Kidney stones; causes, signs and management

Kidney stones; causes, signs and management

Kidney stones are solid deposits made of minerals and salts that are usually formed inside the kidney. These stones are the main cause of renal colic, and develop due to increased levels of certain slats and minerals such as urea, calcium and oxalate. Also decreased urine output increase the incidence of kidney stones.

Medical studies showed that there are some predisposing factors that play a direct role in formation of kidney stones, they include:

  1. Obesity and weight gain.
  2. Increased level of uric acid & gout.
  3. Malabsorption or disturbed metabolism.
  4. Hormonal disturbances, especially disturbed levels of thyroxin or parathormone hormone.
  5. Excessive intake of coffee, tea and soft drinks as well as food rich in proteins or salts.
  6. Overconsumption or misuse of certain medications, especially those containing sulphonamide.

The clinical symptoms related to kidney stones vary according to size and site of the stone. Anyway the common symptoms include:

  1. Pain in the back and sides, which extends later to the lower abdomen and groin.
  2. Nausea & vomiting.
  3. Fever and chills.
  4. Urine retention, dysuria or hematuria.

 Management of kidney stones depends mainly on size and site of the stone; in cases of small stones, it's recommended to take analgesia and drink plenty of fluids to push the stone through urine. In cases of large or resistant stones, extracorporal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is good choice to break kidney stone into small pieces that will pass through urine. In resistant cases, ureteroscopy is done under general anesthesia.

 


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