Anyone who has had a kidney stone will testify that reducing the risk of getting a second one is worth every effort. Passing kidney stones is excruciatingly painful, but you can reduce the risk of developing one or multiple kidney stones with simple changes to diet and lifestyle.
Kidney stone symptoms
According to kidney.org, a kidney stone is a hard object made from chemicals in the urine. After formation, the stone may stay in the kidney or travel down the urinary tract into the ureter. The stone may cause back-up of urine and pain. Patti Brown, urgent care physician assistant with Marshfield Clinic Health System, says one-sided back pain that can be intermittent is common as well.
“We often see and diagnose kidney stones when the only presenting pain is one-sided intermittent back pain with or without pain wrapping around to the lower abdomen on the same side,” she said.
Beyond the pain, your first warning signs may be when urinating. You may experience problems going to the bathroom, or your urine may be cloudy or smell bad. Also, you may notice blood in your toilet after going to the bathroom.
Additionally, you can experience fever, chills, nausea and vomiting from kidney stones.
If you are experiencing symptoms of kidney stones, you can call our Health System’s Nurse Line at 844-342-6276 or Care My Way to discuss next steps.
Diet to prevent kidney stones
Depending on the type of stone, your doctor may recommend a specific food to help prevent future stones from appearing in your kidneys.
The types of kidney stones and foods to prevent each include:
- Calcium oxalate (Common) – Eat calcium and oxalate-rich foods in the same meal for them to have a higher likelihood to bind to one another in the stomach and intestines before the kidneys begin processing.
- Uric acid (Common) – Cut down on high-purine foods such as red meat, organ meats, and shellfish.
- Struvite (Less common) – Your doctor will have strategies because this stone is from an infection in the upper urinary tract.
- Cystine (Rare) – This stone tends to run in families with a history of cystinuria.
Other ways to reduce your risk include limit your salt, sugar and red meat intake, exercise regularly and increase your water.
“These are simple but effective ways to eliminate the uncomfortable experience with kidney stone,” Brown said.
Treatment of kidney stone
If you think you have a kidney stone, your provider will do a physical exam and imaging tests to diagnose a stone. This can include CT scan, urine test, blood test and stone analysis.
After diagnosis, your provider may recommend pain medication and extra fluids to pass the stone naturally, or you may need surgery to remove the stone.
If you kidney stones reoccur often, your primary care provider may refer you to a specialist like urology. You also may first see a urologist or nephrologist, depending on the care you need. Your specialist will develop a treatment plan individualized with you to prevent future kidney stones.
Download the chart below for information that can help keep your kidneys clear of those painful pebbles, while offering insight into symptoms and treatment, too.
For questions on symptoms or concerns, visit Marshfield Clinic Health System.
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