What causes kidney stones? Kidney stones (urolithiasis), causes, symptoms, treatment, prevention of kidney stones

Hello! Topic of this article "Stones in the kidneys. How they are formed and what they are. Causes. Symptoms Treatment. Prevention. Diet". We will talk about how you can help yourself if you have such a diagnosis.

But first let's find out:

what it is
what types of stones are there and why they form in the kidneys
what are the symptoms of this disease?
why do they cause unbearable pain when they go outside?
where to look for help and how to help yourself
let's talk about prevention

Stones in the kidneys. What it is

One of the common pathologies of the urinary system is the formation of kidney stones, which enter the bladder with the flow of urine through the ureters. This disease is called urolithiasis (UCD).

How are kidney stones formed?

Kidney stones are formed from crystals of salts, toxins, particles of epithelium, undissolved in the body, not passed through the filters of the kidneys and settled in their pelvis. They can have different sizes.

When large stones pass through the ureter, they most often either block the lumen of the ureter or injure its walls with sharp edges. This is where the pain comes from. Anyone who has suffered such pain at least once in their life will never be able to forget about it, and will do everything to prevent it from happening again.

What are the composition of kidney stones?

The reason for this is a violation of water-salt metabolism in the human body. As a result, a precipitate forms in the kidneys in the form of salt crystals, which, when collected together, form stones.

Urate stones (uric acid) – are formed due to the consumption of mainly animal proteins
Oxalate stones - most often found and they are the sharpest in shape, which means they injure the walls of the ureters - are formed from a compound of calcium and oxalic acid, due to excessive consumption of protein foods
Calcium phosphate stones – mixed from calcium precipitate, phosphate salt and magnesium. Most often formed when eating predominantly plant foods
Protein, xanthine and cysteine

Causes of kidney stones

The following factors contribute to the formation of kidney stones:

violation of water-salt metabolism, namely calcium and phosphorus, as well as uric acid
impaired urine evacuation due to diseases caused by bacterial infection, mainly gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary system
genetic predisposition
endocrine diseases, especially parathyroid glands and diabetes
food: very salty, mainly protein (both meat and vegetable origin)
vitamin A deficiency
poor quality of consumed water - hard tap water, with a large amount of mineral salts: nitrates, sulfates and chlorides
lack of clean water intake
physical inactivity

Stones in the kidneys. Symptoms

Symptoms or obvious signs urolithiasis can be externally determined only if the stone has begun to move or it is so large that it interferes with the functioning of the kidneys. That is, depending on the size and behavior (movement) of the stones, the symptoms of the acute period of this disease can be traced. The main symptom is pain moving from the lower back to the groin area. The pain varies in severity and duration.

If the stones are small enough, then they can be excreted from the body along with urine without causing any inconvenience to the person.

Stones bigger size during physical activity they cause dull, aching pain in the lumbar region. This pain is usually mistakenly mistaken for pain due to osteochondrosis or radiculitis, and people often treat themselves. If such pain is not diagnosed, then kidney stones increase in size and thereby cause inflammation of the tissue of the renal pelvis. This disease is called pyelonephritis.

Even mild physical activity can cause stones to move through the urinary tract, blocking the ureters. This causes more severe and even unbearable pain. This condition is called renal colic. You can't wait here. Urgent medical assistance is needed.

Renal colic. Symptoms

Most often, renal colic occurs early in the morning and is accompanied by:

pain in the lower back that radiates to the groin area
nausea and vomiting
bloating (acute abdomen)
cold sweat, chills
elevated temperature (not always)
symptoms of dehydration, or, conversely, swelling
frequent urge to urinate
discomfort when urinating
the urine at this time is cloudy with an (unpleasant) odor, often blood in the urine

It is very important not to confuse renal colic with acute surgical diseases, such as acute appendicitis, acute cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, intestinal obstruction, strangulated hernia, ectopic pregnancy, perforated gastric and duodenal ulcers. Therefore, if you have these symptoms, it is extremely important to urgently consult a doctor and determine the cause of the illness as quickly as possible.

In order to prevent renal colic, you need to undergo preventive examinations regularly (at least once a year). After all, diagnosis at an early stage of the disease can protect against such painful manifestations.

Stones in the kidneys. Diagnostics

Diagnosis of the condition of the kidneys, namely the presence of stone-forming sediment (sand) or the formation of stones, can only be carried out on an outpatient basis. Today it is:

general clinical urine test – pay special attention to the presence of salts and which ones
biochemical urine analysis for inflammatory processes in the urinary system
blood chemistry for the presence of uric acid
Kidney ultrasound– determine the presence of inclusions (sand) or stones, their size, shape, location
X-ray of the kidneys (intravenous urography), with the administration of a contrast agent. Thus, the function of the kidneys and the output of urine through the ureters and bladder are monitored. The presence of phosphate and oxalate stones can also be determined
CT scan – determine the location of kidney stones

Stones in the kidneys. Treatment

Usually kidney stones pass with pain, but on their own. At the same time, to facilitate the advancement of the stone and the patient’s condition, medications are mainly prescribed:

painkillers
relieving spasms
vitamins K, E and group B
antihistamines
sedatives

Both dry heat (heating pad, paraffin compresses) and hot baths help relieve the condition. But only if an accurate diagnosis is made.

In a state of remission (outside the acute period), a special diet, diuretic teas or medications, and, if necessary, anti-inflammatory drugs are recommended (to prevent infection if a sharp stone injures tissue).

If a stone was found during diagnosis big size and at the same time, kidney function is preserved, then non-contact crushing of the kidney stone using ultrasound is prescribed - by the method of remote lithotripsy (ESLT).

In an acute condition, when the ureter is blocked or the stone is so large that it cannot pass out on its own, endoscopic crushing or surgical removal is indicated.

In order not to take such extreme measures, it is important to prevent the formation of kidney stones.

Stones in the kidneys. Prevention

If there is or has been at least one person in your family with urolithiasis, then you need to undergo regular diagnostic examination for the presence of salts, sand and stones in the body

In the prevention of the formation of kidney stones, one of the first places should be placed on dietary nutrition:

In your menu, you need to reduce the consumption of fatty broths, meat and fish products rich in purines, fried and spicy foods, products with cocoa, pickles and over-salted foods.
Meals should be frequent (5-6 times a day) and small in volume (250g)
Adequate drinking – 30 mg per 1 kg of weight per day
Include morning tea made from diuretic and anti-inflammatory herbs in your diet.

