Most people are diagnosed with kidney stones after
the thunderclap onset of excruciating and unforgettable pain. This
severe pain occurs when the kidney stone breaks loose from the place
that it formed, the renal papilla, and falls into the urinary collecting
system. When this happens, the stone can block the drainage of urine
from the kidney, a condition known as renal
colic. The pain may begin in the lower back, and may
move to the side or the groin. Other symptoms may include blood
in the urine (hematuria), frequent or persistent urinary tract infections,
urinary urgency or frequency, and nausea or vomiting.
When your doctor evaluates you for a kidney stone, the first step
will be a complete history and physical examination. Important information
regarding current symptoms, previous stone events, medical illnesses
and conditions, medications, dietary history, and family history
will all be collected. A physical examination will be performed,
to evaluate for signs of a kidney stone, such as pain in the flank,
lower abdomen, or groin.
Your doctor will perform a urinalysis, to look for blood or infection
in the urine. A blood sample will also be collected so that kidney
function and blood counts can be measured.
Even though all of these tests are necessary, a kidney stone can
only be definitively diagnosed by a radiologic evaluation. In some
cases, a simple x-ray, called a
KUB, will be adequate to detect
a stone. If your doctor requires more information, an intravenous
pyelogram (IVP) or a CT scan may be necessary.
Sometimes kidney stones do not cause any symptoms at all. Such
painless stones can be discovered when your doctor is looking for
other things on x-rays. Sometimes, although a stone does not cause
any pain, it can cause other problems such as recurring urinary
tract infections or blood in the urine.
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