Kidney stones can be incredibly painful. Also known as renal calculi, nephrolithiasis, or urolithiasis, these hard deposits are made of minerals and salts inside your kidneys.
There are five types of kidney stones: calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, struvite or infection, uric acid, and cystine.
When you pass a kidney stone, it moves from your kidney to your ureter and then into your bladder. From there, it travels into your urethra.
Your kidneys are extremely sensitive. A kidney stone can block the flow of urine, causing pressure. In addition, your ureter is narrow, inflexible, and not meant to accommodate stones, which also causes pain. Lastly, your ureter might spasm when it is trying to squeeze out the stone, resulting in extreme discomfort.
So how can your urologist help? They may start by using various diagnostic tests to determine if the source of your pain is indeed a kidney stone.
Diagnostic Tests
Urine tests determine if you have high levels of minerals in your urine that form kidney stones.
Blood tests can reveal if you have too much uric acid or calcium in your blood, which can cause stones to form.
CT scans or ultrasounds can show kidney stones.
If a kidney stone isn’t too large, you may only need to take pain medication and drink lots of water to pass it. Alpha-blockers, which relax your ureter, can also be helpful. Other effective remedies, such as citrate, can help dissolve kidney stones.
But if your kidney stone is too big to pass or becomes lodged in your urinary tract and causes complications, your urologist may need to pursue other treatments.
Treatment Options
Shock wave lithotripsy: This nonsurgical method during which your urologist will apply shock waves from outside your body to blast the kidney stone into smaller pieces.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL): Your urologist makes a small incision in your back and then inserts a tube and a miniature fiberoptic camera into your kidney to remove or break up a stone.
Ureteroscopy (URS): Your doctor inserts a small telescope into your kidney through your urethra and bladder to the stone in your ureter. They may use a basket device to remove it or a laser to break it into smaller pieces and then take it out.
Pyelolithotomy: Your urologist removes the kidney stone through an incision in the area at the center of your kidney. It can be performed as an open surgery or laparoscopically.
Prevention
Among patients who have passed a kidney stone, the recurrence rate is 60 to 80 percent.
The easiest ways to prevent kidney stones are simple lifestyle changes such as:
Drink plenty of water so you urinate frequently and avoid the build-up of calcium or uric acid.
Reduce the amount of salt in your diet because sodium can make urine calcium and cystine too high.
Eat the recommended amount of calcium.
Eat more fruits and vegetables and less meat.
If you have high urine oxalate, eat foods with low oxalate levels such as apples, broccoli, and grapes.
If diet and lifestyle changes aren’t enough to prevent kidney stones, your urologist may recommend preventative medications. Such medications include:
Thiazide diuretics - Lowers high calcium levels in your urine.
Potassium citrate - Makes urine less acidic and raises citrate levels to prevent uric acid or calcium stones.
Allopurinol - Lowers the level of uric acid in the blood.
Acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) - Helps prevent urinary tract infections, which can cause infection stones.
Cystine-binding thiol drugs - Helps prevent cystine stones by binding to cystine in the urine.
Vitamin supplements - Some can increase your risk of forming kidney stones. Ask your urologist and dietitian which over-the-counter nutritional supplements could be helpful.
Compassionate, Skilled Care
The physicians and staff of Norman Urology Associates are fully committed to serving the urological needs of Norman and surrounding communities with the highest standards. Our highly trained physicians treat any urinary tract disorder, including kidney stones, and will always treat you as a partner in your medical care. Contact us to schedule an appointment.