Stones
  When an abnormally high concentration of uric acid increases in urine, the problem of uric acid stones occurs. This condition is very common in people with gout, obesity, diabetes 2, and other types of metabolic syndrome. Other factors that escalate this condition are the loss of fluid because of chronic diarrhea and malabsorption. Additionally, certain genetic factors increase this issue. People with uric acid stones should avoid the consumption of a high-protein diet.
  
• Cystine Stones
  This is the rarest form of kidney stones. Most often, it develops in people with a genetic disorder called cystinuria. It causes too much excretion of a specific amino acid from the kidneys. 

Risk Factors for Kidney Stones

The common risk factors for kidney stones include:

• Dehydration: Not drinking too much fluid, especially water escalates the possibility of kidney stones. Other than this, people who live in warm and dry climates are more prone to get the signs of the disease.
• Diet: High-protein food and salt or sugar in excess in the daily diet increase the risk of kidney stones. High-sodium food increases the amount of calcium in the body, causing kidneys to filter more calcium and significantly increasing the risk of kidney stones.
• Obesity or Overweight: A high body mass index is more likely to develop the symptoms of kidney stones.
• Digestion Problems: Inflammatory bowel disease and chronic diarrhea increase the malabsorption of calcium and water. Significantly, they can increase the risk of kidney stones in the urine.
• Surgery and Other Medical Conditions: Gastric bypass surgery and other medical conditions, such as renal tubular acidosis, cystinuria, hyperparathyroidism, and untreated or repeated urinary tract infections can cause this condition.
• Dietary Supplements and Medications: Vitamin D supplements, calcium tablets, laxatives, and other medications used to manage the symptoms of migraine and depression increase the possibility of developing kidney stones in people. 

Diagnosis of Kidney Stones

Do you want to know how to know if you have kidney stones? Often, kidney stone specialist recommends the following plan for kidney stone diagnosis to detect the growth of the stone and its location:

• Urinalysis: Also known as a urine test, a healthcare provider examines the sample of urine to detect the signs of blood, crystals, and infection. 
• Blood Tests: This test intends to find high levels of calcium, infection, and kidney functions. Based on the examination, the healthcare provider confirms kidney stones. 
• Imaging Test: This is the third mandatory test to locate the present location, size, shape, and number of kidney stones in the body. It includes an X-ray, CT scan, and ultrasound scan to examine the issue. 

Now that you have learned how do you know if you have kidney stones? Do not overlook the signs and symptoms of kidney stones. The on-time diagnosis simplifies the treatment and speeds up the recovery process. 

Kidney Stone Treatment Options

If you have smaller size kidney stones, kidney stone removal without surgery is possible. In this situation, the doctor may recommend the following kidney stone treatment:

• Medications, such as tamsulosin and nifedipine
• Drink a lot of water
• Eat a low-sodium and low-calcium diet

Note: Take over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen to get relief in pain with the doctor’s consultation if you are a patient with chronic renal failure. 

Conversely, if you have a larger kidney stone(s) that block the way of the urinary tract, the doctor recommends the following treatment for the kidney stone removal:

1. Shockwave Lithotripsy: This treatment uses shock waves to break a large kidney stone into smaller stones to make them pass out from the urine. It is a non-invasive procedure. 
2. Ureteroscopy: A healthcare provider inserts a scope through your urethra and bladder. This outpatient procedure intends to remove stones located in a narrow ureter. 
3. Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy: This is a useful surgical procedure when all other treatments fail to work on kidney stones. With this treatment, the surgeons treat large kidney stones. Though PCNL is a minimally invasive surgery, it is considered a major surgery due to complications and risk factors. During this surgery, the surgeon makes a tiny incision in your back to insert a tube to remove stones.
4. Laparoscopic Surgery: A laparoscopic surgery is less invasive than traditional open surgery. Therefore, it is a safer option. During this surgery, the surgeon makes a small incision to remove the stone using a thin telescopic rod called a laparoscope.  

Kidney Stone Prevention

Take a look at the following preventative tips for kidney stones:

• Drink a lot of water and avoid dehydration
• Avoid calcium supplements; Consume natural dairy products and calcium-rich foods
• Avoid high-oxalate foods, such as beets, spinach, dry figs, and peanuts if you are a patient of excess oxalate in urine
• Consume tea, coffee, coco-cola, chocolate, and nuts in moderation
• Avoid high-sodium food and meat

Post-treatment care is vital to prevent the risk of the formation of kidney stones again. Naturally, kidney stones increase the risk of the formation of multiple stones inside the kidney. Go to follow-up appointments and take medications to prevent the risk of the disease medications. Follow your doctor’s recommended lifestyle and diet plan to improve your comprehensive well-being.

Finding a Kidney Stone Specialist or Hospital

If you face symptoms related to kidney stones, search for a kidney stone doctor near me online. Read reviews and testimonials available online to check the patients’ experience with the kidney stone hospital and kidney stone specialist. This will help you make an informed decision regarding the treatment.

Also, you can ask for referrals from family and friends. Choose a doctor who holds various medical certifications and engages in cutting-edge treatment with his state-of-the-art technology hospital. Ensure the hospital staff complies with international medical hygiene and safety standards. Remember experienced surgeons treat patients with top-notch treatment and personalized care. Their performed operations speed up the recovery process and mitigate the risk of complications. 

Living with Managing Kidney Stones

Life after the kidney stone treatment starts with a new chapter. Usually, patients focus more on their holistic health. A rich-nutrient diet, regular exercise, and other preventative measures become their new normal. 

It is advisable to live your life with a proactive approach. It is better to follow doctors’ strict advice on lifestyle adjustments and dietary changes than to deal with kidney stones’ recurring pain and effective treatments. Kidney stone prevention improves your quality of life and ensures holistic well-being for you and your family.  The whole family suffers when a person’s health declines. So, prevent this issue with self-care and self-love. 

If you are in need of a kidney stone specialist in Bangalore, Dr. Prabhudev Salanki is an excellent choice for top-notch medical attention and personalized care. 

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Prabhudev Salanki