What is the best treatment for kidney stones?

How can I reduce kidney stones at home? || How to clean your kidneys naturally at home?


What are kidneys? Where are they located? 


We are all aware that the left and right kidneys are housed in our hips, respectively. However, what precise location are they?


On both the left and right sides, they are situated at the termini of each rib cage. Structures in the shape of beans exist. similar to the double beans. They measure between eight and ten centimetres, or four to five inches, in length. 

How to clean your kidneys naturally at home?


Important functions of the kidneys are in our body?


Eliminating all toxins from our bodies is the kidney's primary and most crucial job. Thus, urine the waste product is produced by the kidneys. 


How do kidneys produce urine?


To create waste, it will first take up all the nutrients in the water. It eliminates toxins from our bodies in this way. However, that is not its sole purpose. Our body's fluid balance is maintained by the kidneys. Our blood pressure is also maintained by the kidneys. You will be shocked if I tell you a fact about anything other than these. Although the kidneys also produce the active form of vitamin D, vitamin D deficiency is a common complaint. which is critical to the growth of bones.


Now we would have understood how important our kidneys are. In our lives, we would have consulted doctors for either a urinary infection or kidney stones. So, not only the kidneys, but what are the other parts that form the urinary tract system? Only when we understand that will we be able to understand its next function. There are two kidneys that produce urine, but how does it get collected in the bladder? 


The kidneys' tubes that connect them to the bladder are the left and right kidneys' tubes. This is the process by which the kidneys' produced pee fills the bladder. How does it come out of the bladder? 


The urethra is the name of another tiny tube. Urine is expelled from the body through the urethra. The small differences in this between men and women are For men, the urethra that comes out of the bladder will be a little long and is called the penile urethra, and it goes down the penis. But for women, the urethra will be very short, and hence women are prone to urinary tract infections, whereas it is rare for men. Now we know the external anatomy of the kidney, but now we will see the internal anatomy so that we understand the process of urine formation. Let's go and see inside the kidney. What is happening there? The kidney contains millions of nephrons. Nephrons are the tiny units inside the kidney. Nephrons produce urine by removing waste and excess substances from our blood. what is present inside the nephrons?


lot of blood vessels, arteries, and veins, and there is something called Glomeruli, which is the cleaning unit. These nephrons, glomeruli, and, apart from them, the outer layer, called epithelial cells, are present. The epithelial cells are called podocytes, finger-like structures. All these join to form a filtering unit. Do you know that in 24 hours, almost 200 litres of fluid are produced? and of that, our bodies absorb roughly 198 litres, excreting the remaining two litres as urine. You now understand how hard our kidneys have to work. Thus, it is critical to understand how to maintain the security and well-being of our kidneys.


How do kidney stones form? 


We already have fluids, minerals, acids, and other substances in our body. Some individuals may be predisposed genetically to hold onto salt in their bodies. or their eating patterns, which include consuming a lot of salt.


excessive consumption of carbonated drinks, junk food, or processed food that contains a high level of sodium. In addition to this, if our body's water level becomes low, what will happen? 


Obviously, it will concentrate the fluid. If our body has a tendency to retain excess salt in it, then how can we try to flush it out? by drinking a lot of water. Even if our body has the tendency to form stones, when we increase our intake of water, we can avoid stone formation. I had mentioned that there are different varieties of stones that can form There are four varieties; 


the first one is the most common for almost 80 to 90% of the people. Calcium Oxalate Crystals A high level of calcium in the body can cause this, which can be identified in the urine test as well. 


The second variety is Struvite Stones. It can occur in people who have an infection.


The third variety is urea acid stones. Our body itself produces uric acid, but when its level increases, it forms a stone in the kidney. 


The last one is cysteine stones, which are formed due to a high level of amino acids. These are the common varieties of stones that can form in the kidney. The treatments are mostly the same for all the varieties. 



How do I identify kidney stones? 


I will give you a tip to identify the exact spot. Where are the kidneys located? towards the rear of our body, just below the ribs. When the stones travel through the ureter and obstruct the tube, you usually experience acute, unbearable pain. You will experience pain from your loins to your groyne when the stone moves. The inner thighs are referred to as the groyne, and the side of the hips as the loin. A kidney or renal stone is usually indicated when you experience pain extending from your loins to your groyne. You may experience varying degrees of pain.


