How to Manage the Pain of Kidney Stones

Marked by an agonizing, excruciating and intolerable pain, kidney stones account for over 1 million annual emergency room visits in the United States. Remedy your kidney stones at St. Pete Urology.

1. How To Manage The Pain of
Kidney Stones?

By St. Pete Urology

2. What are kidney stones?
Kidney stones are small, hard pebble-like lumps formed
when there are high levels of various minerals in urine. A
stone may sit in the kidney or ureter with little or no pain. But
often when the stone leaves the kidney or gets stuck in the
ureter, it blocks the flow of urine and causes pain.

3. 5 Symptoms of
Kidney Stones

4. Sharp, stabbing pain on the
side or in the back.1
2Painful urination.
3
Pain episodes that come and go.
4
Blood in urine.
Fever, nausea and vomiting in
case of an infection.5

5. Most patients with stones often find themselves in the
hospital emergency department. In all cases of pain due to
suspected kidney stones, urologists first rule out other
possible causes of pain, such as bowel, gynecologic and
musculoskeletal problems.
The presence of kidney stones is confirmed by X-rays or CT
scans. Blood and urine tests also may be used to assess the
levels of various stone-forming substances in your system.

6. Managing Pain Due
to Kidney Stones

7. Once it is confirmed that you have kidney stones, the urologist
will give you intravenous painkillers to relieve pain. You then
will be sent home with oral drugs (such as acetaminophen,
aspirin, diuretics, and antibiotics) to use as you wait for the
stone to pass out of your system.
Drinking plenty of water, taking hot showers, sitting in a
warm water tub and taking drugs that dilate the ureter will
bring relief and allow the stone to pass. Eventually the agony
will end when the stone passes out.

8. 80%of kidney stones
are LESS THAN 4 mm in diameter
and usually takes UP TO 31 DAYS
Smaller stones are more
likely to pass on their own.

9. Stones of 4-6 mm in diameter tends to
pass on their own 60% OF THE TIME
While stones LARGER THAN 6 mm
pass out 20% OF THE TIME
It is more difficult for larger
stones to pass on their own.

10. Surgery for
Kidney Stones

11. 1.Shockwave lithotripsy: A simple outpatient procedure in
which sound waves are directed on kidney stones,
breaking them into smaller pieces capable of passing on
their own in urine.
Common surgical treatments for kidney stones include:

12. Ureteroscopy: An outpatient procedure for
small-to-medium stones in which a small tube
(ureteroscope) is inserted into the urinary tract and used to
pull out stones or to direct laser to the stones to break
them into smaller pieces.
2.

13. Percutaneous nephrolithotripsy: A procedure in which the
urologist makes a small incision in the back and directly
into the kidney, using the incision to access and remove
stones. It is the most effective method for very large kidney
stones.
3.

14. Preventing
Kidney Stones

15. 1.Drinking at least two-and-a-half liters of water every day
will help you to achieve a daily urine production of two liters.
2.Fluids such as coffee and citrus juices also are very
effective in preventing kidney stones. Citrus (especially from
lemon and grapefruit) makes urine more alkaline and
reduces the risk of almost all kinds of stones.
3.Avoid sugary juices, as the sweetener in them may increase
your risk of having stones.

Lifestyle changes can help you to avoid having kidney stones:

16. If you have had a bout of kidney stones before, you have
a greater risk of getting stones. So depending on the
chemical constituents of your first kidney stones, you
may have to limit intake of certain foods, such as sugar,
salt, proteins and dairy products:
1.For calcium oxalate stones, you will have to cut down
the amount of meat, eggs, shellfish, peanuts, spinach,
chocolate, sweet potatoes, rhubarb and beetroot from
your diet.

17. For uric acid stones, taking allopurinol (a gout
medication) will help prevent future episodes.

Potassium citrate pills and thiazide family of diuretics
(indapamide, chlorthalidone and hydrochlorothiazide) are
also effective in preventing all calcium-based stones.

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18. Looking for advice or help
with kidney stones?
Don’t suffer the pain of kidney stones for a day
more while we can help you get quick relief.
For more information, visit us at St Pete Urology.