Juniper, parsley, birch leaves, cranberries, watermelon and kidney tea have a diuretic effect. All of them provide constant flushing of the kidneys. Bearberry and lingonberry leaves relieve inflammation in the kidneys. Rosehip, cornflower, and stinging nettle remove salts from the urinary tract, preventing stone formation. Chamomile, St. John's wort, coltsfoot and garlic disinfect urine, and garlic and onion also improve blood supply to the kidneys. Bearberry, violet, cranberry, juniper and lingonberry have several beneficial effects on diseased kidneys, so they can be drunk separately, not included in medicinal preparations.

Urolithiasis disease (other names - nephrolithiasis , kidney stones , urolithiasis ) is a disease during which a person develops stones in the kidneys or other organs of the urinary system. Symptoms of urolithiasis can first appear in a person at almost any age. As diagnostics indicate, the disease can develop in both newborns and the elderly. But depending on the age of the sick person, the type of stone differs. Thus, older patients are more likely to develop uric acid stones . At the same time, protein stones are found much less frequently in patients who require treatment for urolithiasis. Most often, with urolithiasis, stones with a mixed composition are formed. The size of the stones may vary. So, if we are talking about stones up to 3mm in diameter, then it is not stones that are determined, but sand in the kidneys. Sometimes large stones can reach up to 15 cm. There are also descriptions of cases where stones weighed more than 1 kg.

Causes of urolithiasis

Before prescribing therapy for a disease or practicing treatment folk remedies, if possible, it is necessary to determine the probable reasons due to which a person has signs of urolithiasis. main reason the appearance of kidney stones is a serious disturbance in the metabolic process, in particular changes in the chemical and water-salt balance of the blood. But at the same time, the presence of certain factors predisposing to the formation of stones plays an important role in the development of the disease. First of all, this is the development of gastrointestinal diseases in humans, as well as ailments of the genitourinary system, bone diseases, and dysfunction of the parathyroid glands. Vitamin deficiency can also provoke the appearance of stones. It is especially important to make up for the deficiency vitamins of group D , therefore, even disease prevention involves taking them.

Nutrition is an equally important factor. Stones appear more often in those people who consume foods that can significantly increase the acidity of urine. That is why, in case of urolithiasis, salty, sour and too spicy foods are turned off. Another important point is the water that a person regularly consumes. If it is too hard and contains more salts, then the likelihood of stones increasing. More often, stones are found in people who constantly live in very hot climates. But also lack of impact ultraviolet rays may cause urolithiasis. During the diagnostic process, the doctor not only prescribes the necessary research methods, but also finds out what exactly could have triggered the onset of the disease. Both medicinal and traditional treatment should be carried out taking these reasons into account.

Symptoms

In most cases, kidney stones manifest themselves with signs that a person cannot help but notice. But sometimes the disease is hidden, and kidney stones can only be detected by chance, when other diseases are diagnosed and treated.

The main symptoms of urolithiasis are the manifestation of pain in the lumbar region. A person may experience pain on one side or both. The pain is dull but exhausting; it intensifies with physical activity or when the patient tries to change body position. If a kidney stone ends up in the ureter, the pain becomes more intense and affects the lower abdomen, groin, and genitals. Sometimes it hits my leg. A very severe painful attack often ends with the passage of stones in the urine.

Patients with urolithiasis periodically suffer from. This is a condition in which incredibly severe pain develops in the lower back area. Colic can even last for several days, while the pain subsides a little, then resumes again with new strength. The attack stops when the stone changes position or goes into the bladder.

If you have kidney stones, a person may feel pain when urinating, and may also urinate too frequently. In this case, it can be assumed that there are stones in the ureter or bladder. During urination, the urine stream is sometimes interrupted, and the patient does not feel the bladder completely empty. Doctors define this symptom as “stuffing” syndrome. If a person changes his body position, urination continues.

After a painful attack or physical exertion, blood may be found in the patient’s urine. Also, urolithiasis is characterized by cloudy urine and periodically occurring high blood pressure. If pyelonephritis is added to the disease, the patient’s body temperature can increase to 38-40 degrees.

Sometimes stones or sand in the kidneys are present in a person throughout his life, and no symptoms appear. Consequently, the patient may not even know about his illness. In general, the symptoms directly depend on the size and type of stone the patient has, where exactly the stone is located, and what problems are observed in the functioning of the genitourinary system. Treatment of sand in the kidneys and stones in the genitourinary system is also carried out taking into account these factors.

Thus, the main objective symptom of urolithiasis is kidney stones. Symptoms of kidney stones are, first of all, cloudiness of the urine, the presence of sediment in it, a change in character (dark and thick urine appears at the beginning of the urination process).

Additional research can determine which stones have formed in a person’s kidneys. They may have different composition. Highlight phosphate, calcium And oxalate stones in the kidneys. But still, diagnostics indicate that most often stones with mixed type.

Removing kidney stones - the main point of treatment. But initially the doctor must determine all the features of the disease and only then decide what to do. It is important to consider that at the very beginning of the disease, stones may not manifest themselves at all. In this case we are talking about the so-called stone-bearing. But even in this case, it is important to identify the disease and determine how to remove the stones, since at any moment they can provoke. The reasons that influence the manifestation of symptoms are varied: severe stress, a disrupted diet, and intense physical exercise. By the way, in most cases, renal colic is caused by small stones. But the presence of large stones in the kidneys, the photo of which is especially impressive, is no less dangerous, since this is a direct path to development renal failure and kidney death. Therefore it is extremely important point is to conduct a high-quality diagnosis with all the studies, from where the doctor can learn about the characteristics of the disease, and subsequent treatment. Prevention of the disease in those who are prone to stone formation also deserves special attention.

Diagnostics

There are a number of diagnostic methods with the help of which diseases of the urinary system are detected by specialists in the early stages. But the awareness of patients is also important here. Every person, when the first symptoms of pathologies of the genitourinary system appear, should consult a doctor, since he himself will not be able to understand whether he has stones in his kidneys, ureter or bladder.

After interviewing the patient, the urologist prescribes the necessary examination. First of all, it is carried out laboratory analysis urine, which allows you to determine the presence of microbial infection, the presence, and also learn about the nature of salt impurities. By using general analysis inflammatory processes are detected in the blood. In addition, it is carried out. One of the most important tests for suspected kidney stones is a kidney ultrasound. However, in some cases, ultrasound still does not make it possible to determine the presence of stones in the ureter, since they may be located deep behind the peritoneum.

