What are the Symptoms of kidney stones?

Silent stones

Kidney stones sometimes come to light during scans for other conditions and remain without any symptoms.

Pain and bleeding

Stones in the kidney can give intermittent pain and you may notice blood in the urine as well. This can follow physical exertion, jogging etc. If the stone migrates into the ureter (the tube that drains urine from the kidney into the bladder) it can cause excruciating pain radiating from loin to the groin and sometimes into the testicle in men. It is considered one of the severe pains people can experience.

What causes kidney stones?

The commonest cause of kidney stones is insufficient fluid intake. We do need at least 2 L of fluid in 24 hours to the youth the waste products that are filtered into the urine. Sometimes there may be other reasons like high calcium levels, high uric acid levels (gout).

How are they diagnosed?

Usually kidney stones require a CT scan to confirm location, size and density of the stones.

What treatment options do I have?

1. Small stones pass by themselves with good fluid intake and pain relief
2. Dissolution therapy: certain types of stones can be dissolved by changing the acidity of urine
3. Stones in the kidney can be treated by shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous Nephrolithotmy (PCNL – key hole surgery), uretero-renoscopy and laser treatment (URS)