Urinary stones

Your kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins and waste products from your blood. This process also leads to the production of urine. This urine gets carried from your kidneys through the ureters (thin tubes that connect your kidneys and bladder). The urine stays collected in the bladder when until you feel the urge to urinate. The urine gets flushed out from your body through a tube called the urethra. 

Urinary stones can form when your urine becomes highly concentrated with salts and substances such as calcium, oxalate and phosphorus.

The signs and symptoms of urinary stones depend upon various factors such as the size, location, type, of the stones, the individual’s overall health, water intake and urine output. 

Sometimes, a person may not display any problematic symptoms because the stones are too small in size and get flushed out on their own. However, in other cases, urinary stones can cause several bothersome signs and symptoms. 

Kidney stones symptoms:

• Severe, sharp pain at the side of the abdomen
• Sharp pain in the back
• Pain in the lower abdomen and groin
• Pain with varying intensity 
• Burning sensation while urinating
• Oddly-coloured, foul-smelling or cloudy urine
• Increased urgency to urinate
• Pain that comes in waves 
• Inability to empty bladder 
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever and chills (in case of infection)

Bladder stones symptoms:

• Pain in the lower abdomen
• Pain during urination
• Increased urge to urinate
• Difficulty in emptying the bladder
• Presence of blood in the urine

Your urologist will first discuss your medical history with you. You can expect to be questioned about your present symptoms, their severity and overall health. He/she will order some of the following tests and procedures to accurately diagnose your condition:

• Physical exam
• Blood tests
• Urinalysis
• X-ray of the abdomen
• Ultrasonography
• CT Scan

There are varying treatment protocols for each patient. Your best-suited treatment method will depend upon your diagnosis and overall condition. Listed below are some common treatment alternatives used to remove urinary stones:

Watchful waiting: If your stone size is less than 4 mm, your urologist will actively watch your condition while offering some recommendations to improve your health. He/she would advise you to increase your fluid intake in order to help flush out the stone naturally with the urine. 

Medicinal approach: Your urologist will prescribe effective medicine to help get rid of the pain. You will also be administered pain relief medication to alleviate your symptoms. Simulatenoauly, he/she will offer your personalised guidance on fluid and dietary intake to avoid any complications. 

Surgical intervention: There are various surgical procedures that can be done to remove urinary stones permanently. Common surgeries include:

LASER assisted surgery – This procedure is also known as Laser lithotripsy. It is a minimally invasive method in which large stones are broken into smaller fragments. These small breakdowns of the stones can then be removed naturally through urine. The LASER-assisted procedure makes use of high-frequency shock waves to break down the stones. It is a very effective method with various benefits such as no cuts, no stitches, no recurrence, fewer risk of complications, no pain, shorter hospital stay and a speedy recovery. 

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL):  PCNL is performed for extremely large stones. In this procedure, a small incision is made to access the stone, break it and remove it from the body. PCNL is an advanced minimally invasive surgery with several benefits. 

Ureteroscopy: Ureteroscopy is a procedure done to help remove small and medium-sized stones. In this procedure, your surgeon makes use of a medical device called the ureteroscope (a thin, flexible tube). Using the ureteroscope, your surgeon fills your bladder with a sterile solution to visualise it more clearly and access the stone in order to break or remove it.