Basic Things One Should Know About Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are a very prevalent health problem these days. Some kidney stones commonly pass through the urine and are therefore not always fatal. Although kidney stones appear to be a common disorder today, it is important to comprehend kidney stones and the factors that affect them. In this blog, renowned urologist Dr. Niren Rao of Delhi Urology Hospital provides crucial details on kidney stone symptoms, types, treatment, and many more. For more information, keep reading.

How to treat Kidney Stones? 

A kidney stone is a piece made with minerals and salt inside the kidney. This is the most common health condition these days. If the kidney stones are left untreated, they can damage the kidney also. Severe lower back pain, blood in the urine, nausea, vomiting, a fever, chills, and urine that smells bad or is cloudy are common signs of kidney stones explained by Dr. Niren Rao, a renowned Kidney Stone Specialist in Delhi. If you have any such signs of kidney stones, consult the urologist immediately.

What are the Symptoms of Kidney stones?  

Some kidney stones have been discovered to be as small as a grain of sand. A chunk of them the size of a stone. Some are bigger than golf balls! In general, the symptoms worsen as the size of the stone increases.

During kidney stones one can experience these symptoms:

• Severe pain in the back and below the ribs.
• Pain in the lower abdomen
• Burning sensation while urination
• Pink, red, and brown urine
• Cloudy and foul-smelling urine
• Urinating more often than before or in a small amount
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever and feeling cold if an infection present

Type of Kidney Stones: 

• Calcium Stones: Most kidney stones are made with calcium. This stone is made when calcium combines with oxalate in the urine. 

• Uric Acid: This is another type of stone made with some kind of food and it has a highly concentrated chemical compound known as purines. This type of stone tends to found genetically. 
• Struvite: These are the less common stones caused by infection in the upper urinary tract.

• Cystine: It’s a very rare type of stone, which is usually genetic.

What are the Treatments for Kidney Stones?  

Depending on the severity of the condition, there are several treatments available for kidney stones. The best kidney stone treatments performed by Dr. Niren Rao, the best urologist in Delhi, are as follows:

1. PCNL:  It is the most common treatment for kidney stones. The treatment is minimally invasive. Generally, it is used for stones more than 2 cm and can be done under general anesthesia. A small incision is made by the surgeon less than 1 cm on the backside. Using serial dilators, a tract is inserted into the kidney, leading up to the stone. A nephroscope is passed into the kidney, and the stone is broken into small pieces and removed. A stent is then placed in the kidney, which can be removed after a week. The patient needs to be admitted for 1 to 2 days in hospital. This is an effective surgery one must consult with the surgeon about all risks if any. 

2. Mini PCNL: Mini PCNL is a KEY-HOLE surgeries. These techniques can be used to remove stones as small as 7-8 mm using smaller probes and lasers. The patient recovers early after the operation, blood loss is less, hospital stay is short in this surgery, and patients can resume their routine work as early as they will recover.

3. RIRS (Retrograde Intra Renal Surgery): In this technique, a flexible ureteroscope is passed through the urinary passage, through the bladder into the kidney directly. Using a holmium laser, under direct vision the kidney stones can be broken into small parts and removed with miniature baskets. No cut in the skin is given in this surgery. It is useful to remove stones in difficult areas inside the kidney. There is minimal bleeding and early recovery in patients if this technique is done properly.

4. URS: Stones that are stuck in ureters are treated using a rigid ureteroscope which is as thin as a pen. The ureteroscope is passed through the urinary passage and no cut is done in this procedure. Once the ureteroscope reaches the stone, it broke the stone into small pieces using a holmium. Then stone parts are removed using forceps. At the end of the procedure, a stent is placed in the ureter which is a safety device. Almost around the week the stent is removed.

How to Prevent Kidney Stones?

A kidney stone can prevent with small lifestyle changes:

• Doctors recommend drinking at least 2 to 3 liters of water daily so that urine can pass toxins. If the person is living in a hot and dry climate and exercises daily, they need to drink more than that.

• Eat nuts, sweet potatoes, beetroots, spinach, chocolate, black pepper, and soy products. 

• Reduce the amount of salt in the food, and choose non-animal protein sources. Consider using a salt substitute. 

• Calcium in food does not affect kidney stones. Before taking any calcium supplements consult the doctor. 

To learn more, one can consult with Dr. Niren Rao, the best urologist in Delhi. He has more than decades of experience in urology with surgical procedures. He practices considerate actions and has performed more than 5,000 effective operations. To know more visit Delhi Urology Hospital today.