A painful medical issue, Kidney Stones or Renal Calculi, are solid masses of crystals that originate in the kidneys. However, these stones can also develop anywhere along with the urinary tract. Before taking online doctor consultation in Delhi for kidney stones treatment, one must be aware of the types, symptoms, and treatments available- 

Types of Kidney Stones: 

All kidney stones are made up of different crystals. The different types of kidney stones include-

Calcium- One of the most common, they’re often made of calcium oxalate. They can consist of calcium phosphate or maleate as well. However, you can reduce the risk of developing calcium stones by eating fewer oxalate-rich foods. 

Uric Acid-The second-most-common kidney stone, Uric acid, can occur in individuals with gout, diabetes, obesity, and other metabolic syndromes. 

Struvite- One can commonly find this type of stone in people with Urinary Tract Infection (UTIs). The struvite stones can be large and may cause urinary obstruction.

Cystine-This type of kidney stone occurs in both men and women who have the genetic disorder cystinuria. Due to this stone, cystine, which is an acid occurring naturally in the body, starts leaking from the kidneys into the urine. 

Symptoms and Signs of a Kidney Stone

A kidney stone can cause severe pain to an individual. The symptoms of a kidney stone may not occur till the stone starts moving down the ureters, and this severe pain is called renal colic. 

One may even experience pain on one side of the back or abdomen. 

In the case of men, the pain may move to the groin area. As the pain is intense, people with renal colic tend to be restless and require the best treatment for kidney stones. Other symptoms of kidney stones can include-

• Blood in urine
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Foul-smelling or discoloured urine
• Chills
• Fever
• Frequent need to urinate
• Urinating in small amounts

Note: One may not experience any pain or symptoms if it is a small kidney stone. In this case, a stone passes through your urinary tract.

How Are Kidney Stones treated?

As per the type of stone in the body, professionals provide tailored treatment for stone extraction. Urine may be strained and stones are collected for evaluation and give the best treatment for kidney stones.

Other stone treatment options include-

Medication– Pain relief from kidney stones may require narcotic medications. To treat the infection, one may have to take antibiotics. 

Lithotripsy- In this type of treatment, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is used for breaking up large stones so that they can pass down easily through the ureters into your bladder. As this procedure can be a little uncomfortable, it may require anaesthesia. The process can cause bruising on the patient’s abdomen & back, and bleeding may occur around the kidney and nearby organs. 

Tunnel Surgery– In this treatment, the surgeon removes the stones through a small incision in the patient’s back. One requires this procedure in three cases-

• When the stone is causing obstruction and infection or damages the kidneys
• When the kidney stone has grown too large to pass
• When the patient cannot handle the pain anymore

Ureteroscopy- If the stone is stuck in the ureter or bladder, the surgeon will use this treatment to remove the stone. Here, an instrument named a ureteroscope is used to remove the kidney stone, which is sent to the laboratory for analysis. 

Pain Management- A kidney stone can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. In this case, to reduce the pain, the doctor may recommend the patient to take an over-the-counter pain reliever. 

Looking for online doctor consultation in Delhi for kidney stones treatment? Connect with Uphealth today.