Hard masses that form in the urinary tract are called stones. These stones cause pain, bleeding, infection, and even block the flow of urine, in extreme cases. When the urinary tract is blocked by stones for a long time, urine backs up in the tubes inside the kidney and causes excessive pressure that can lead to the swelling of the kidney.
A person may not have any symptoms if the stones are small, but larger stones can cause excruciating pain in the area between the ribs and hips in the back. There are also various other symptoms caused by larger stones.
Urinary tract stones form in a kidney and may enlarge into the ureter or the bladder after some time. The process of stone formation is called renal lithiasis, urolithiasis or nephrolithiasis. The process may be slow or fast, depending on a number of medical conditions.
According to doctors at AMRI Hospitals, best hospital in Eastern India middle-aged and older adults mostly suffer from this problem, from time to time. The stones vary in size, depending on the severity of the problem. They can be very small and cannot be seen with the naked eye, to an inch (2.5 centimeters) or more in diameter. These are made of minerals in the urine that form crystals. About 85 percent of stones are composed of calcium, and the remaining are composed of various substances, including uric acid, cystine or struvite.
Causes
When urine becomes too saturated with salts, it can lead to formation of stones. Stones are more common among people with certain disorders like hyperparathyroidism, dehydration, and renal tubular acidosis. People who consume animal-source protein or vitamin C and less of water and calcium are also likely to have stones. A person with a family history of stone formation is also vulnerable to this problem, explain medical practitioners at AMRI Hospitals, one of the best urology hospital in Kolkata.
Symptoms
Stones in the bladder may cause pain in the lower abdomen. One may also suffer from pain between the ribs and hip that can reach across the abdomen and extend to the genital area. The pain tends to come in waves, slowly increasing to a peak intensity, before fading after some time.
Apart from this, other symptoms include nausea and vomiting, restlessness, sweating, and blood in the urine. A person may also need to urinate frequently. In some of the cases, a person can also have chills, fever, burning sensation or pain during urination. Cloudy or abnormally dark-colored urine is also an indication of having stones.
Diagnosis
Doctors usually suspect stones in people with renal colic. Sometimes they also suspect stones in people with tenderness over the back and groin or pain in the genital area, without any reason. In few cases, the symptoms are very distinctive that no additional tests are needed, particularly in people who have had urinary tract stones before. So, the procedure is more or less simple in all the cases. Usually, an imaging test and an analysis of urine is done to diagnose the stones.
Risk Factors
Stones are common in people living in the developing countries because of dehydration, infection and abnormalities in the urinary tract. The risk of stones is increased by an enlarged prostate, which can be caused by blockage in urine flow from the bladder to the urethra. Apart from this, spinal cord injuries and strokes can also damage the nerves that control the bladder, leaving a person vulnerable to the risk of stones.
Prevention
Depending on the composition of existing stones, the measures to prevent the formulation of new stones can vary, suggest doctors at AMRI Hospital, one of the best urology hospitals in Kolkata. Drinking large amounts of fluids is recommended to prevent formation of stones. Experts advice drinking at least 8 to 10 glasses of water every day. Other preventive measures depend on the type of stone.
Treatment
Small stones pass on their own and do not need to be treated. However, stones that cause blockage of the urinary tract and show symptoms of infection need to be treated. Larger stones that are closer to the kidneys also need medication. Renal colic pain may be relieved with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or opioids. In extreme cases, stones may need to be removed with lithotripsy or an endoscopic technique.
SOURCE: brighter-tomorrow.info
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