You should get regular urological care to maintain urological health and help detect problems early. Seek out a urologist with whom you feel comfortable discussing sensitive issues like men’s sexual dysfunction and family planning.
A urologist will ask for your medical history and do a physical exam. They’ll also order tests, including imaging tests and a blood test that helps determine what the kidney stones are made of.
Symptoms
The kidneys — two fist-sized, bean-shaped organs on either side of the spine, below the rib cage — serve as filters, removing waste and balancing fluids. When too much waste builds up, it forms a hard pebble-like mass called a kidney stone. It can get stuck in the kidney, the ureter, or the bladder, causing pain and possibly a urinary tract infection. The symptom that usually starts it all is sharp, severe pain in the back or abdomen, often in one spot below your ribs. Sometimes it moves into the lower belly or groin, and may be accompanied by a burning sensation while you urinate. Other symptoms can include blood in your urine, fever and chills, and nausea and vomiting.
To find out if you have kidney stones, consulting with Melbourne urological surgeon is the best thing to do. their doctor or urologist will do a physical exam. You’ll also have a 24-hour urine collection test, which shows whether you’re excreting too many stone-forming minerals or not enough substances that prevent them from forming. You’ll also have imaging tests, such as an abdominal X-ray and a computed tomography scan (CT), which help doctors see the size of your kidney or any blockages in your urinary tract. You may have other tests to check your blood and kidney function, and a procedure called shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) to break up a large kidney stone into smaller pieces so they can pass more easily. in the urinary tract. tract.
Diagnosis
Kidney stones can be diagnosed by urologist who knows to look for the symptoms: a sharp pain in your back or side, often moving to your lower abdomen and groin; feeling like you have to urinate more frequently; blood in your urine; and a goopy feel when you urinate. our doctor will want to get a sample of your urine to test for stone-forming minerals and find out whether you are lacking substances that prevent them from forming. A 24-hour urine collection may help your doctor decide if you need kidney stone treatment in Melbourne or are at risk of developing kidney stones.
Imaging tests (X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound) can show the size, shape and location of your kidney stones. Your doctor will also order a blood test to check for signs of infection and to see if you have too much of the minerals that form kidney stones. A 24-hour urine collection can also reveal these minerals.
Depending on the type and size of your kidney stones, you may need a procedure to break up or remove them. For small calcium-containing stones, your doctor may suggest a wait-and-see approach, taking medicine to decrease pain and the amount of urine you produce (tamsulosin; Flomax). You can reduce your risk of getting these types of kidney stones by limiting animal protein, which makes your urine more acidic, and drinking plenty of fluids, especially water.
Treatment
Kidney stones form when too much waste combines with not enough liquid. The body’s master chemist, the kidney, usually eliminates these chemicals by washing them out with urine. But if the amount of fluid isn’t enough or other chemicals in the urine prevent them from passing out of the kidney, the waste forms crystals that become larger and bigger until they block the flow of urine.
The fist-sized, bean-shaped kidneys filter 120 to 150 quarts of blood each day to remove waste and balance fluids. The waste becomes urine, which leaves the kidneys through tube-shaped ureters into the bladder. Larger kidney stones can get stuck in the ureters, which causes pain. You may also feel pain in your belly area (abdomen), back or groin. In men, the pain can move into their testicles or labia (vagina).
A urologist treats problems related to your kidneys and urinary tract. He or she will ask about your symptoms and do a physical exam. Your doctor might also order a urine test and imaging tests, like an X-ray and CT scan.
Over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen can help reduce discomfort. Your doctor might also prescribe a medicine called an alpha blocker, which relaxes the muscles in your ureter, so that the stone passes more easily. Your doctor may want to save the stone for testing, which can give him or her clues about how to stop future kidney stones from forming.
Prevention
In most cases, you won’t know you have a kidney stone until it causes pain, usually in the belly or side of your back. You may also notice blood in your urine or have trouble urinating, and you may feel sick to your stomach and have chills.
If you’re having symptoms, your doctor will do a physical exam and order blood tests to check your kidney function and look for crystals in your urine. He or she will also ask you to drink two liters of water every day to flush out your kidneys and lower the concentration of stone-forming substances in your urine.
Kidney stones form when certain minerals concentrate in the kidneys. Most kidney stones are made of calcium. But it’s possible to have stones from other substances, like oxalate or uric acid.
To prevent a kidney stone, you should eat low-sodium foods. Too much sodium increases the amount of calcium that leaks out of the kidney into your urine. This makes it more likely that you’ll form another kidney stone.
You should also limit your intake of animal proteins and sweetened drinks and foods. Instead, eat fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grains and nonfat beverages. If you want to eat protein, choose lean meats and fish. Avoid processed meats, like salami and ham.
