FIGHTING KIDNEY STONE 

WHAT ARE KIDNEY STONES?

Nephrolithiasis or renal lithiasis are common kidney conditions which are known as kidney stone formation in layman term. These kidney stones like the name suggest are small and hard deposits of minerals and oxalate compounds that form and lodge inside the kidneys. These stones are composed of acid and mineral salts most commonly. This article is about Fighting Kidney Stones .

Kidney stones can occur on any site in the urinary tract. Most common sites are urinary bladder, kidney tissue or the ureters. Stones blocking the ureteric junction are really painful and can obstruct normal urinary flow.

Kidney stones can form due to many causes. The excessive formation and decreased excretion depends on certain factors such as diet, metabolism, any other co-morbid etc. The minerals usually crystalize and hence stick together whenever your urine gets too much concentrated. This is how kidney stones are formed.

When these stones obstruct any passage of urinary canal, it becomes difficult to urinate. The stones irritate the soft and smooth lining of mucosa of the urinary tract and can prove to be very painful. Sometimes they even cause bleeding and irritation in the smooth lining mucosa. When pressure builds up or the stones break into pieces, they are passed in the urine. The passage of kidney stones in urine can be really painful and damage can be done to the linings of urinary tract. Usually there is no permanent or any serious damage. Pain relieving medications are extremely essential in majority of the cases as you need to bring your pain under control.

You must drink lots of water and take ample fluids in order to flush your system and let the stones pass out of your urinary tract easily without causing much pain. Pain medication will help you manage the pain usually. In most of the cases, drinking enough water will automatically help pass the stones in urine. But in some conditions this is not the case. The kidney stone or stones may lodge inside some cavity and block the passage of urine. This urinary obstruction will result in swelling in the area and there will be pain from urinary blockage. Due to the rising complications, surgery may be the treatment of choice. Medications can be given prior to surgery in order to facilitate breakage of stone in the kidneys or anywhere the stones are blocked.

You may want to seek an expert urologist’s opinion before settling on certain treatment.

Once you develop a kidney stone, you are at an increased risk of developing it at a later stage in life. Recurrent kidney stones are very common. Usually there is an associated family history of the disease. If you are at an increased risk of developing kidney stone, you should follow a preventive therapy to control your diet. You must ask your doctor about preventive therapy to control kidney stone disease.

Preventive treatment for kidney stone disease include eating a healthy diet and staying away from foods rich in oxalate content such as tomatoes and spinach. Red meat should also be avoided as it is rich in uric acid.