Kidney Stones Specialist

What are kidney stones?

A kidney stone develops when your urine contains high levels of certain minerals or salts, like calcium, uric acid, or oxalate. As these substances build up, they stick together and form hard clumps. Your body has to pass these clumps through the urinary tract, which is often extremely painful.

What causes kidney stones?

Kidney stones don’t have one single cause. There are a variety of factors that can increase your risk of developing them, including:

• Taking certain medications
• Metabolic conditions
• Not drinking enough water or fluids
• An extremely high-protein or high-salt diet

Some people might also have a genetic predisposition to kidney stones. Conditions that affect your gastrointestinal tract, like chronic diarrhea or inflammatory bowel disease, can also raise your risk for the condition.

What are the symptoms of kidney stones?

At first, a kidney stone might not cause any symptoms. As it moves through your ureter —a tube that connects the kidney and bladder — you might start to experience:

• Pain during urination
• Extreme pain in your lower abdomen or the sides of your lower back
• Nausea, dizziness, or vomiting
• Urine that looks cloudy, pink, red, or brown
• A frequent need to urinate

The pain associated with kidney stones often travels to different locations in your body as the stone passes through your urinary tract. If you have an infection, you might also experience fever and chills.

What is the treatment for kidney stones?

There are several ways to treat kidney stones and relieve your symptoms. Oceanside Urology LLC offers methods such as:

• Shockwave lithotripsy: This method utilizes gentle but powerful sound waves to break up a kidney stone into smaller pieces so it’s easier to pass. The technique is noninvasive and is often used as an alternative to surgery.
• Ureteroscopy: With this minimally invasive procedure, your physician inserts a small camera into your ureter and kidney to view the stone. They can remove the stone entirely or break the stone into smaller pieces using a laser.
• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy: Your doctor makes a small incision on your back and inserts a small tube into your kidney. They remove the stone directly through the tube and out of the skin.

While the condition can be painful, treatment for kidney stones ensures the problem doesn’t get worse. At Oceanside Urology LLC, your comfort and safety is the top priority. All of the skilled physicians at the practice can treat kidney stones and help you prevent the condition from returning.

To learn more about kidney stone treatment, call the office or book a consultation online today.