In order to detect stones, the patient is often prescribed excretory urography. To do this, a contrast agent is injected into a vein, after which X-rays are taken. Studying a general image of the urinary system allows the doctor to identify exactly where the stones are located and find out what their shape and size are. But at the same time, the specialist takes into account that some stones are capable of transmitting X-rays. As a result, they are not visible in the photographs.

Another research method is radioisotope nephroscintigraphy . The procedure begins with the injection of a special radiopharmaceutical into a vein. It accumulates in the kidneys and is then excreted through them. At this time, the kidneys are scanned, which makes it possible to determine whether their functions are impaired. The study is informative for a specialist.

Treatment

Renal nephrolithiasis must be treated in several stages. In patients with acute pain, it is necessary, first of all, to relieve an attack of acute colic. Further treatment includes removal of the stone, treatment of the infectious process and prevention of the development of stones in the future.

Kidney stones are treated conservative And operational methods. The conservative method of therapy includes drug treatment, as well as a strict diet and a certain drinking regime. However, pill therapy, as well as some folk remedies, can be effective if the patient has only very small stones or sand in the kidneys. The drugs prescribed by the doctor in such cases help dissolve kidney stones and sand. However, in no case should such drugs be used without the supervision of a specialist. It is he who must decide how to treat urolithiasis and how to dissolve stones. When practicing traditional treatment, the patient should also first consult with a doctor, since any traditional medicine can negatively affect the patient’s health.

If an inflammatory process has begun in a person with kidney stones, then antibacterial treatment is mandatory. After this, the doctor decides how to remove the stones.

In modern medicine, stone crushing is practiced using a laser. Laser treatment involves a combination of endoscopy and the use of a laser itself.

The endoscope is inserted into the urethral canal, after which crushing is carried out with a laser attachment. The method is not painful and sometimes allows you to remove stones in just one procedure. In addition, it can be used to get rid of stones of different shapes and sizes.

The crushing of kidney stones is also carried out using the capabilities of ultrasound. In this case, the shock wave crushing principle is used, which is provided by a special apparatus. Ultrasound crushing makes it possible to remove stones whose diameter does not exceed 2 cm. The patient is treated, and the stones are crushed to such an extent that they can pass through the ureter without difficulty. When crushing large stones, several such procedures are required. Ultrasound does not have a negative effect on the body as a whole.

If a person has large stones and there are certain complications, then surgical treatment is practiced by performing abdominal surgery. This is the most traumatic method.

The doctors

Medicines

Prevention

As a measure to prevent urolithiasis, it is necessary balance your diet to make it as healthy as possible. You should drink at least two liters of fluid per day and under no circumstances allow the lumbar area to become hypothermic. It is also worth taking care to get rid of. If a person feels that discomfort or pain has appeared in the lumbar region, then a visit to the urologist should not be delayed under any circumstances.

Diet, nutrition for urolithiasis of the kidneys

For patients diagnosed with urolithiasis, it is very important to constantly adhere to special diet. The patient’s diet is developed depending on the composition of the stones and what reasons provoked the development of urolithiasis. Nutrition is organized so that the diet contains a minimum of foods that contribute to the formation and growth of stones.

If a person is diagnosed phosphate urolithiasis , then an alkaline reaction of urine is noted. Therefore, it needs to be acidified. Such patients are not recommended to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, and dairy products should not be included in the diet. Recommended meat, fish, vegetable oil, flour. You need to drink a little less than when oxalate and urate stones are detected.

If found carbonate stones , then it is important for the patient to limit the consumption of foods that are rich in calcium. The acidity of urine is increased by eating fish, meat, eggs, butter, and flour.

In the presence of urate stones You should consume as little as possible foods that provoke the formation of uric acid. These are kidneys, liver, meat broths. Fish, meat, and vegetable fats are also limited. Such patients need to drink fresh lemon juice, but grapefruit juice is not recommended.

When identifying oxalate stones You need to remove from your diet those foods that contain oxalic acid and calcium. These are sorrel, potatoes, spinach, oranges, dairy products.

There are also a number general recommendations for patients with urolithiasis. Every day you need to drink at least two liters of liquid, and in the hot season you need to drink so much liquid that you never experience. Taking infusions and decoctions of diuretic herbs has a positive effect on the body. It is important to limit sour, spicy, salty foods and avoid overeating. You should not drink alcoholic beverages. Doctors also recommend that patients with stones keep active life, but avoid heavy loads. You should not allow yourself to be under extreme stress or overcool.

If renal colic began suddenly in a person, then a warm bath or a heating pad, which should be applied to the lumbar region, can relieve the pain.

Complications

If treatment for urolithiasis was not carried out in a timely manner, both acute and chronic complications may soon develop. If the patient never seeks help, then eventually purulent melting of the kidney is possible. In this case, the patient loses the kidney.

If stones are present in the bladder, the person may suffer from persistent and very painful acute attacks. Also, complications of nephrolithiasis often become, chronic renal failure .

List of sources

Alyaev Yu.G. Urolithiasis disease. Modern methods of diagnosis and treatment. - 2012;
Olefir Yu.V. Minimally invasive methods for the treatment of complex forms of nephrolithiasis: Dis. M.; 2008;
Dzeranov N.K., Lopatkin N.A. Urolithiasis: Clinical guidelines. - M.: Overley, 2007;
Reznik M.I., Novik E.K. Secrets of urology. - Per. from English - 3rd ed., revised. and additional - M.: Binom, 2003;
Tiktinsky, O.L. Urolithiasis / O.L. Tiktinsky, V.P. Alexandrov. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2000.

The presence of kidney stones in women and men is called urolithiasis in medicine, or called “urolithiasis”. Stones can form not only in the kidneys, but also in other organs of the urinary system of an adult.

Kidney stones are a hard, crystal-like mass made up of salts found in human urine in small quantities.

They may vary in shape and size. Stones can be in the form of small grains that pass painlessly into the urine, or large formations of complex shape, reaching 5 cm.

Reasons for education

Why do kidney stones form, and what are they? There are no absolute reasons why kidney stones can form. But doctors can tell exactly what factors can provoke such a pathology:

drinking hard water saturated with salts;
hereditary predisposition;
disruption of the parathyroid glands;
frequent consumption of foods that can increase the acidity of urine (sour, hot, salty, spicy);
lack of ultraviolet rays;
lack of vitamins, especially group D;
geographical factor (residents of hot countries make up the bulk of the risk group);
injuries and diseases of the skeletal system (causes of kidney stones - osteoporosis and osteomyelitis);
prolonged dehydration of the body due to poisoning or infectious diseases;
chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and various organs of the genitourinary system (the causes of kidney stones here may be adenoma, etc.).

