Kidney stones

I've recently had several questions about kidney stones so let's talk about those painful little things for a bit. Basically, kidney stones are the result of the crystallization of minerals and salts found in urine. Most often they are composed of calcium oxalate and less often, uric acid but other compounds can be found in them as well. Formed in the kidney, these stones move with the flow of urine and attempt to exit the body just like urine. Herein lies the problem AND the pain. Depending on the size and shape of the stone, some pass through the system without pain and one never knows they have passed a stone while others get "stuck" (clogging up the flow of urine) or descend slowly causing great pain as they drag along the wall of the ureter (the tube from the kidney to the bladder)., The pain is usually intense and spasmodic and is not relieved by activity or position. Patients with stones often pace or thrash about in the bed until they receive adequate pain medication or the stone passes. The pain usually begins in the lower back or flank area and moves toward the groin area as the stone descends through the urinary tract. The urine is often bloody due to the tearing of the wall of the ureter although blood is not always visible (it may be microscopic only). Diagnosis is usually made based on imaging studies when a dye in giving in a vein and x-rays are taking as the dye moves through the urinary tract or a CT scan is done to look for a stone. After diagnosis, it is necessary to determine if the stone can be passed or if there is need for some type of intervention to assist in moving/removing the offending boulder. (By now the patient is certain the stone is the size of Texas!!) If the doctor believes the stone can be passed, he/she may provide pain medication and order increased fluid intake. It may be determined that the stone could pass if a stent were inserted into the ureter in which case the patient is taken to the OR and the stent is placed under anesthesia ( thank you Jesus) using a scope. If the stone is too large to pass (it IS as big as Texas), the doctor may decide that lithotripsy is the best intervention. This procedure uses ultrasonic therapy to shatter the stone into smaller pieces that can be passed. This is a non-invasive procedure but is performed in an environment much like an OR. (Often these are portable units moved from hospital to hospital by truck.) Finally, if all else fails, the stone may need to be removed either with the use of a scope (going through the urinary tract from the bottom up and pulling the stone out) or, less often, by removing the stone through an incision. However the stone exits the system, the patient will be eternally grateful it is gone! It would be good if the making of kidney stones were a once-in-a-lifetime event but that is often not the case. For whatever reason reason, some folk just seem to make stones. An analysis of the stone can help determine the composition and adjustments can be made in diet, fluid intake, and even medications that may decrease the production of stones. So......if you find yourself experiencing symptoms of a kidney stone, begin by increasing you fluid intake in an effort to increase you urine volume. This may help to "flush" (pun intended) that sucker out. If the pain is more fun then you can stand, seek medical attention at an emergency room so that appropriate testing AND pain management can be provided as well as in-patient treatment if necessary. I you have more questions about kidney stones or any other subject for that matter, go to the comment area and enter you question or you can e-mail me @ gowens27@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you!