Kidney Stone Treatment in Bend, OR
What are kidney stones?
When high levels of minerals and salt exist in the kidneys, they can form a clump of matter known as a kidney stone. These stones may stay inside of the kidney, where they will not cause any further harm.
The real problem begins when these kidney stones enter the ureter and block urine from traveling through the ureter to the bladder. This blockage caused by the kidney stone becomes very painful, and can require surgery if they do not pass on their own.
Symptoms of Kidney Stones
Other than pain, patients with kidney stones often experience other symptoms such as:
- Persistent need to urinate
- Cloudy or discolored urine, usually pink, red, or brown in color
- Foul-smelling urine
- Frequent urination
- Fever or chills, typically occurs when there is an infection present
- Pain radiating from the lower abdomen and groin, or in the back below the ribs
- Nausea and vomiting
- Painful urination
Types of Kidney Stones
Not all kidney stones are the same. The exact type of kidney stone will determine the course of action used to treat the patient’s kidney stones. These types of kidney stones include:
- Calcium stones (most common)
- Uric acid stones
- Struvite stones
- Cystine stones
Treatment Options
Fluid Intake and Dietary Changes
You may be able to pass kidney stones by drinking plenty of water (up to 2 to 3 quarts (1.9 to 2.8 liters) a day and by remaining physically active. Dietary changes may include adjusting one’s intake of sugar, sodium calcium animal protein, insoluble fiber and vitamin C. Your physician can make recommendations based on the type and cause of your condition.
Pain Medication
During the course of passing a kidney stone, your physician may prescribe drugs to reduce or minimize the often time debilitating pain associated with the movement of the stones from the kidney into the bladder.
Medical Procedures
Kidney stones that can’t be managed or treated with dietary and fluid intake measures, because of their size or because of ongoing urinary tract infections or bleeding, may need more involved approaches. These include:
This common procedure uses ultrasonic shock waves to break the stones into very small particles that can be passed in your urine. Typically, a patient is immersed into a tub of water or lies on a soft cushion for the procedure.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
When ESWL is ineffective, or in conditions where a stone is very large, a physician will remove the stone through a small incision in your back using an instrument called a nephroscope.
Ureteroscopic Stone Removal
When a kidney stone is lodged in the ureters, the stone can be removed with a small instrument called an ureteroscope that is passed directly into the ureter through the bladder. Besides physically snaring and removing a stone, the ureteroscope can also be used to direct laser or ultrasonic energy to break up the stone. These methods work well on stones in the lower part of the ureter.
Parathyroid Surgery
When kidney stones are caused by overactive parathyroid glands, (located on the four corners of your thyroid gland) the cause is most often a small benign tumor in one of the glands. To correct this condition a physician can surgically remove the tumor.