Passing a kidney stone can be extremely painful. If you have a kidney stone condition, you’ll want symptom relief fast. The urologists at WMCHealth use advanced treatment technology to treat kidney stones and stone diseases with minimally invasive methods.
What Is Stone Disease?
Stone disease, also called urolithiasis, is a painful and common urologic disorder. Kidney stones are hard masses that form in the kidney from minerals and acids that collect in the bloodstream. They move from the kidney into the ureter—the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder. Some stones pass during urination, while others require surgical removal. Some pass without any pain; others are very painful.
Symptoms of Kidney Stone and Stone Diseases
Kidney stones come in many shapes and sizes. If yours is as small as a grain of sand, you may only experience minor irritation, and it will likely pass on its own. However, some can be as large as a pebble. With increased size comes increased pain and the chance that the stone will not pass easily. Common symptoms of kidney stone disease include:
- Severe pain in the lower back
- Bloody or cloudy urine
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fever and chills
- Urine with a foul smell
Types of Kidney Stones
There are four types of kidney stones:
- Calcium oxalate: The most common type of kidney stone, it’s formed when calcium combines with oxalate in the urine.
- Uric acid: Alcohol, as well as foods such as organ meats and shellfish, have high concentrations of purines. Consuming high-purine items leads to a higher production of uric acid, which has the potential to form stones in the kidneys. These types of stones tend to run in families.
- Struvite: These stones are caused by infections in the urinary tract.
- Cystine: Cystine stones are caused by a rare disorder, cystinuria, in which the amino acid cystine builds up in the urine.
Diagnosing Kidney Stone and Stone Diseases
Diagnosing kidney stones begins with an examination, followed by a high-resolution CT scan of the entire urinary tract to examine the stone’s size, shape, and location. This information helps doctors determine which therapy, if any, will be best to eliminate the stone and relieve pain.
Innovative Treatments for Kidney Stone and Stone Diseases
Some stones can be left to resolve on their own with the help of plenty of water and a healthy diet. Doctors will first want to see if your stone can be treated without surgery. For stones that are more advanced, you may need treatment. At WMCHealth, specialists in stone disease and endourology treat simple and highly complex stone disorders. Our methods of treatment include using minimally invasive laser and robotic techniques and outpatient sonic lithotripsy, resulting in shorter hospital stays, minimal pain and a faster recovery.
Shock-wave lithotripsy
Shock-wave lithotripsy uses sound waves to break up the stone into very small pieces, allowing it to pass without pain. This procedure is noninvasive.
Ureteroscopy
During this procedure, an endoscope is inserted through the ureter. The scope can retrieve or break up the stone.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy/Nephrolithotripsy
Doctors access the stone through a small incision in the back. The entire stone can be removed, or it can be reduced to dust and suctioned out.