Kidney stones are a disease that causes a lot of pain. The symptoms of kidney stones are often easily confused with those of a urinary tract infection.
Let’s look at the symptoms of kidney stones:
Burning sensation, pain when urinating
This symptom occurs when a stone passes from the ureter into the bladder. This irritates the bladder causing severe irritation.
Pain in the back, abdomen
This pain sensation is usually caused by the ureter being blocked by kidney stones. This pain can be severe around the kidneys and can radiate to the back, abdomen and legs.
Constant urge to urinate
When a kidney stone passes through the ureter, it causes irritation, and it often feels like you have to go to the toilet every minute. However, despite the irritation, very little urine is passed.
Bloody urine
Because the tissue inside the kidneys and bladder is very sensitive, if a stone irritates or damages it, it can easily cause bleeding. The blood then leaves the body with the urine.
Nausea, vomiting
This can occur if the ureter or kidney is partially or completely blocked. As a result, because the nerves of the bowel and bladder are connected, they can easily become irritated, leading to nausea or vomiting.
Fever and chills
Although these symptoms may not be caused by kidney stone problems alone, if they occur at the same time, it is worth being suspicious. If you have a high fever, it is worth seeing your doctor.
The cause of kidney stone formation
Stone formation is promoted by urinary retention, prolonged lying, thirst and a protein-rich diet. Increased animal protein increases the calcium content of the urine, which increases the excretion of oxalic and uric acid. As a result, the concentration of citrate, which inhibits crystallisation, decreases and the urine becomes acidic. These factors promote the formation of calcium- and uric acid-containing stones.
It occurs 2 times more frequently in men and is most common between the ages of 30 and 60.
“How do I know where the kidney stone is”?
The location of kidney stones can be determined by the symptoms they cause and by diagnostic procedures. Kidney stones usually start in the kidney and travel through the urinary tract to the bladder, the urethra.
Pain: Kidney stones often cause pain during movement. The nature, intensity and location of the pain can help determine the location of the kidney stone. If the pain starts in the back and is felt in the lower back, side or lower abdomen, the stone is probably in the kidney or upper urinary tract. If the pain is felt in the lower abdomen or genital area, the stone may be closer to the bladder or urethra.
Urinary changes: the movement of kidney stones in the urinary tract can often cause disturbances in the flow of urine. Urinary changes, such as difficulty or pain in passing urine, bloody urine or frequent urge to urinate, may also indicate the movement and location of a kidney stone.
Diagnostic procedures: doctors can use different diagnostic procedures to determine the exact location of a kidney stone. Various procedures can be used to diagnose the presence of a kidney stone. These imaging procedures allow the doctor to pinpoint the position and size of the kidney stone.
Urinalysis: analysing the crystals and other substances in the urine can help the doctor determine what type of kidney stone it is. This can provide additional information about where the stone is forming and how it is moving.
Watch out for these symptoms of severe kidney inflammation
Severe kidney inflammation, also known as acute kidney failure, can cause a variety of symptoms, some of which include:
Decreased urine output: one of the most common symptoms is reduced or no urination. This can take the form of anuria (lack of urine output) or oliguria (reduced urine output).
Edema: Edema usually occurs in the form of swelling of the limbs, but can also occur in the lungs and other tissues. The body is not able to remove excess fluid properly because the kidneys are not working properly.
Increased fatigue and weakness: Due to insufficient kidney function, the body is unable to remove toxins and excess fluid, which can cause fatigue and weakness.
Fever and chills: Acute kidney failure is often associated with fever and chills, especially if there is an underlying infection.
Nausea and vomiting: Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting are common in severe kidney inflammation, especially if the inflammation is caused by a toxic substance or drug.
Increased thirst and dry mouth: Due to poor kidney function, the body is unable to concentrate urine properly, which can lead to increased thirst and dry mouth.
What are the symptoms of a stuck kidney stone?
Sharp, sudden pain: the most common symptom caused by a stuck kidney stone is sudden, sharp pain in the back, side or lower abdomen. The pain may be localised in the affected kidney area.
Frequent urination: A blocked kidney stone may irritate the bladder, resulting in frequent urination.
Urinary bleeding: kidney stones can cause a small amount of bleeding in the urine, which can result in red or rusty brown urine.
Nausea and vomiting: nausea and vomiting may occur due to pain and general discomfort.
Fever and chills: If the stuck kidney stone causes an infection, fever and chills may develop.
Stinging, burning sensation when passing urine: Kidney stones can cause irritation to the bladder and urethra, which can cause discomfort when passing urine.
How do kidney stone symptoms in women differ from men?
Although the symptoms of kidney stones can generally be similar in both sexes, there are some differences that can occur between the two.
Differences in women:
Symptoms of urinary tract infections: women are more prone to urinary tract infections, which can occur along with kidney stones. Women have a higher risk of urinary tract infections than men. In such cases, symptoms of urinary tract infection, such as frequent urge to urinate, burning sensation when passing urine and pain in the pelvic area, may be more frequent.
Localisation of pain: In women, the pain caused by kidney stones is sometimes felt in the bladder and urethra area, which may result in a different pain distribution than in men. Pain in the lower abdomen or genital area may also be a symptom of kidney stones.
Differences in men:
Risk of urinary tract obstruction: Because the male urethra is longer and narrower, kidney stones can cause blockages in the urinary tract, which can prevent urine from passing. This can cause more severe symptoms such as urinary retention and severe pain in the lower abdomen and genital area.
Prostate problems. This can lead to prostate problems such as inflammation or swelling, which can cause further pain and discomfort.
What dissolves kidney stones or which methods dissolve kidney stones
There are several ways to dissolve kidney stones and the therapy used depends on the type, size, location and general health of the patient.
Drinking: drinking enough fluids can help to thin the urine and help to break up or remove the stone into smaller pieces.
Medications: Certain medications, such as painkillers, antispasmodics or alpha-blockers, may help relieve pain and move the stone.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWL): This is a procedure in which external shockwaves are used to break the kidney stone into small pieces so that they can be more easily passed in the urine.