Kidney stones come in different sizes, form anywhere in the genitourinary system and, depending on the actual cause of their formation, have different compositions.

Concretions are divided into:

Phosphate - consist of salts of phosphoric acid. Occurs with urinary tract infections, grows quite quickly with alkaline urine;
Cholesterol - occur due to high cholesterol content. Rarely encountered;
Oxalate - formed from calcium oxalic acid in alkaline or acidic urine;
Urates are salts of uric acid. They are one of the most common types;
Cystine - consists of compounds of the amino acid cystine.

Knowing the composition of the stone allows the doctor to competently carry out a course of treatment, and the patient to understand the meaning of his recommendations, their seriousness and importance.

Calcium oxalate stones

Black or dark gray, when moving inside the body they cause severe pain due to the surface equipped with sharp spines. The mucous membrane is damaged and this causes blood to appear in the urine. As a rule, they have to be removed by surgery. Other methods of treatment can only get rid of oxalate sand.

A common cause of formation is excess intake of oxalic acid from food. Regular use in large quantities of juices, carrots, beets, vitamin C causes their formation and growth.

Symptoms of kidney stones

In the presence of kidney stones, characteristic symptoms are caused by disturbances in urodynamics, changes in kidney function and the occurrence of an inflammatory process in the urinary tract.

Urolithiasis occurs in both men and women. Despite the fact that kidney stones are most common in the stronger sex, the symptoms of the disease are stronger and more severe in women. According to experts, this is primarily due to the structural features of the female body. Until the stone begins to move from its place, a person does not feel any signs of kidney stones. However, if the movement of the stone has begun, then the symptoms are so vivid that the person suffers from severe pain.

To the main Symptoms of the presence of urolithiasis include:

sharp or stabbing pain in the lower back or side, pain in the kidney area (renal colic);
irradiating pain in the kidney, radiating to neighboring organs;
pain in the lower abdomen;
attacks of nausea and vomiting;
urination problems (retention or frequent urination);
frequent urge to urinate;
removal of sand or stones;
increased body temperature;
cold sweat;
bloating;
increase in pressure.

The main symptom of urolithiasis is renal colic. It occurs when the ureter is obstructed by a stone and is characterized by sudden, cramping pain. The pain syndrome is caused by increased peristalsis and spasm of the urinary tract. The pain can be so severe that the sick person cannot find a comfortable position and walks from corner to corner.

Pain syndrome can develop with varying frequency: from several times a month to once over several years. Usually colic lasts about 1-2 hours, but sometimes it can last up to a day or more with short breaks. Often, after the pain subsides, so-called sand or small stones are excreted in the urine.

Blood in urine due to kidney stones

The advancement of the stone causes damage to the walls of the urinary tract, which is accompanied by the appearance of such symptoms as. Sometimes it is visible to the naked eye; this symptom is called gross hematuria.

In other cases, blood in the urine is detected only by microscopic examination, this is called microhematuria. In 85% of cases of stones, blood appears in the urine. However, the absence of this symptom does not exclude the presence of a stone.

Diagnostics

Before figuring out how to treat kidney stones in women or men, it is necessary to get a proper diagnosis. They will help us with this modern diagnostic methods:

ultrasound examination of the diseased organ;
laboratory testing of urine and blood;
urography (survey and/or excretory).

As an additional examination prescribe:

multislice computed tomography - this method allows you to determine the size and type;
nephroscintigraphy - the level of functional disorders in the kidneys is determined;
determination of sensitivity to antibiotics - the level of development of the inflammatory process is determined.

Naturally, the patient is examined and interviewed - we need to find out possible reasons, which provoked metabolic disorders before the formation of kidney stones. Such a diagnosis is basic - based on the results obtained, a conclusion can be drawn and treatment can be prescribed.

Treatment of kidney stones

“I developed kidney stones. What to do?" - this question is asked by many people who are faced with this disease. There is only one way out in this situation - to get rid of the stones. This can be done surgically or conservatively; in the latter case, stone-breaking tablets are prescribed. They can be taken at home.

As for the likelihood of spontaneous passage of a stone, everything depends on its size and shape, the individual characteristics of the structure of the human urinary system.

Stones up to 5 mm in size leave the urinary system on their own in 67-80% of cases; with a size of 5 to 10 mm, this figure is only 20-47%.

Often, abnormalities in the structure of the patient’s urinary system, for example, narrowing of the ureter, make it impossible for even a small stone to pass independently. Stones larger than 10 mm in diameter require medical intervention.

Into the complex of conservative therapeutic activities include:

diet therapy;
correction of water and electrolyte balance;
physiotherapy;
antibacterial therapy;
phytotherapy;
physiotherapy;
balneological and sanatorium-resort treatment.

For all forms of nephrolithiasis, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, stone-expelling, analgesic and antispasmodic drugs are used. Antibacterial therapy is also carried out; it is recommended to take antiplatelet agents, angioprotectors and herbal preparations. Treatment is carried out in courses under strict medical supervision.

Diet is also one of the main components of conservative treatment. Based on the composition of the stones and the characteristics of their structure, it is determined which products are subject to exclusion.

Drugs for dissolving kidney stones

To combat kidney stones, a number of drugs are used, most of them based on herbs, which help slow the growth, dissolve or remove stones from the kidneys.

– herbal preparation of complex action. Used for urate and calcium oxalate stones.
Cyston is a complex herbal preparation. Suitable for all types of stones.
Blemaren, Uralit U– preparations for dissolving stones and alkalizing urine. Effective against urate and mixed stones.
Phytolysin, Fitolit– preparations based on herbal extracts. Promote the removal of small stones and prevent the growth and formation of new stones.

In the case of an infectious nature of the disease (staghorn stones), in addition, a course of treatment with antimicrobial drugs is required to neutralize the infection.

Crushing kidney stones

Remote crushing of stones - shock wave lithotripsy. This method has become widespread due to the fact that it is the most gentle. There is no need to make any punctures, cuts, etc. The stones are destroyed by remote wave action and then removed from the body naturally.

External shock wave lithotripsy is quite effective, when kidney stones are no more than 2 cm in diameter. The device that destroys stones is called a remote lithotripter. There are electrohydraulic, ultrasonic, laser, piezoelectric, and pneumatic lithotripters. Not everything is so good - there are contraindications, not all stones are suitable for lithotripsy, etc.

