Understanding the Stages of Passing a Kidney Stone

Introduction:

The renal system is an integral part of the human body. The renal system comprises kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra. The kidneys are responsible for excreting toxins and waste from the system and preserving essential substances in the blood. Some important functions are carried out by the renal system, such as glomerular filtration, tubular reabsorption, urine storage, micturition, and tubular secretion, are carried out by the renal system. Kidney stones form inside your kidney and are hard deposits of minerals and salts.

What Is a Kidney Stone?

A hard substance formed from the deposits of minerals and salts is known as a kidney stone. They form inside the kidneys. Kidney stone is also known as renal calculi, nephrolithiasis, and urolithiasis. Kidney stones can affect any part of the urinary system. A kidney stone is formed from the concentrated urine, allowing the minerals to harden or crystallize and adhere to each other. If these hardened substances create an obstruction by getting lodged in the kidney or any other part of the urinary tract, then they cause sharp pain. Sometimes, the pain is so sharp that it gets unbearable. To remove the stones, surgery may be required. It usually does not initiate symptoms unless it moves inside the kidneys or obstructs fluid passage through the ureters. The ureters are two tube-like elastic structures that connect the kidneys to the urinary bladder. The stone obstructs the urine flow, so the urine accumulates in the kidney, resulting in swelling of the kidney area and spasms in the ureters. This condition can cause sharp and excruciating pain.

What Are the Symptoms of Kidney Stone?

A few symptoms are mentioned below:

• Severe, sharp, shooting, and excruciating pain at either side of the abdomen or back.

• Radiating pain from the lower abdomen to the groin.

• Fluctuating pain that comes and goes in waves.

• Burning sensation or pain during micturition.

• Hematuria or discolored urine.

• Urine, which looks cloudy.

• Foul-smelling urine.

• Presence of infection that may cause fever.

• Unable to urinate properly.

What Are the Risk Factors Associated With Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones generally do not have one factual cause; rather, several factors may contribute to their formation. When the urine has more calcium, oxalates, and uric acid and the fluid in the urine cannot dilute them, kidney stones are formed. The following are the risk factors for forming kidney stones:

• Dehydration.

• Dietary consumption of more salts, sugar, and proteins.

• Hereditary reasons.

• A few kinds of medications or supplements.

• Any kind of surgery that may disturb the digestive system.

• Weight issues like obesity.

What Are the Types of Kidney Stones?

It is important to know the type of kidney stone as it may help in knowing the source of the formation of the kidney stone and also help reduce the incidence of kidney stones by preventing the risk factors. Following are the types of kidney stones:

• Stones of Calcium: Most kidney stones are made of calcium and are found in the system as calcium oxalates. They may also be formed by calcium phosphate.

• Stones of Struvites: The struvite stones form in the presence of urinary tract infection. These stones can be larger and may not show symptoms in most cases.

• Stones of Uric Acid: These types of stones can form when the patients lose lots of fluids, as in the case of diarrhea. People take food containing high protein levels or have any other metabolic syndrome.

• Stones of Cystine: These stones form in patients suffering from cystinuria. Cystinuria is a hereditary disorder where too much specific amino acid is excreted.

What Are the Stages of Passing of Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones are sometimes naturally excreted from the system, and the passing of kidney stones is divided into four stages:

• Creation of the Kidney Stones: Kidney stones can be formed due to various causes. A few of them are stated, such as when the urine is concentrated, and the fluid cannot dilute it; the stones are formed. Dehydration can also be the cause of the formation of urine stones. There could be genetic reasons behind the formation of kidney stones. The process of formation is not painful and is asymptomatic.

• Passage From Kidney: This is the second stage, where the kidney stone tries to pass from the kidney to the urinary bladder through the ureters. The ureters show some spasmodic actions as they try to move the kidney stone toward the urinary bladder.

• When Pressure Is Created in the Urinary Bladder: When the kidney stone reaches the urinary bladder, it initiates an urgent need for micturition by building pressure in the bladder.

• The Exit of the Stone From the System: The kidney stone passes from the ureters to the urinary bladder and then towards the urethra and can be excreted with little pressure. If the stone is smaller, it may get passed easily with little or no pain. But surgery is inevitable if it cannot be excreted normally for any reason.

What Is the Treatment for Kidney Stones?

A person should see a physician when there is pain in the back or abdomen area unilaterally or bilaterally. When there is blood in the urine, that is hematuria, and the pain is unbearable. When there is an urgent need to pass the urine, and frequent urges to pass the urine are observed, the person should see a physician. As soon as the diagnosis is confirmed by the physician, then the prescribed treatment should be followed. After the diagnosis, primarily, the patient is told to avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water because dehydration may form more stones in the system. The patient has also been prescribed some analgesics to control the pain impulses. If the kidney stones do not pass naturally and any of the non-surgical procedures fail, then surgical removal of the kidney stones is done. Surgical procedures like shock wave lithotripsy can be performed. The sound waves in shock wave laser lithotripsy help break the stones into smaller pieces to easily pass through the urine. An endoscope may also locate the stone and break it into smaller fragments. After the treatment, the patient should follow the instructions given by their physician to avoid the reformation of kidney stones.

Conclusion:

The stages of passing kidney stones are naturally classified into four stages: the formation of the stones, a passage from the kidney, exertion of pressure on the urinary bladder, and the exit of the stone from the system. Kidney stones form in the body due to various reasons. Kidney stones can exit the system without any signs or symptoms but if the stones are larger, then surgical intervention may be needed. A person should see the physician as soon as any symptoms occur.