You might feel irritation while passing urine or even notice blood in the urine The urine can be smoky or cloudy. We generally say the urine is concentrated when it is dark yellow. When our water intake is normal, it is in a light yellow shade. Apart from these If the urine is darker in colour, like brownish or red, then we should suspect a renal stone. You could experience this pain whenever you want, symptom-free. Renal stones are commonly indicated by pain extending from the loins to the groyne, pain during urination, dark urine, or urine stained with blood. 


Treatment for kidney stones: 


Kidney stones are a source of fear for many. as they believe that the only available treatment is surgery. Because everyone around them is recommending different treatments, they assume they need to have surgery or undergo laser treatment. kidney stones can be cured by anything from ingesting banana stem juice to eating other vegetables, but we'll see who needs treatment and what kind of treatment the doctors recommend. I'll explain the technical medical terms to you and simplify them as usual. In this final section, we will examine the course of treatment.


Do you know that more than 85 to 90% of kidney stones can be cured by just lifestyle changes? 

We can prevent them from forming again. What should we do? It's as simple as increasing your water intake. If you drink a minimum three litres of water a day, It can help in balancing the fluid level and avoiding stone formation. Then, how do we choose treatment modalities for kidney stones? Number of stones size of stones Where is the stone located? the symptoms from which the patient is suffering The treatment is based on these few things: Medication is available to help break down the stones so that they automatically pass through the urine. 


Kidney Stone Treatments

Shock Wave Lithotripsy, Ureteroscopy, and Percutaneous Nephro Lithotomy.


When treatment for kidney stones doesn't work, the condition can be excruciating and frustrating. In these situations, medical professionals might advise patients to have surgery or less invasive forms of treatment to help them get rid of these bothersome stones. Here's a breakdown of three common treatment methods and what you need to know about them: 



1. Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL): What is it? Kidney stones are broken up into smaller pieces that can be passed through the urine during this procedure, which uses shock waves.  

Procedure: Short shock waves are directed at the kidney stones, causing them to fragment into smaller pieces that can be easily eliminated.


Advantages: non-invasive, can be done on an outpatient basis, quick recovery time. Disadvantages : May lead to blood-stained urine; less effective for very large or hard stones. 


2. Ureteroscopy: What is it? Using a scope to locate and remove stones from the ureter and the option to use a laser to break them down is known as ureteroscopy.

Procedure: A scope is inserted through the ureter, allowing for visualisation and the removal of stones using laser technology. 


Advantages: minimally invasive, effective for stones in the ureter, outpatient procedure.

Disadvantages: may require the placement of a stent; potential for blood-stained urine; long-term stent use can lead to complications. 


3. Percutaneous Nephro Lithotomy: What is it? To remove large or stubborn stones, a small incision is made close to the kidney during this procedure. 

Procedure: A rigid scope is introduced through the incision to break down and remove the stones.


Advantages: Effective for large or hard stones, minimally invasive compared to traditional surgery. 

Disadvantages: Requires hospitalisation; longer recovery time compared to other procedures. 


Even though the names of these procedures might sound complicated, being familiar with their fundamentals can help clarify the course of treatment. One of these treatment options may be suggested by your doctor to help you relieve your symptoms and enhance your quality of life if you have unbearable pain from a kidney stone, blockage of the ureter impairing kidney function, or persistent symptoms that do not go away despite medication. Remember, each treatment option has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to discuss it with your healthcare provider to determine the best approach for your specific situation. 


I have given you a lot of information about kidneys, their functions, kidney stones, and their treatments. I feel I should conclude with this main point. Kidney stones do not only affect adults; they can even affect children as young as five years old. If you ask how, due to the high intake of junk food, processed food, and even carbonated drinks. All these have high sodium content, which can affect their organs too. 


Make sure you encourage a healthy lifestyle, lots of exercise, and increased water consumption. In Chennai, you should drink a lot of fluids due to the current weather. reduce your consumption of packaged or processed foods as well.

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