Surgical removal of stones

The choice of surgical treatment method for urolithiasis depends on the size and position of the stone, the condition of the urinary tract, the activity of the infection, the patient’s build, the doctor’s experience and individual factors.

Open surgery– the oldest, the most reliable, but at the same time the most traumatic and therefore dangerous method. The stone is mechanically removed through an incision in the kidney or bladder. Used when it is impossible to use ESWL or endoscopic techniques.
Endourethral technique– endoscopic equipment is inserted into the renal pelvis through the urethra or through a puncture in the skin. The device is brought to the stone, which is removed or destroyed in one of the following ways: mechanically, with a contact ultrasonic wave, or with a laser beam.

Before the operation, medications are prescribed to ensure improved blood microcirculation; in addition, antibiotics and antioxidants are prescribed. In situations in which the ureter is blocked by a stone, treatment accompanying the movement of the stone begins with the removal of urine from the kidney. This effect is a kind of surgical intervention, it is carried out under local anesthesia, the possibility of significant blood loss, as well as the development of complications, is not excluded.

Diet for kidney stones

If you have been diagnosed oxalate stones in the kidneys, then treatment should be combined with a certain diet.

First of all, you will need to limit the consumption of foods rich in oxalic acid: spinach, sorrel, potatoes, lettuce, oranges and milk. The diet should include apples, pears, grapes, dried apricots, as well as dishes with a high content of magnesium, which binds oxalic acid salts.

Diet when detected phosphate stones should be aimed at acidifying urine.

To do this, it is useful to drink more cranberry or lingonberry juice. The treatment of kidney tumors of this type is facilitated by a meat diet and the intake of sufficient quantities of fish and meat protein into the body. This should be the basis of nutrition. Greens, vegetables, milk and dairy products should be excluded.

As for urate stones, the diet should not contain meat and other meat products, chocolate, lemons and some other products. The diet should include fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Melons and watermelons provide a good healing effect. Great importance in the treatment of kidney stone disease has a drinking diet. You need to drink more fluid. The water should not be hard.

For all types of stones In nutrition, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

Increase the volume of fluid intake to 2.5 liters per day;
If necessary, take diuretic herbal infusions;
Do not overeat, avoid fatty, fried, smoked foods and excess salt in your diet.

There are also a number of recipes for folk methods that can be used to remove small-sized stones of any type, as well as sand.

How to treat kidney stones with folk remedies

In addition to medications, folk remedies are also used for kidney stones. The most effective folk remedies that will help remove kidney stones at home are the following:

Ideal for crushing stones rose hip root. 35 grams of dry crushed raw materials are poured with two glasses of boiling water and simmered in a water bath for about a quarter of an hour, and then wrapped and left for another 6 hours. The filtered broth is drunk ½ cup half an hour before meals 4 times a day. The drug is potent, so the duration of use, which usually ranges from 1 to 4 weeks, and the exact dosage must be prescribed by a herbalist or urologist.
For oxalates and urates, you need to take this folk remedy. Mix the ingredients, taken in 200 milliliters each: honey, vodka, olive oil, lemon juice. Mix everything thoroughly and set aside for two weeks, in a tightly closed bottle, in a dark and cool place. Use it for medicinal purposes three times a day, a tablespoon. After two weeks, take a break for 5 days and then repeat the treatment.
Pass through a meat grinder 10 lemons, pitted and peeled, put in a 3-liter jar and pour 2 liters of boiled water, add 2 tbsp. l. medical glycerin. Leave for half an hour, strain. Drink liquid over 2 hours at intervals of 10 minutes: take 1 glass every 10 minutes. Place a warm heating pad on the area of the sore kidney. After some time, the pain will intensify and sand will begin to come out. When preparing the medicine, remember that lemon juice decomposes quickly, so you need to squeeze out fresh juice for each dose.
Watermelon rinds. Only raw materials from watermelons grown in your own garden are suitable for therapy, since large amounts of nitrates that accumulate are used to cultivate fruits for sale. for the most part precisely in the peel of the berries. Dried in an oven or electric dryer, watermelon rinds pre-cut into pieces are poured with water (1:1), boiled over low heat for about half an hour, filtered and taken a glass 3 to 5 times a day before meals.
A fairly simple remedy - apple peel tea. Drink apple peel tea constantly, and it will help get rid of kidney stones, sand formation, and urolithiasis. The most important thing is that you need to be treated constantly and not miss days. You can brew dried or fresh peels. It will be better if you dry the peel, then grind it to a powder and pour boiling water over it. There should be two teaspoons of powder, pour it in for twenty minutes, and then just drink it like tea.

It is best to treat urolithiasis with folk remedies in combination with traditional medicine. Pick up folk way Treatment is necessary in accordance with what treatment was prescribed to you by your doctor.

Review

Kidney stones are stone-like formations that can form in one or both kidneys.

The scientific name for kidney stones is nephrolithiasis, and urolithiasis is called nephrolithiasis. If the stones cause severe pain, it is called renal colic. The formation of kidney stones is one of the manifestations of urolithiasis.

Kidneys

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs approximately 10 cm in length. They are located behind the abdominal cavity on the sides of the spine. The kidneys cleanse the blood of metabolic end products (wastes). The purified blood then enters the body again, and unnecessary waste is eliminated from the body through urine.

Metabolic products contained in the blood can sometimes form crystals that accumulate in the kidneys. Over time, these crystals form a rock-hard lump.

Kidney stones are quite common, usually affecting people between 30 and 60 years of age. More often, men suffer from urolithiasis, less often – women. According to some estimates, renal colic occurs in approximately 10–20% of men and 3–5% of women. About half of people who develop kidney stones will have the disease again in the next 10 years.

Sometimes kidney stones can pass out, moving through the urinary system with urine (out of the kidneys, through the ureters and bladder). Small stones may pass painlessly, and you may not even notice them. However, quite often a stone can block part of the urinary system, such as the ureter (the tube that connects the kidney to the bladder) or urethra (the tube through which urine is drained from the bladder). In these cases, you may feel severe pain in the abdomen or groin, sometimes leading to a urinary tract infection.

Most kidney stones are small enough to pass spontaneously in urine, and symptoms can be treated with home medications. Larger stones may need to be broken up in a hospital under X-ray or ultrasound guidance. In some cases they are removed surgically.

