| What
Are Kidney Stones?:
A
kidney stone is a
large crystals or
"stone"
that forms in the
kidney.
Different salts in
the urine can
precipitate to form
a stone. These
salts precipitate
most commonly when
they occur in high
concentrations in
the urine.
Stones occur
commonly and usually
do not cause damage
to the kidney or
urinary tract.
Sometimes the
stone(s) remains in
the kidney without
ever being noticed.
When the stone
passes from the
kidney to the
bladder severe
excruciating pain
ensues that is
relieved only after
the stone has
passed. If the
stone gets stuck in
the ureter (see
image) on its
way from the kidney
to the bladder,
severe unrelenting
pain can occur until
the stone is
removed. In a
minority of people
the stone never
makes its way out of
the kidney but
continues to grow
until it interferes
with the function of
the kidney.
Purpose
Of This Website: Kidney
stones are an
extremely common
condition with a 1
in 10 lifetime
risk for the general
population.
They occur more
commonly in certain
groups and
professions, such
as, Caucasions,
males and people
with sedentary
lifestyles or jobs
with decreased
access to water,
such as police
officers.
Unfortunately, most
people who have had
a stone will develop
more. This web
site will describe
the different types
of kidney stones,
and their
diagnostic,
therapeutic, and
preventive
strategies.
Since recurrent KIDNEY
STONES CAN BE
PREVENTED,
an appropriate
evaluation should be
performed.
How
To Use This Web
Guide: This
guide is meant to
educate people with
kidney stones about
the different types
of stones, their
possible causes, and
different medical,
dietary, and
surgical treatments.
This page should be
particularly useful
to those who know
what type of stones
they form or have
had 24 hour
urine and standard
blood studies.
You can ask your
doctor the final
analyses from these
tests and use this
guide for further
understanding.
You should not use
this web site to
determine your own
treatment
strategies.
It
does not replace the
professional advice
of your physician,
but rather serves as
an aid for further
understanding.
What
Doctor Should I See
For My Stones:
Several
types of doctors can
help you cope with
your kidney stone
problem. The
type of doctor you
should see often
depends on your
unique problems.
In general, for
someone who has had
only one
uncomplicated
episode of forming
and passing a single
stone, a visit with
a general internist
or family
practitioner is
probably sufficient.
For someone who has
a stone that is
actively passing and
causing severe pain,
a visit to the
emergency room is
necessary for
intravenous fluids
and strong pain
relievers until the
stone and pain pass.
If the stone is
stuck or a stone is
found to be growing
and threatening the
function of the
kidney, then a
urologist (who is a
surgical specialist)
will be needed to
remove the stone
(see Surgical
Removal/Lithotripsy).
For people with a
history of recurrent
kidney stones,
multiple stones, or
a very complicated
first kidney stone
episode a
nephrologist (a
medical kidney
disease specialist)
will likely by
helpful to perform a
thorough blood,
urine, metabolic,
and dietary analysis
in order to utilize
dietary and medical
interventions.
Scientific studies
have proven
that proper
interventions
(medical and
dietary) do
significantly
decrease the
formation of new
stones.
|
