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Kidney Stones
WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW
Kidney stones are rock-like concretions of minerals that
form in the kidney. There may be more than one stone, and they
may be large or small. Men get kidney stones more often than
women do.
Causes
An illness called gout can cause
kidney stones, as can a blockage of urine or a large amount of
calcium in the urine. Too much calcium from food, vitamins, or
other sources can contribute to formation of the
stones.
Signs/Symptoms
Typical symptoms include sharp
mid-back pain, blood in the urine, painful urination, nausea,
and vomiting.
Care
To help the stone pass, drink 3
quarts of water (the equivalent of 8 soda-sized cans), each
day. A heating pad set on ""low'' may help ease the pain. Your
doctor may also prescribe pain medicine. If the stone doesn't
pass naturally, you may need to be hospitalized
Risks
Kidney stones can cause long-term
kidney problems that in rare cases can be fatal. But with
proper treatment, serious problems are unlikely.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
-
You may take over-the-counter aspirin, acetaminophen
or ibuprofen. If your doctor prescribes another medicine to
lessen pain, take it exactly as
directed.
-
Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water every day.
This helps flush the stone through the urinary tract and
will also help prevent other stones from
forming.
-
It is important that you strain your urine through a
special strainer or through a piece of thin cloth every
time you go to the bathroom so that you can catch the stone
when it passes through your bladder. You may find it easier
to urinate into a glass jar; when the stone passes, you'll
be able to see it at the bottom of the jar. Save the stone
and take it to your doctor for
analysis.
-
Keeping active may help the stone pass. Do not stay
in bed; walk as much as possible.
-
Stay home from work until the stone passes if you
have a job in which sudden pain might be dangerous (for
example, working around machinery, climbing ladders, or
working on girders or roofs).
-
You may need to change your diet, depending on the
chemicals in your stone. Your doctor will prescribe the
right diet after tests on the stone are
completed.
Call Your Doctor If...
-
You have any problems that may be related to the
medicine you are taking.
Seek Care Immediately If...
-
You have severe pain.
-
You have nausea or start to
vomit.
-
You have a high temperature.
-
You have stinging or burning when you pass urine, or
feel a frequent urge to urinate. These are signs of
infection.
IF YOU'RE HEADING FOR THE
HOSPITAL...
What to Expect While You're
There
You may encounter the following
procedures and equipment during your stay:
-
Taking Your Vital Signs: These include your
temperature, blood pressure, pulse (counting your
heartbeats), and respirations (counting your breaths). A
stethoscope is used to listen to your heart and lungs. Your
blood pressure is taken by wrapping a cuff around your
arm.
-
IV: A tube placed in your vein for giving medicine
or liquids. It will be capped or have tubing connected to
it.
-
Pain Medicine: May be given by IV, shot, or by
mouth. If the pain does not go away or comes back, tell a
doctor right away.
-
Blood: Usually taken from a vein in your hand or
from the bend in your elbow and sent to a laboratory for
testing.
-
Urine: You will be asked to save your urine. It will
be tested for blood and strained to catch any stones you
may pass.
-
Abdominal X-ray: This standard x-ray provides the
doctor with a picture of the organs in your abdominal
area.
-
Pelvic/Kidney Ultrasound: This painless test is done
while you are lying down. A dab of jelly-like lotion is
placed on your belly. The person doing the test will gently
move a small handle through the lotion and across your
skin. A view of the internal organs appears on a TV-like
screen attached to the handle.
-
IVP: Also called intravenous pyelogram
(in-truh-VEEN-us PIE-uh-lo-gram). In this test, dye
injected through a vein is used to make an x-ray picture of
your kidneys. You may feel warm after the dye is put in
your IV.
-
CT Scan: Also called a ""CAT'' scan. This x-ray uses
a computer to make pictures of your
kidneys.
-
Shock-Wave Lithotripsy (LITH-oh-TRIP-see): This
device sends shock waves inside your body to break up the
stone. The procedure is painless.
-
Surgery: If the stone doesn't pass or lithotripsy
doesn't work, you may need an operation to remove the
stone.
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