Symptoms of kidney stones

If you have a very small kidney stone, it should not cause any symptoms. You may not even notice it and it will leave your body in your urine.

Typically, symptoms occur if the stone:

gets stuck in your kidney;
begins to move along the ureter: the ureter is a narrow tube that connects the kidney to the bladder, and when a stone tries to pass through it, it causes pain;
causes the development of infection.

Common symptoms of kidney stones:

severe, cramping pain in the back, side of the abdomen, or sometimes in the groin that can last several minutes or hours;
restlessness and inability to lie still;
nausea;
blood in the urine, which often appears because a stone scratches the ureter;
cloudy urine with unpleasant smell;
burning when urinating;
heat 38ºC or higher;
frequent, sometimes false urge to urinate;
pain when urinating.

Types of Kidney Stones

There are four main types of kidney stones:

calcium stones;
struvite stones - contain magnesium and ammonia, are quite large, often shaped like a horn;
urate stones are usually smooth, brown and the softest compared to other types of stones;
Cystine stones are often yellow and look more like crystals than stones.

Kidney stones may be various shapes, sizes and colors. Some are similar to grains of sand, while others, in rare cases, can grow to the size of a golf ball.

If a kidney stone blocks the ureter, urine containing metabolic waste products stagnates in the kidneys. This can cause bacteria to accumulate and develop pyelonephritis. Symptoms of pyelonephritis:

pain in the lower back;
high temperature 38°C or higher;
chills;
nausea and vomiting;
diarrhea;
the appearance of cloudy urine with a bad odor;
frequent urination;
pain when urinating.

Causes of kidney stones

Typically, kidney stones are formed as a result of the accumulation of a certain substance in the body.

Accumulation of any of the following substances may occur:

calcium;
ammonia;
uric acid (a waste product produced when food is broken down for energy);
cystine (an amino acid that is part of proteins).

Certain medical conditions, such as cancer or kidney disease, can also make you more susceptible to developing kidney stones. Typically, stone formation is side effect from treating these diseases. If you don't drink enough fluids, your risk of stone formation also increases.

You are more likely to develop kidney stones again if:

your diet is high in protein and low in fiber;
you are inactive or bedridden;
your relatives had kidney stones;
you have had pyelonephritis or a urinary tract infection several times;
you have already had a kidney stone, especially if you were under 25 years old at the time;
you only have one working kidney;
you have had a small intestinal bypass (surgery on organs) digestive system) or you have had a disease of the small intestine, such as Crohn's disease (inflammation of the intestines)

There is evidence that certain medications may increase your susceptibility to developing kidney stones again. Such drugs include:

aspirin;
antacids;
nutritional supplements with calcium and vitamin D.

Kidney stones can form due to a number of different factors. Below are the reasons why the four main types of kidney stones form.

Calcium stones- The most common type of kidney stones. They form when there is too much calcium in the urine, which may be due to:

high content of vitamin D;
overactive parathyroid gland (the parathyroid gland helps regulate calcium levels in the body);
kidney disease;
a rare disease called sarcoidosis;
some types of cancer.

Calcium stones are usually either large and smooth or rough and spiky.

Struvite stones often formed under the influence of infection, usually after a urinary tract infection that lasted for a long time. Struvite stones are more common in women than in men.

Urate stones are formed when there is an increased acid content in the urine. Urate stones can be caused by the following reasons:

high protein content in the diet, including consumption large quantity meat;
disease preventing cleavage chemical substances eg gout;
a hereditary disease that causes high acid levels in the body;
chemotherapy (cancer treatment).

Cystine stones- the most rare type of kidney stones. The reason for their formation is the hereditary disease cystinuria, which affects the amount of acid released from the body in the urine.

Diagnosis of kidney stones

In order to suspect you have urolithiasis, the doctor only needs your symptoms and information about previous diseases (especially if you have previously had kidney stones).

Your doctor may suggest a number of tests:

blood tests to check whether your kidneys are working normally and to determine levels of substances that can cause kidney stones, such as calcium;
urine test for infection and stone fragments;
examination of stones excreted in urine.

You can collect kidney stones by urinating through gauze or stockings. Testing your kidney stone will make the diagnosis easier and help your doctor choose the most appropriate treatment for you.

If you experience severe pain that does not go away with pain medication, or if you have a high fever in addition to the pain, you may be referred to a hospital urology department (urology is a branch of medicine that specializes in treating diseases of the urinary system).

Diagnostic Imaging

You may be sent to the hospital for diagnostic imaging. To confirm the diagnosis and accurately determine the type, size and location of the stone, various methods diagnostic imaging. Including the following:

x-ray: a method of imaging using radiation high energy, designed to show abnormalities in the tissues of your body;
Ultrasound examination (US) using high-frequency sound waves to create an image internal organs;
computed tomography (CT), in which a scanner takes a series of X-rays from different angles and a computer assembles them into one detailed image;
intravenous urogram (intravenous pyelogram), where a contrast agent is injected into a vein in the arm and appears on an x-ray, and when the kidneys filter the substance from the blood and it enters the urine, the blocked areas will be highlighted on the x-ray.

Previously, intravenous urogram was recognized the best method imaging, but CT is now believed to be more accurate. Which method will be offered to you may depend on how equipped the medical facility where you will be examined is.

Treatment of kidney stones

Most kidney stones are small enough (no more than 4 mm in diameter) to pass on their own in urine. They can be treated at home. However, small kidney stones can still cause pain. Pain from small kidney stones usually lasts a few days and disappears when the stone passes.

If you have severe pain, your doctor may give you a pain reliever shot. After half an hour, a second injection may be given if the pain does not go away. Injections may also be given for symptoms of nausea and vomiting. These drugs are called antiemetics (antiemetics). Your doctor may recommend medications (including painkillers and antiemetics) for you to take at home.

You may be sent home, wait for the stone to pass, and then bring it in for analysis. This can be done by passing the urine through gauze or stockings. Examination of the stone will help the doctor develop effective treatment tactics. You should drink enough fluids until your urine becomes colorless. If your urine is yellow or brown, you are not drinking enough fluid.

Treatment of large kidney stones

If the stone is too large to pass naturally (6-7mm in diameter or larger), you may need special treatment. This may be one of the following procedures:

external shock wave lithotripsy;
ureteroscopy;
percutaneous nephrolithotomy;
open surgery.

These procedures are described in more detail below. The type of treatment you are prescribed will depend on the size and location of the stones.

