4 Early Signs of Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are an unfortunate reality for millions of people. In fact, about 1 in every 11 people experiences kidney stones at some point in their lifetime!
Even though they are so common, many people still don’t really know much about kidney stones. There is some confusion out there about what they are and how to spot them. Identifying kidney stones early can help you prevent them from becoming so painful.
Before we talk about how to spot those early signs, let’s talk about what kidney stones are and how they are formed.
What Are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones are hard deposits of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys. These deposits affect much more than just your kidneys; they impact your entire urinary tract, including your bladder.
These mineral deposits are commonly formed when your urine becomes concentrated because concentrated urine allows minerals to crystallize and stick together.
Kidney stones do not cause permanent damage in the vast majority of cases. However, they can range from mildly uncomfortable to extremely painful, and many people struggle with the difficult experience of passing them through the urinary tract.
What to Watch Out For
There are four main things you want to watch out for when it comes to kidney stones. Remember: the earlier you can catch them, the more effectively you can treat them without pain or discomfort.
These are the things you should take note of and talk to your doctor about.
1. Discolored Urine
Discolored urine can mean a number of things, from something as minor as dehydration to as serious as liver disease. It is always worth discussing discoloration of your urine with your general practitioner or urologist.
Kidney stones are often accompanied by brown, pink, or cloudy urine. These can also be symptoms of other kidney conditions or a urinary tract infection, so speak with your doctor about your concerns.
2. Urinary Urgency
Frequent urinary urgency that seems to show up out of nowhere may be a sign of kidney stones. As a stone moves closer to the bladder, it can create additional pressure and the need to urinate more frequently. Sometimes, the urgency outweighs how much you really need to go; you’ll rush to the bathroom to release only a small amount of urine.
3. Illness and Flu-like Symptoms
It may be hard to imagine, but sometimes kidney stone symptoms manifest as a fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting. As your body deals with the stress of trying to pass the stone, you may experience these uncomfortable symptoms. If you experience these symptoms with your kidney stone diagnosis, you should seek medical care immediately, as you may have developed a secondary infection or a rare kidney blockage.
4. Kidney Stone Pain
If you don’t experience or don’t notice the other symptoms on this list, you will probably start realizing that it’s kidney stones when you experience kidney stone pain.
This pain, which is also called renal colic, is typically felt in the back, belly, or side. When a stone moves into the ureter, a blockage occurs in the kidney. This combination of events is very painful. The pain will only be resolved with the kidney stone passes. Often, treatment at this stage means increasing fluids to get extra hydrated and possibly taking pain medications.
Kidney Stone Treatment
We have good news: kidney stones are not typically difficult to treat. Many patients are able to treat kidney stones at home with proper hydration and pain medication.
If you experience persistent or recurring kidney stones, extreme pain, or other symptoms, you can seek treatment through your general practitioner or a referral to a urologist. Urologists treat conditions of the urinary tract, including kidney stones.
At Norman Urology, we offer several treatments for kidney stones. We work with patients who may have thought that kidney stone pain is just a fact of life for them now. There is a solution to your pain and discomfort!
Schedule an appointment today so that we can help you feel better as soon as possible!