Kidney Stones

What are the Signs & Symptoms of Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones vary in size. Some are so small that they do not cause any symptoms and can be passed naturally out of the body through the urine. Others are larger and may cause a blockage in the ureter, interrupting the normal flow of urine. In such cases, the following symptoms may be experienced:

• Pain and discomfort or burning sensation while urinating
• Pain in the sides, back, lower abdomen and groin
• Urinating more frequently than usual
• Dark-coloured or abnormally cloudy urine
• Foul-smelling urine

Seek immediate medical attention if the following symptoms are present:

• Debilitating pain that is felt even while resting
• Inability to urinate
• Blood in the urine
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever

Severe pain can occur if large kidney stones block the movement of urine. If you encounter any of these symptoms, seek prompt medical help at a kidney stones clinic.

What Causes Kidney Stones?

If you are experiencing most of the symptoms listed above, then you most likely have kidney stones. However, what could have caused it?

Also known as Renal Calculus, this condition usually occurs when normal chemicals in urine that typically prevent this condition, have stopped working. Moreover, your diet plays a large part in the situation – what you eat and drink may actually cause the formation of stones in your bladder and kidneys.

Some food that can cause this condition include:

• Food high in oxalate such as beets, okra, chocolate, sweet potatoes, peanuts, soybean crackers, rhubarb, and spinach
• High intake of calcium-rich foods such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products

Nevertheless, this condition is more often caused by other underlying health problems, such as an enlarged prostate. Here are some health problems that are known to cause kidney stones:

• Metabolic disorders such as hyperparathyroidism, hyperuricosuria, Cystinuria and hyperoxaluria
• Kidney disorders such as cystic kidney diseases
• Hereditary disease such as renal tubular acidosis – this is a condition wherein the kidneys fail to acidify the urine.
• Inflammation of the bladder or Urinary tract infection – this can increase the chances of stones forming within the urinary tract
• Prostate gland enlargement – If a man’s prostate is enlarged, it can disrupt the normal flow of urine within the urinary tract
• Damaged Neurogenic bladder – this may hinder the normal flow and release of urine from the bladder

How to Prevent Kidney Stones Formation?

Drinking enough fluids is a primary preventive method. Doctors recommend drinking enough fluids to pass about 2.5 liters of urine a day. Doing so can help urine to be less concentrated and reduce the risks of kidney stones formation.

It’s also good to reduce the amount of salt in your diet as this can lead to high levels of urine calcium and cystine. High-sodium food, including cheese, processed meats, frozen and canned food, and certain condiments should also be avoided.

Another preventive measure is having calcium-rich foods such as non-dairy milks and products in your diet plan as these do not contribute to the formation of kidney stones. On the other hand, calcium supplements do increase your risk of kidney stones, and so intake should be carefully regulated.

Eating fruits and vegetables rich in potassium and fiber can help reduce the formation of kidney stones. You should also manage eating foods with high levels of oxalate like chocolates, spinach, black pepper and soy products.

Maintaining a healthy weight can be a preventive factor, but seek advice from your healthcare provider for a proper diet plan as high-protein and crash diets can cause kidney stones.

What are the Available Treatments for Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones treatment will depend on the type of stone and the severity of the symptoms.

If you have detected them early while they are still small, you can simply drink more water, more regularly. This is usually enough to get rid of them naturally.

However, if the stones are already too large to pass naturally, its treatment will then involve breaking them down into smaller pieces or removing them via kidney stones surgery by your kidney specialist. Here are several treatments employed to remove them:

• Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy - Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) is a procedure that uses shock waves in the treatment of kidney stones in the bladder. These shock waves break down stones into small pieces.
• Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery - Retrograde Internal Surgery (RIRS) is a kidney stones surgery procedure done through a fibre-optic endoscope. The fibre-optic endoscope can pinpoint the location of kidney stones.
• Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy - Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is a procedure known as stone extraction. PCNL is a treatment technique for larger stones.
• Laparoscopy - Laparoscopy is a non-invasive surgical procedure that uses small incisions to treat the condition.
• Laser Lithotripsy - Laser Lithotripsy is a procedure done mostly in the lower ureteral stones using a ureteroscope. The ureteroscope breaks the stones into tiny pieces. These will eventually exit the body.

The treatment of kidney stones is one of the services offered by our kidney clinic. We also offer other specialised urology services and treatments including ESWL, retrograde intrarenal surgery, and laparoscopy.

If you suspect that you are suffering from this condition and it is affecting your day-to-day activities, do give us a call or set an appointment with kidney stones doctor, Dr Michael Wong at +65 6838 1212 today.