Blood in the urine is another sign of kidney stones often overlooked, especially if it is accompanied by a foul odour and a fever. In this article, we discuss the first signs of Nephrolithiasis.
KAMPALA | LIFESTYLE UGANDA (http://lifestyleuganda.com/) — What are the first signs of kidney stones? It is important to know this so you can seek the help of your doctor or health care provider immediately. Most kidney stones start as tiny stones under the skin and rarely if ever, become big enough to be passed by our body.
But this doesn’t mean you should ignore them. They can still be dangerous if left undetected or if they are already too big to pass.
One of the signs of kidney stones is usually cramping or pain when urinating. This is because the stone is trying to come out of the kidney. When it gets stuck inside, it causes damage to the kidney cells or tissues.
Blood in the urine is a further sign of kidney stones that should not be ignored. If blood in the urine is accompanied by a foul-smelling odour and fever, then that should also be a cause for concern.
Another common sign of kidney stones is the tenderness of the lower back and thighs. This happens when the stone is impacting the sciatic nerve. This is a nerve that runs from the lower back down the legs and is very close to the kidney.
Tenderness of this part of the body can indicate that the stone is getting through the kidney, or it may even be obstructing the nerve.
The urine itself is one of the first signs of kidney stones. It is dark red in color and has the consistency of cottage cheese. It may also appear to have small bits of metal in it.
Sometimes, the content of blood in the urine is slightly raised or in a slightly darker shade than normal. Pain in the abdomen is another symptom that a stone is obstructing the kidney.
This pain usually occurs after the urine flow slows and becomes concentrated in a smaller area.
The other signs of kidney stones that occur frequently are lethargy, nausea and vomiting. Also, weakness in the legs along with a feeling of being faint all the time is another indication of the presence of a kidney stone in the body.
Some people also experience pain in the ribs and the back, usually as a result of sharp pains that radiate down the lower side of the body.
When a kidney stone blocks the passage of urine through the kidney, then you will experience frequent urination that is either very painful or produces blood in the urine.
In order to know what are the first signs of kidney stones, it is essential to have a basic understanding of kidney stones in general. Kidney stones occur when small pockets of minerals called colloids accumulate around the edges of the kidneys and bladder.
The kidney itself is designed to naturally eliminate these colloids on its own.
However, sometimes the kidneys become unable to dissolve the deposits and the crystals can grow large enough to become a kidney stone. When this happens, the process of eliminating these stones becomes complicated and can lead to the development of kidney stones.
There are several ways in which to know what are the first signs of kidney stones. One way is to keep a detailed record of your symptoms. Write down any physical symptoms that occur.
For example, if you notice blood in your urine or you feel like you are losing a lot of weight, then you may be experiencing an acute attack of pain related to urination.
Keep track of when these attacks happen, what foods you ate, and how much water you drink.
If you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms for seven days or more, then you should contact your doctor immediately.
Kidney stones can lead to complications such as dehydration and even organ failure. Don’t be fooled by the signs of kidney stones, get medical help as soon as possible.
In most cases, early detection will lead to optimal kidney health.
