How To Identify the Early Signs of Kidney Stones

According to a survey conducted by the National Kidney Foundation of the United States of America, one in ten people have a kidney stone in their life. The pain caused due to kidney stones is excruciating. Kidney stones are also known as renal lithiasis and nephrolithiasis. These stones are a collection of different minerals and salts found in our body. They form inside the kidney and then travel through the urinary tract. As these stones increase in size and travel through the urinary tract, they get stuck and cause pain and infections. The stones vary in size and can rarely even be several inches wide. Kidney stones can hurt the kidneys and the bladder. Passing kidney stones is quite difficult and painful. The stones don’t cause any permanent damage to the body, they can be quite painful. Preventing kidney stones is possible through lifestyle changes. Drinking plenty of water every day is a great way to prevent kidney stones from forming. It can also help in getting rid of smaller stones.

It is possible to know that you have stones in your kidney. The pain is different from normal abdominal pain. Although different, it is possible to identify this pain compared to other types of pain the human body experiences.

Here are some early signs of Kidney Stones:

• Pain in the back, belly, or side: If a woman who has given birth is suffering from kidney stones, the pain is similar to that of childbirth. Your lower belly will feel tight and painful. When the stone moves from the kidney to the urinary tract, it can cause a blockage which is painful as the normal function of the system has been disrupted. The pain of kidney stones starts suddenly due to the movement of the stone. It can be continuous but generally, the pain comes in waves. It can also vary in intensity as well as location as the stones move through the urinary tract.
• Nausea: Nausea is triggered by kidney stones as the nerves present in the kidney have shared connections with those of the intestinal tract. This results in a nauseous feeling.
• Pink, red, or brown blood in your pee: Most of the times, the first indicator of kidney stones is blood in the urine. The blood may be pink, red or brown. Depending upon the size of the stone/s in the urinary tract, it can only be spotting. Sometimes the blood might not be much and wouldn’t be visible to the person. In such cases, a urine test might be required to confirm the presence of blood.
• Feeling the need to pee often: Sometimes kidney stones can be identified by feeling the need to pee often but not actually peeing. This indicates that there is some infection or complication in the urinary tract.
• Only being able to pee a bit: This is a common sign of kidney stones. As the stones block the urinary tract, the urine flow is slowed or blocked. If this happens, it is advisable to go to your doctor for a consultation.
• Burning or pain while you pee: A sharp and burning sensation might be felt during urinating. This may be caused due to kidney stones blocking the path of the urine in the ureter. If this continues for more than a day, consult your doctor.
• Fever & Chills: Although this can be a symptom of various things, a fever along with the other signs and symptoms of kidney stones can indicate and confirm that you are suffering from infection due to kidney stones.
• Cloudy or smelly urine: Smelly urine is sign of some kind of infection. Along with this, if your urine is also cloudy, chances are that you are suffering from kidney stones.