Experiencing symptoms of kidney stones is the result of a buildup of dissolved minerals on the inner lining of the kidneys. Minerals gather and become hard crystallized masses that can make your life quite unpleasant.
Kidney stones can be the size of tomato seeds up to golf ball size. As kidney stones get larger, they can lead to very painful complications. Symptoms of kidney stones should not be taken lightly and not self-diagnosed. Symptoms of kidney stones are your earliest signs of what to come in the days ahead. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms of kidney stones, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
What Causes Kidney Stones In Women?
Kidney stones could be caused by any number of these reasons. Sometimes, several of these reasons could contribute to kidney stone formation.
- Chronic bacterial infection of the urinary tract
- Diets low in protein and essential vitamins and minerals
- Diets high in sodium
- Calcium aggregates
- Concentrated urine
- Factors that can block the excretion of urine
- High doses of vitamin D
- Gastric bypass surgery
- High consumption of specific beverages and alcohol (more common in women)
- Genetics and Heredity
- Some medications can contribute to kidney stone formation
- Previous kidney stone occurrence
The most common cause of kidney stones is lack of water. The formation of kidney stones is progressed when the acidic level in the environment is left undiluted. Several other medical conditions have been known to promote kidney stone formation.
These conditions are Crohn’s disease, renal tubular acidosis, hyperparathyroidism, medullary sponge kidney and Dent’s disease. Although these risk factors have been identified, there has not been a cause linked directly to the formation of kidney stones.
Warning Signs and Symptoms
Kidney stones symptoms can be different for everyone.
They can range from dull to very severe.
- Known family medical history will show predisposition
- Dull, achy, pain in pelvis or lower back, possibly coming in waves
- Fever
- Disorientation
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Trouble reaching above your head
- Sharp, stabbing pains that generate from one side of the lower back
- Blood in your urine
- Foul smelling urine
- A constant urge to urinate
Someone experiencing symptoms of kidney stones could experience any number of these warning signs. Passing a kidney stone that is small may not always be painful. These symptoms could involve any degree of severity for different people. If you feel that you are experiencing symptoms of kidney stones, you should not wait to visit a doctor. Waiting can lead to a severe kidney stone attack or even more painful complications.
Warning Signs and Symptoms Specific to Women
When dealing with kidney stones women can suffer from some different symptoms than men. These symptoms of kidney stones are just in addition to the possible warning signs listed above.
- Pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation
- Extreme menstrual pain
- Abnormal menstrual cycle
Passing kidney stones in women is just as painful as it is for men. This is a common misconception.
Kidney stones in women have been becoming increasingly common. Women should pay close attention to symptoms of kidney stones, especially if they are at high risk. It can be easy to miss some symptoms of kidney stones during the menstrual cycle. Staying aware of what is normal for you will give you better indications of when you may be experiencing actual symptoms of kidney stones.
Complications of untreated Kidney Stones
Complications from kidney stones can be even more painful than just the symptoms of kidney stones.
Symptoms of kidney stones should not be ignored to avoid these potentially life threatening complications.
- Blockages
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Possibly death
- Urinary tract infections, can become reoccurring
- Kidney damage
- Decrease or loss of function of the kidney
The chance of complications due to kidney stones can be greatly reduced by early detection. If you are experiencing any symptoms of kidney stones, they should not be taken lightly. You can cause serious and permanent damage to your body if complications are allowed to develop over time.
General Course of Treatment
These are the types of treatment you should expect when being treated for kidney stones. Your treatment plan will be dependent on the severity of your kidney stones.
- Urine testing
- Possibly x-rays
- CT scan
- Ultrasound for pregnant women
- Intravenous fluids can be given to restore hydration
- Restricted diet
- Possible bed rest
- Sonic crushing
- Surgery
Much of the treatments used today are generally less invasive than in the past. Most of the time kidney stones can be treated without surgery. Surgery isn’t generally practiced unless there is already a complication or the stone is growing and will not pass on its own. If you are experiencing any symptoms of kidney stones, do not delay treatment any longer. Any delay in treatment can increase your risk of complications or surgery.
Ways to Prevent Kidney Stones
If you know that you are at high risk of kidney stones, there are some prevention methods. If you have already had kidney stone occurrences, than preventing further formations is very important.
- Permanent changes made to diet and lifestyle
- Lessen consumption of sugared and caffeinated drinks
- Do not let your body get severely dehydrated, increase fluid intake
- Do not withhold urinating for extended periods of time
Keeping your body hydrated is one of the best prevention methods. If you are predisposed to having kidney stones than your intake of water should be increased. Proper amounts of fluids will help produce enough urine to keep sedentary materials out of your kidneys. As always, diet and lifestyle changes could be necessary. For some severe cases, medication regimens could be an effective prevention method.
Symptoms of kidney stones are not hard to recognize. Knowing the symptoms could be vital to your timely treatment and prevention of further complications. There are many factors that could put you at risk to kidney stone formations. Kidney stones can be very painful and cause you problems like missing work and time spent in a hospital. Becoming familiar with the symptoms of kidney stones is vital to anyone at risk.
