Kidney stone pain

Kidney stone development is known as nephrolithiasis and are small, mineral deposits that form inside of the kidneys. The stones are made up of mineral and acid salts. Passing kidney stones can be painful, but normally don’t cause any permanent damage to the kidneys or other organs.

In some cases, it is possible for the patient to pass stone(s) by taking Flomax or tamsulosin, pain medication and drinking excess water. In other cases, such as when stones get stuck in the urinary tract, or otherwise cause complications during the passing process, surgery can become a necessary option.

Symptoms of kidney stones include:

• • Severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs
  • Continuous need to urinate
  • Pain that comes in waves and fluctuates in intensity
  • Pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin
  • Pain during urination
  • Pink, red or brown urine
  • Urinating more often than usual
  • Urinating small amounts of urine

More severe symptoms include: 

• • Nausea and vomiting
  • Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
  • Fever and chills if an infection is present

Generally genetics, lifestyle decisions like diet and exercise regimen as well as water intake levels are found to have contributed to kidney stone formation.

Pain caused by a kidney stone may change as the stone moves through the urinary tract. Pain shifting to a different location in the body or increasing in intensity is typically an indication that the stone is moving through the urinary tract.

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:

• • Pain so severe that you can’t sit still or find a comfortable position
  • Pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting
  • Pain accompanied by fever and chills
  • Blood clots in urine
  • Inability to pass urine

If you are experiencing any of the above problems, give us a call at (251) 433-1895 so he can help you determine the cause of the issue and take immediate steps to resolve it.

This process is called laser lithotripsy and it is where Dr. Coleman would use a laser to break apart the stone(s) within the ureter or kidneys and does not involve any incision.

The stones, once broken into smaller pieces, can either be removed during the procedure or they may pass in the following days naturally during urination. This procedure is usually accompanied by the placement of a stent that is removed 5-7 days later.

In this procedure, called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), rather than make use of a laser, Dr. Coleman would use shockwaves to break apart the kidney stone(s) into smaller sand particles which then are able to pass through the urinary tract without obstruction. After ESWL, the patient can expect to pass the smaller stones while urinating for a few days with mild discomfort.

For larger kidney stones, a more invasive procedure may be used to extract the stones through a tube placed into the kidney. This is called Percutaneous Ultrasonic Lithotripsy (PUL).