Kidney stones can happen to anyone. Even with a dedication to a healthy diet, mineral and crystal deposits with a person’s kidney can create hard stones within the kidney. These small formations can quickly develop before they are noticed, resulting in serious pain, discomfort, and many complications.
While many people believe that the only way to deal with these stones is to painfully pass them, there is another way. With the help of skilled urologists, you can take a proactive approach to your kidney stones and eliminate them before they cause serious complications. The more you understand about modern kidney stones treatments, the better equipped you can be to handle them should this problem arise in your life.
The Complications of Kidney Stones
Most often, kidney stones do not present any symptoms until they start to move around in the organ or pass into the ureter. Once that happens, complications can quickly begin to arise. For many, suffering from a kidney stone can result in a wide variety of symptoms, including:
- Blood in the urine
- Pain in the groin or lower abdomen
- Frequent or urgent urination
- Intermittent urine stream
- Back pain under the ribcage
- Nausea or vomiting
These are all symptoms that you are suffering from a kidney stone. However, a diagnosis will be needed to fully understand the issue. Experienced doctors can use ultrasound, CT scans, urinalysis, x-rays, and more to determine the size and placement of the stone. Once understood, you can undergo the best treatment possible for your condition.
Advanced Techniques for Kidney Stone Treatment
While undergoing changes to your diet will help slow down stone formation and possible prevent a future stone, they cannot get rid of the stones you already have. There are medications available that will help make passing a stone easier, but modern technology can allow you to take far more effective steps in the treatment of your kidney stone with the help of a skilled urological surgeon.
• ESWL – Rather than enter the kidney through an incision, a machine can generate small shock waves in the kidney from the outside, which will shatter the stone into smaller pieces that are far easier to pass.
• Ureteroscopy – One of the most frequent treatments, a ureteroscopy uses a small fiberoptic device to crush kidney stones with a laser and allow them to pass easier.
• Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) – When a stone has become too large for other treatments, a small incision can be made and the surgeon will insert a tube into the kidney, allowing for direct treatment of the stone by various instruments.
Finding Help for Kidney Stones in Los Angeles
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a kidney stone or has symptoms of the condition, get in touch with the medical professionals at Comprehensive Urology by calling us at (310) 499-2756 or contacting us online. With our years of expertise and state of the art techniques, we can help you find a fast and gentle solution to your painful condition.
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