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Kidney stones, also known as urolithiasis, nephrolithiasis or renal calculi, are deposits of minerals and salts inside the kidneys. It can be a horrible nightmare to the patient as it may cause intense pain, especially when kidney stones move through the urinary tract. Since kidney stones can cause infection and renal function deterioration as a result of obstruction, proper diagnosis and treatment of kidney stones are necessary.
Kidney stones are solid deposits formed in the kidneys, which can potentially move along with the urine stream. A kidney stone can potentially block the ureter when it is larger than 5 mm, leading to various signs and symptoms like back pain and hematuria (blood in urine). There are 4 major types of kidney stones categorized by their ingredients:
Kidney stones are caused by the precipitation of salts and minerals in the kidneys. Causes of increased mineral content in urine include increased concentration of minerals in the blood, decreased urine flow, urinary stasis, etc. Typical causes and possible risk factors of kidney stone formation include:
Kidney stones of small size are unlikely to be detected and can be passed out without knowing. However, relatively large kidney stones may show the following noticeable signs and symptoms:
Kidney stones may bring about serious consequences if it worsens without proper treatment. Complications of kidney stones may include:
Kidney stones are often detected before it develops into a serious threat. Diagnostic tests of kidney stones include:
Kidney stones can be painful when they grow to a relatively large size. Therefore, the best way to avoid such pain is to prevent renal calculi. The following measures may help to prevent the formation of kidney stones:
Small kidney stones can pass out the urinary system relatively easily. These measures may aid small kidney stones to pass out through urination:
Larger kidney stones can cause immense pain and damage the kidney function. If they cannot be passed out spontaneously, procedures and surgeries are often necessary to aid kidney stones removal.
Yes, it may. Kidney stones can be dislodged more easily through movements, such as jumping, cycling and walking. However, this is only applicable to kidney stones with smaller dimensions. Moreover, exercise not only helps the passage of kidney stones, but also prevents them from forming.
Yes, it does. The citrate in lemon juice prevents small minerals from coming together to form large kidney stones. In order to prevent and treat kidney stones, one may consider drinking 4 ounces of lemon juice together with 2 L of water daily.
To speed up kidney stone clearance, one should start by altering the diet habit. Avoid diets that will further increase the size of a kidney stone, such as a large amount of salt or animal protein consumption. One may also consider drinking more water with lemon juice added, around 2-2.5 L so that they increase the urine volume and flush kidney stones out more easily.
This article was independently written by Healthy Matters and is not sponsored. It is informative only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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