What Are The Signs Of Kidney Stones? -2024

Kidney stones are often a nuisance and can cause pain, running from mild to severe. Kidney stones vary in size and composition. Some kidney stones are very small, as the size of a grain while some kidney stones might be as large as a pebble. Small stones may pass in the urine on their own, often without causing any pain. However complications are likely to occur with larger stones or stones that get stuck in the ureter and cause obstruction.

Signs that you might have kidney stones include-

severe pain on either side of the lower back
blood in urine
vague pain that does not go away
blood in the urine
cloudy or foul smelling urine
nausea or vomiting
fever and chills

The kidney stones typically start causing pain when the stone causes irritation or blockage, which builds rapidly and causes extreme pain. Non surgical treatment options like medications, dietary or lifestyle changes can help pass the kidney stone. For stones that cause serious symptoms or other complications and when nonsurgical treatment options do not help, surgery may be required.

What Should I Do If I Have Symptoms Of Kidney Stones?

If you notice signs and symptoms of kidney stones, the first thing you should do is book an appointment with a top urologist for kidney stone treatment in Gurgaon. The doctor may suggest you to undergo some diagnostic tests to know the size, location or size of the stone. If the stone is small in size, nonsurgical treatment options like medications or lifestyle changes would be the first treatment method. The urologist will also suggest you to drink a lot of water and other fluids in order to try to flush the stone out in the urine. If medications or other treatment options fail, a kidney stone removal surgery might be needed.

The treatment for kidney stones depends on the size, composition, location of the stone or if it is causing pain or blocking the urinary tract. The urologist can find out these things only after proper diagnosis and analysing results of your diagnostic tests. Most advanced and pain free surgical options for kidney stone removal in Gurgaon are-

When Do Kidney Stones Need Surgery?

Small kidney stones do not need surgery and can easily pass on their own through the urine. Most people can pass small stones (which are upto 4mm in diameter) in the urine. Larger kidney stones, which may be more than 6 to 7 mm in diameter cannot usually be passed naturally and require surgery to remove them. Modern surgeries for kidney stone removal can help you get rid of kidney stones in 24 hours, without any pain or side effects. Minimally invasive surgical options for removing kidney stones are-

Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS)- Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery or RIRS can be used for stones anywhere in the urinary tract. RIRS is preferred for patients where ESWL has failed or cannot be performed due to certain conditions like bleeding disorders or obesity. And also, RIRS involves no long hospital stay or incision on the body and is followed up by a faster early recovery.

RIRS is typically carried out for the following reasons-

Failed attempts with other surgical options like ESWL
Large kidney stones
Strictures or tumours in the kidney
Bleeding disorder in the kidneys
Obese patients

Ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy (URS)- In cases when the stone gets stuck in the bladder or ureter, urologists typically prefer to perform Ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy (URS). During this procedure, the urologist uses a device called an ureteroscope for the removal of kidney stones. URS with a laser is a non-invasive treatment option for kidney stone removal which uses no incisions. Being non-invasive in nature, the procedure allows the patient to resume his regular life after the procedure. With URS, the patient can get rid of kidney stones in 24 hours without any pain.

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL)- ESWL is a noninvasive procedure for removal of kidney stones during which the urologist uses shock waves to break the stone into smaller fragments which can easily pass through the urine. The procedure is not generally painful but can be discomforting. This is why ESWL is often performed under the influence of anesthesia to make the procedure comfortable for the patient.

Percutaneous Nephrostolithotomy (PCNL)- PCNL is typically used for large kidney stones which cannot be removed with other surgical options for kidney stone removal. PCNL involves the removal of the stone from a small incision made in the back.

Signs Of Serious Complications With Kidney Stones

Untreated kidney stones can cause serious complications. The stone may get stuck in the urinary tract, causing an obstruction. This can cause a lot of pain. If you are diagnosed with kidney stones, delaying your kidney stone removal surgery is not a good decision. Call your urologist right away to get immediate medical help. Serious signs which may indicate an infections or complications due to kidney stones can be-