Remote shock wave lithotripsy. This is the most commonly used method for removing stones that cannot pass through urine on their own. An X-ray (high-energy radiation) or ultrasound (high-frequency sound waves) can be used to determine the exact location of the kidney stone. Then special apparatus sends shock waves of energy to the stone to break it into smaller pieces that can be passed out in urine.

The manipulation can be quite unpleasant, so various methods of pain relief are used. You may need several sessions of external shock wave lithotripsy to remove all the stones. The effectiveness of external shock wave lithotripsy for removing stones with a diameter of up to 20 mm is 99%.

Ureterorenoscopy. If a kidney stone is stuck in your ureter (the muscular tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder), you may need a ureterorenoscopy. Ureterorenoscopy is also sometimes called retrograde intrarenal surgery.

During the procedure, a long, thin optical tube (urethroscope) is inserted into the bladder through the urethra (the tube through which urine is drained from the bladder). It is then advanced into the ureter where the stone is lodged. The surgeon will try to either gently remove the stone using another instrument, or use laser energy to break the stone into small pieces that can be passed naturally through your urine.

Ureterorenoscopy is performed under general anesthesia, so you should not drive a car or operate any machinery for 48 hours after the procedure. The effectiveness of subcutaneous nephrolithotomy for removing stones up to 15 mm in diameter is 50–80%. You may need to temporarily have a plastic tube placed to help the stone fragments pass into the bladder.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy. This is another possible surgery to remove large stones. It may also be done if extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is not possible, for example if the person with kidney stones is obese. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is performed using a thin telescopic instrument called a nephroscope. An incision is made on your back to expose the kidney. A nephroscope is inserted into the kidney through this incision. The stone is either removed from the kidney or crushed into smaller pieces using laser or pneumatic energy.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is always performed under general anesthesia (you are asleep), so you should not drive a car or operate any machinery for 48 hours after the procedure. The effectiveness of subcutaneous nephrolithotomy for removing stones with a diameter of 21–30 mm is 86%.

Open surgery It is rarely used to remove kidney stones (this type of surgery is required in less than 1% of cases), usually if the stone is very large or if there is an anatomical abnormality. During back surgery, an incision is made to gain access to your ureter and kidney. The kidney stone is then removed.

Treatment of urate stones

If you have a urate stone, you should drink about three liters of water a day to try to dissolve it. Urate stones are much softer than other types of kidney stones, and they can shrink from contact with alkaline fluids. You may need to take certain medications to increase the alkalinity in your urine before the urate stone begins to dissolve.

You should consult your doctor immediately in the following cases:

temperature 38ºC or higher;
an attack of chills or trembling;
the pain intensifies, especially if it is a sharp, sharp pain.

If you experience any of the above symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. If this is not possible, call the ambulance number - 03 from a landline phone, 112 or 911 from a mobile phone.

Complications from kidney stones

Complications from kidney stones are rare because the stones are usually found and treated before further complications occur. However, if stones cause ureteral obstruction and obstruct the flow of urine, there is a risk of infection that can damage the kidney.

The most common complication is recurrence of kidney stones. Once a person has been diagnosed with a kidney stone, there is a 60–80% chance that the stone will reoccur.

Various treatments for larger stones may lead to some complications. The surgeon should explain them to you before performing the procedure to remove them. Depending on the chosen treatment method, the following complications may develop:

sepsis - an infection spreads through the blood and causes symptoms throughout the body;
"stonewalk" is the medical name for an obstruction caused by stone fragments in the ureter (the tube that connects each kidney to the bladder);
ureteral damage;
urinary tract infection;
bleeding during surgery;
pain.

It is estimated that 5–9% of people may experience pain after undergoing urethroscopy.

Preventing the formation of kidney stones

To prevent the formation of kidney stones, drink plenty of fluids daily. It is very important that your urine always contains plenty of water so that waste products do not accumulate in the kidneys.

You can tell how concentrated your urine is by its color. The darker it is, the higher the concentration. Typically, your urine is dark yellow in color in the morning because it contains accumulated waste that your body produced overnight. Compared to tea, coffee and fruit juices, water is considered the most effective and healthy drink to prevent the formation of stones. You should also drink more in hot weather and during exercise to replace fluids lost through sweat.

Diet for urolithiasis

If stone formation is caused by excess calcium, you should reduce the oxalate content in your diet. Oxalates prevent your body from absorbing calcium and can build up in your kidneys, forming stones.

beet;
asparagus;
rhubarb;
chocolate;
berries;
leek;
parsley;
celery;
almonds, peanuts and cashews;
soy products;
grains such as rolled oats, wheat germ and whole wheat.

You should not reduce your calcium intake unless your doctor recommends it, as calcium is very important for healthy bones and teeth. To prevent the formation of urate stones, reduce your consumption of meat, poultry and fish. You may also be prescribed a drug to change the acid or alkaline levels in your urine.

Medicines to prevent kidney stones

When a kidney stone forms, they are usually prescribed medicines to relieve pain or prevent infection. However, your doctor should review the medications you are taking if they are suspected of causing kidney stones.

The type of drug your doctor prescribes will depend on the type of kidney stone. For example, if you have previously had a struvite stone, you may need to take antibiotics. Antibiotics will help prevent urethral disease caused by bacteria from spreading to your kidney and potentially causing stone formation.

Which doctor should I contact for kidney stones?

With the help of the NaPravku service, you can become a kidney disease specialist. If you need surgery, choose a reliable nephrology clinic by reading reviews about it.

Localization and translation prepared by site. NHS Choices provided the original content for free. It is available from www.nhs.uk. NHS Choices has not reviewed, and takes no responsibility for, the localization or translation of its original content

All site materials have been checked by doctors. However, even the most reliable article does not allow us to take into account all the features of the disease in specific person. Therefore, the information posted on our website cannot replace a visit to the doctor, but only complements it. The articles have been prepared for informational purposes and are advisory in nature.

The presence of stones in the kidneys and urinary tract (urolithiasis) is a urolithiasis in which stones (calculi) form in various parts of the urinary system. This pathology is widespread and accounts for more than a third of all urological diseases. A condition where stones form only in the kidneys is called nephrolithiasis.

Symptoms of kidney stones are detected nowadays in patients of all ages, even children. Urolithiasis most often affects men aged 20 to 60 years. Women are several times less likely to get sick, but in them the disease proceeds with the formation of complex forms of coral stones that occupy the entire renal pelvis. This disease is called “coral nephrolithiasis”. In children, fortunately, kidney stones form much less frequently than in adults.

