Kidney Stones: Part 2
Kidney Care for life 
About kidney stones.
Diagnosis
Appropriate and timely diagnosis of kidney stones could save the patient from any major ailment.
Following are some essential and common diagnosis methods for kidney stones:
1. Blood test: Increased values of uric acid and calcium indicates the probability of any problem in the kidneys, which might be kidney stones. The proper inference is derived by the doctor after evaluating the blood reports.
2. Urine test: High amount of minerals responsible for the formation of stones in the kidneys get excreted in the urine of the patient. A collection of 24 hours of urine gets investigated. Two different specimens of 24 hours urine are suggested to find appropriate results.
3. Radiology method: The X-ray method is common to identify the presence of stones in the urinary tract or bladder, especially referring to large-sized stones. To spot comparatively small kidney stones, imaging method is used namely ultrasound and CT (Computerized Tomography).
4. Stone analysis: Strainer is used while urination to trap passing kidney stones of smaller size. The thorough analysis gives a result of the presence of kidney stones, followed by the doctor's course of action to stop the generation of new kidney stones.
Treatment
Very small kidney stones do not require any kind of aggressive approach to get treated, it can be done by following methods:
1. Drinking water: Drinking 2 to 3 liters of water can prevent the formation of kidney stones and treat them as well by diluting the urine.
2. Medication: The urologist/ Nephrologist would prescribe medicines to help in the passing of kidney stones. These are alpha-blockers to support the muscle activities of the ureter to pass kidney stones.
Large-sized stones have the potential to bring patients in trouble, it is very hard to pass large-sized kidney stones resulting in UTI, bleeding, and significant kidney damage.
The only option left is to break the stone by different methods.
1. ESWL(Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy) is a common method to break kidney stones using shock waves. ESWL method can cause blood in urine and injury effects on adjacent organs to kidneys along with the back and abdomen.
2. Large-sized stones are removed by surgery through a small cut on the appropriate place of the body.
3. PTH surgery is required. when due to an overactive para thyroid gland, calcium phosphate stones are formed. In the case of hyperthyroidism, the levels of calcium elevate and resulting in kidney stones.
Removing the cause of excess production of hormones from parathyroid glands stops the formation of kidney stones.
Preventive measures
1. Amount of water intake: Adequate amount of water is needed by the body, depending upon the region and daily routine. Light and clear urine indicate an adequate amount of water intake is going on.
2. Reduced consumption of an oxalate-rich diet: Reduce the amount of consumption of oxalate-rich foods in your diet to avoid the formation of kidney stones. Dry fruits, tea, chocolates, and spinach are some oxalate-rich food items.
3. Low salt intake: Stop sprinkling extra salt over the salad and cooked food.
4. Prefer calcium-rich foods over calcium in form of medicine. Calcium-rich foods are safer while calcium tablets are responsible for the formation of kidney stones in some cases.
Categories: Blood Pressure, Kidney, kidney stones, Kidney Transplant, PTH, thyroid, Thyroid hormone
