Pay Attention to These Early Symptoms of Kidney Stones

As any of the millions of Americans who’ve developed problematic kidney stones can tell you, the experience is far from pleasant. Kidney stones send about half a million Americans to the emergency room each year in the hopes of finding much-needed relief.

One of the keys to managing kidney stones is to recognize when there's a problem. To that end, board-certified urologist Robert J. Cornell wants to share information about kidney stones with you here, including early symptoms to watch out for.

Kidney stone basics

As the name suggests, kidney stones are hard deposits that form in your kidneys. These deposits can be made of different materials, such as calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, and uric acid. For reference, about 80% of stones are calcium stones.

About 1 in 10 people develop kidney stones, but not everyone experiences side effects. Typically, side effects occur when the stone:

• Grows bigger — they can range in size from a grain of sand to a golfball
• Blocks the flow of urine
• Passes through your urinary tract
• Scratches surfaces inside your body

Now, let’s turn our attention to signs of problematic kidney stones.

Recognizing when you need help for kidney stones

The primary reason why half a million people go to the emergency room for kidney stones is due to the pain.

This pain can be moderate to severe and is usually felt around your back and side, but the pain can travel to your lower abdomen and groin area. Men can sometimes feel pain around the tip of the penis. The discomfort often comes in waves as your kidneys try to pass the stone.

While sudden and sharp pain are the hallmarks of kidney stones, some people just develop a nagging pain in their abdomen.

Aside from the pain, many people with kidney stones also experience one or more of these symptoms:

• Blood in the urine
• An intense urge to urinate
• A burning sensation during urination
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever and chills
• Foul smelling urine

So, if you’re experiencing pain alongside any of these symptoms, come see us.

Diagnosing and treating your kidney stones

To diagnose kidney stones, Dr. Cornell reviews your symptoms and then runs a few tests. He can also use advanced imaging to confirm the presence of stones, as well as the location and size.

From there, Dr. Cornell can guide you through the appropriate treatment, such as:

• Encouraging the stone to pass naturally
• Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy to break the stones apart
• Ureteroscopic stone removal for stones lodged in the urethra
• Surgical removal of the stone (usually for larger stones)

As you can see, there are plenty of options that can help you get to the other side of your kidney stone experience more quickly.

If you have more questions about kidney stones or you’d like to come in for an evaluation, please don’t hesitate to contact our Houston office today to schedule an appointment.