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Stones refer to hard masses of minerals found in your body. They may develop when minerals in concentrated form crystalize. While small stones may pass out certain medicines, some stones require surgical intervention.
Left untreated, they can lead to infections and other complications.
Stones can be of different types. In this article, we shall discuss kidney, ureteric and bladders stones and their symptoms and treatment procedures.
Kidney stones
Kidney stones, also known as nephrolithiasis, renal calculi or urolithiasis refer to hard deposits composed of salts and minerals that build up inside your kidneys.
Diet, obesity, certain medical conditions, some supplements and medications are among the several causes of kidney stones.
A few symptoms of kidney stones are as follows:
1. Sharp and intense pain in the side and back, below the ribs
2. Pain that emits to the lower abdomen and groin
3. Burning sensation while urinating
4. Frequent urge to urinate
5. Nausea and vomiting
6. Fever and chills
7. Foul-smelling or cloudy urine
8. Brown, red and pink urine
Ureteric stones
A ureter stone also called a ureteral stone, is a kidney stone, that has moved from the kidney into the ureters.
These stones are usually very small. If that’s so, the stones may pass through your ureter and then to your bladder, and eventually go out of your body when you urinate.
However, there can be a situation when the stone is too large to pass and get lodged in the Sometimes, however, a stone can be too large to pass and can get stuck in the ureter. This y can block the flow of urine and cause immense pain.
Symptoms of Uretic stones include:
1. Pain
2. The repeated urge to urinate
3. Nausea and vomiting
4. Fever
5. Burning sensation when you pee
6. Blood in your urine
Bladder stones
Bladder stones are toughened clumps of minerals that form in your bladder. They usually develop when some urine stays in the bladder after you urinate.
They may either pass on their own, or you may require a procedure to get rid of them.
Bladder stones can result in urinary tract infections and trouble with urination.
Symptoms of bladder stones include:
1. A color change in urine
2. Constant urge to urinate
3. Burning sensation or pain while urinating
4. Urinary tract infections (Painful urination as well as cloudy, smelly urine)
Treatment of Kidney Stones
Most small kidney stones don’t need invasive treatment. However, kidney stones that are too large to pass on their own do need more-extensive treatment.
Procedures may include:
1. Usage of sound waves: For specific kidney stones, depending on size and location, your healthcare provider may recommend a procedure known as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL).
ESWL utilizes sound waves to develop strong vibrations (shock waves) that use sound waves to develop strong vibrations (shock waves). This breaks the stones into tiny pieces that can be passed through your urine.
The procedure lasts about 45 to 60 minutes and can cause moderate pain. Hence, you may be under sedation or light anaesthesia to make you comfortable.
2. Surgery: A procedure called percutaneous nephrolithotomy includes surgically removing a kidney using small telescopes and instruments inserted through a small incision in your back. You may be recommended this surgery if ESWL is unsuccessful.
In this procedure, you will receive general anaesthesia during the surgery and be admitted to the hospital for one to two days while you recover.
3. Using a scope to remove stones: The doctor may pass a thin lighted tube (ureteroscope) equipped with a camera through your urethra and bladder to your ureter to remove a smaller stone in your kidney or ureter.
Once the stone is found, certain tools can snare and break it into pieces that will pass in your urine. Your doctor may then place a small tube (stent) in the ureter to get rid of swelling and advance healing.
Treatment of Bladder Stones
Normally, bladder stones need to be removed from the bladder. Very rarely, then can be dissolved but this is based on the type of stone you have and can also take a long time.
Treatment for bladder stones are:
1. Cystolitholapaxy: During this process, doctors use a scope to visualize the stones in the bladder and then break the stones into tiny pieces using lasers or ultrasound (high-frequency sound waves). The pieces are then removed from the bladder.
2. Surgery: Surgery may be required if the stones are large. Your provider will make an incision in your abdomen and remove the stones.
Treatment of Ureteric Stones
Wider ureteric stones get stuck in the ureter because it’s the thinnest point in your urinary tract.
One of the following procedures may be recommended to remove a ureter stone that’s too large to pass on its own.
1. Ureteral stent placement: A small, soft, plastic tube is passed into the ureter around the stone, allowing urine to bypass the stone. This process is temporary and is performed under anaesthesia.
2. Nephrostomy tube placement: In this procedure, a tube is placed directly into the kidney through the back using only sedation and a combination of ultrasound and X-ray. This is commonly used if a fever or infection occurs with urinary obstruction from a stone.
3. Ureteroscopy: A thin tube is a thread with scope into your urethra and up into your ureter. Once the stone is located, it can be removed directly or broken up with a laser into smaller pieces that can pass on their own.
4. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy: This procedure is usually performed if you have a very large or an unusual-shaped stone in the kidney. This includes making a small incision in your back and removing the stone through the incision with a nephroscope.
Final words
If you start experiencing the above-mentioned symptoms, seek medical care. If left untreated, stones can lead to severe complications and infections.
At Neotia Getwel Healthcare Centre, our advanced medical facilities and equipment ensure an effective stone removal treatment that is less painful and has more recovery time. Book your appointment here.
Disclaimer
Though all attempts are made to provide correct information on the subject, inadvertent & typographical errors arising out of manual intervention cannot be ruled out. It is requested to bring any such discrepancies to the notice of the blogger for correction.
