Kidney stones.
Sharp, radiating back or flank pain? Alterations in how your pee looks? Here are early signs of kidney stones that you could have and what to watch out for so you can get treatment sooner rather than later.
Kidney stones are small solid lumps or aggregations of crystals and salts which form inside the kidney. Some stones are small enough to pass through the body unnoticed, other larger stones may block the flow of urine resulting in severe pain and discomfort. The manifestations of kidney stones symptoms can be very different depending on their size and location as well as the degree of obstruction to the urinary system.
Pain is the main symptom of a stone in the kidney among the renal stone signs and symptoms. Pain can:
Travel from back, side or lower abdomen to the groin. It comes and goes as the stone bumps its way around the urinary tract. Can be from dull pain to occasional episodes of very sharp pain.
So severe can this pain get that it can affect your everyday life. And when you do go to the GP it's normally because of this pain.
Aside from the pain, alterations in the urine are among the most typical kidney stone symptoms. You should notice the following:
Since several of these symptoms are caused by a urinary tract infection, never diagnose yourself - you'll never be sure without a test. A CUE (Complete Urine Examination) Test can help check your urine for blood, infection and other changes.
Nausea and vomiting can occur because pain from the stone triggers the nausea and vomiting reflex. Presence of fever and chills along with pain is a more serious concern as it suggests the presence of infection.
The pain of a kidney stone, blood in the urine, nausea, vomiting and urinating more often are the same in women as they are in men. But some of the kidney stone symptoms are similar to a urinary tract infection (UTI) in women, which is why it is so important to get the right diagnosis. A CUE (Complete Urine Examination) Test is often the first step in telling the two apart.
Yes. Many of them are not painful. You can get small stones that pass through your system unnoticed, this is how incidental stones occur (or stones are discovered incidentally when your abdomen is scanned for another reason).
There is one example certainly worth mentioning and that is pain and fever, which could be renal infection and would require urgent attention.
Don't self treat. If you are suffering from any of the above problems, remember that many other diseases can cause the same symptoms as a kidney stone, so make sure all the necessary tests such as a CUE (Complete Urine Examination) Test and an RFT (Renal Function Test) are carried out. Keep well hydrated to protect the health of your kidney and perhaps avoid getting stones - your doctor will tell you what quantity of fluid you should be drinking, based on any other health conditions. Treatment depends on the size and position of the stone and your own health.
Common diagnosis involves a physical exam plus the use of diagnostic tests, which include:
Quick - The laboratory tests your doctor may order to diagnose kidney stones including the RFT (Renal Function Test) and CUE (Complete Urine Examination) Test, are available at Apollo Diagnostics so you can get your doctor's diagnosis as quickly as possible.
Pain from kidney stones can be a very mild and dull feeling that gradually becomes intense to colicky pain with fever or blood in urine. Don't neglect any of these kidney stone symptoms - get yourself tested with an RFT (Renal Function Test) and CUE (Complete Urine Examination) Test, and consult your doctor for proper treatment.
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