In more than 15% of cases, urolithiasis affects both kidneys (bilateral urolithiasis) and is severe, with frequent exacerbations. The main root cause of stone formation is crystallization and precipitation of urine salts in the kidneys. Kidney stones can have different shapes (angular, round, flat), be of different sizes and different chemical composition. According to their composition, stones are divided into:

phosphate;
urate;
cystine;
struvite;
xanthine;
oxalate, accounting for up to 80% of all kidney stones;
coral-shaped.

Mechanism of stone formation

The kidneys are designed to regulate the balance of electrolytes and fluids in the human body, filtering blood waste. Urine collects in the renal pelvis, from where it enters the bladder through the ureters. Stones are formed as a result of the concentration of calcium oxalate, uric acid, ammonium, magnesium or phosphate compounds in the urine. Kidney stones form in the pelvis, from where they can be excreted in the urine. Small stones (sand) often come out on their own without causing pain. Large stones cannot pass out on their own and are detected on x-rays in the event of an attack of renal colic or randomly during an examination for another disease.

The process of stone formation is gradual. The nuclei around which salts accumulate can be blood clots, accumulations of microorganisms, leukocytes, and also cells lining the renal pelvis. The deposition of salts onto the nucleus occurs due to a violation of the acid-base balance of urine due to the loss of activity of the protective colloid mechanism.

If a stone larger than a few millimeters in diameter passes into the ureter, it can cause severe pain (renal colic) that lasts while the stone struggles to move down the ureter into the underlying urinary system. Colic can last from several hours to several days and be recurring. Doctors prescribe medications to relieve pain and relieve spasm of the ureter. In difficult cases, measures are taken to crush or remove stones.

Causes of stone formation

The causes of kidney stones are divided into general (for all chemical types of stones) and specific, relating to certain types of stones.

The causes of kidney stones, regardless of the type of stones, are::

hereditary factors;
insufficient urine production, leading to its concentration;
peculiarities drinking water, nutrition and climate characteristic of the regions of the Urals, Volga region and the Far North;
physical inactivity;
congenital anatomical defects (anomalies of kidney development, narrowing of the ureter, polycystic disease, etc.);
chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (peptic ulcer, colitis, gastritis, etc.) and the genitourinary system (pyelonephritis, inflammation and prostate adenoma, cystitis);
disruption of the parathyroid glands;
diseases of the skeletal system associated with injuries or increased bone destruction (osteomyelitis, osteoporosis);
dehydration as a complication infectious disease or food poisoning;
insufficient intake of vitamins D from food;
abuse of spicy, salty and sour foods;
drinking water with a high salt content;
constant lack of ultraviolet rays.

The causes of kidney stones in their calcium composition are:

hypercalciuria (excessive calcium ions in the urine);
hypercalcemia - excess calcium in the blood (with excess vitamin D or hyperparathyroidism);
excess oxalate content in food;
lack of oxalates in food, which increases the active excretion of these salts into the urine;
Crohn's disease;
irritable bowel syndrome;
decreased level of citrates in urine;
extensive fractures, due to which the release of calcium phosphate is reduced.

Causes of kidney stones with their magnesium, phosphate or ammonium composition:

urinary tract infections with bacteria that decompose urea with an increase in ammonium content and leaching of urine;
excessive intake of oxalic acid in food;
excess production of oxalic acid in the body under severe stress.

Stones consisting of uric acid are formed due to:

increased acidity of urine;
gout due to an increase in the concentration of uric acid as a result of a violation of its salts and purine bases;
high intake of purines from food (coffee, beans, young meat);
diseases with an increased degree of breakdown of its own protein (extensive injuries, operations).

Symptoms of nephrolithiasis

Signs of kidney stones appear as:

intermittent, sometimes severe pain, spreading from the back below the ribs to the groin through the lower abdomen, in men sometimes extending to the perineum and genitals;
intermittent stream of urine;
periodic ability to urinate only in certain positions;
frequent and active urge to urinate in small portions;
cloudy or bloody urine;
nausea and vomiting;
burning sensation or discomfort when urinating;
concomitant bacterial infection;
development of hydronephrosis with atrophy of renal tissue;
the occurrence of purulent infections (calculous pyelonephritis);
sometimes - lack of kidney function.

The occurrence of typical attacks of renal colic most often occurs with small stones. With large stones, the process usually occurs with weak, dull or aching pain in the lumbar region.

An attack can be triggered by:

long running or walking;
shaking in transport;
driving on uneven bumpy roads;
lifting weights.

Attacks of renal colic can recur from several times in one month to one attack every few years. During the period of renal colic, additional signs may appear that indicate that a kidney stone is passing out. These symptoms manifest themselves in:

stool retention;
bloating;
dizziness with a sudden change in body position;
drop in blood pressure;
increased blood pressure during prolonged intense pain;
a significant increase in temperature in the presence of pyelonephritis.

After an attack of renal colic, symptoms of kidney stones passing include the appearance of:

red blood cells in urine;
leukocytes in urine;
increase in leukocytes and ESR in the blood.

Between attacks, the patient may experience:

dull or aching pain in the lower back;
changes in urinary sediment, including an increase in salts, leukocytes and red blood cells;
the presence of sand or small stones in the urine;
Pasternatsky's symptom ( sharp pain when tapping the lumbar region).

With prolonged presence of kidney stones, severe irreversible changes may occur, leading to hydronephrosis. In some patients, the disease is asymptomatic. In the absence of symptoms, treatment for kidney stones may be delayed, which can significantly worsen the prognosis of the disease.

Diagnosis of kidney stones

Diagnosis of nephrolithiasis is carried out on the basis of:

medical history;
patient complaints;
blood test for the content of calcium ions and uric acid;
urine analysis for the presence of crystals and cells;
culture of urine bacteria;
measuring the daily volume and acidity of urine;
measurements of sodium, calcium, oxalate, sulfate, nitrogen, citrate and uric acid in daily volume urine;
pyelography (tomography or x-ray with the injection of a contrast agent into the kidneys);
laboratory analysis of the released stone;
magnetic resonance imaging;
excretory urography, which allows you to clarify the localization of stones and identify the presence of complications.

Excretory urography is important for identifying the consequences of nephrolithiasis - hydronephrosis. Its presence can be indicated by X-ray and radioisotope scanning data. Both studies, carried out simultaneously, show the functionality of the kidney and the degree of change in the pelvicaliceal apparatus.