Kidney stones are crystals that form in the kidneys from minerals like calcium and can be extremely painful to pass through the ureter and into the toilet bowl. The average size of a kidney stone ranges from less than 1 centimetre to 3 centimetres, although some stones can be up to 5 cm or even larger. If you’ve ever suffered the pain of passing a kidney stone, you know how unbearable it can be. But have you ever wondered what exactly happens when you pass one? Let’s learn the stages of passing a Kidney Stone!
What are Kidney stones?
You can get kidney stones when you have small, hard deposits in your kidneys. They’re usually made up of calcium but can also be made up of other minerals like uric acid.
If they’re small enough, they can pass through your urinary tract and out of your body without causing any pain. But if they’re bigger, they can get stuck and cause blockages that lead to pain. There are four main stages of pain in the Kidney Stone Problem.
Stages of Pain in a Kidney Stone Problem
- The first stage is when you begin to experience pain. This can be a dull ache or a sharp pain that comes and goes.
- The second stage is when the pain gets worse and you may also experience nausea, vomiting, and fever.
- The third stage is when the stone moves into your ureter (the tube that carries urine from your kidney to your bladder). This can cause even more pain as well as blood in your urine.
- The fourth and final stage is when the stone passes out of your body through your urine.
Stages Of Passing A Kidney Stone
There are 4 main stages of passing a kidney stone. Let us look at each one of them in brief-
Stage 1: Preliminary
There are four main stages that kidney stones go through as they pass through the body. The first stage is when the rock is formed in the kidney. The second stage is when the stone moves into the ureter, the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder. The third stage is when the stone enters the bladder.
And finally, in the fourth stage, the stone is passed out of the body through urine. Each stage can vary in length, but on average it takes about four to six weeks to pass a kidney stone. So you think you might have a kidney stone?
What now? The first step is to see a doctor confirm that you indeed have a kidney stone. Once that’s out of the way, it’s time to start thinking about how to get rid of the pesky thing. Here are the four stages of passing a kidney stone, from start to finish.
Stage 2: Impacted
An impacted kidney stone is one that’s stuck in your urinary tract and isn’t able to pass on its own. This can be extremely painful and may require medical intervention. In some cases, the stone will need to be broken up using sound waves or surgery.
In other cases, the stone may break up on its own as you pee it out. If this happens, don’t worry! You’ll still need to monitor yourself for signs of infection. If there are no signs of infection after two weeks, you’re free and clear. But if there are signs of infection, seek medical attention right away.
Stage 3: Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL)
ESWL is the most common type of kidney stone treatment. It works by using sound waves to create vibrations that break up the stone into smaller pieces. The smaller pieces can then pass through your urinary tract and be eliminated in your urine.
ESWL is usually done as an outpatient procedure, which means you can go home the same day. You will be given pain medication before and after the procedure.
Person may also need to wear a catheter for about 12 hours afterwards. You may feel some pain when you urinate for about 24 hours after ESWL, but this should gradually decrease over time.
Stage 4: Recovery
After the stone has passed, you may feel relief. But there are still a few things that need to happen before you’re in the clear. Your doctor will likely want to monitor you for a little while to make sure that everything is going as it should.
They may also want to do some tests to see what kind of stone it was and why it formed. Depending on the results, they may recommend changes to your diet or medications. Some people find that their body’s ability to create stones gets better after one or two episodes of passing them.
Read:- What to expect when you pass them
If this happens, then your doctor might suggest medication or other treatments to help prevent stones from forming again. In rare cases, kidney stones can recur again quickly and without warning; if this happens with no apparent cause, then you’ll have to get checked out more carefully by a specialist like a urologist.
Also Read:- Difference between IPD and OPD
Prevention of Kidney Stones
Prevention is key. To help prevent kidney stones from forming, drink plenty of fluids – especially water – and avoid dehydration. Limit your sodium intake and eat a healthy diet rich in calcium and magnesium. If you’re prone to stone formation, your doctor may also recommend medications or supplements.
Conclusion
You might never have given much thought to what it’s like to pass a kidney stone. The truth is, they can be painful and uncomfortable, and the more you know about the process the better prepared you’ll be to deal with the symptoms if you ever have one. This article above covers everything you need to know about the stages of passing a kidney stone and when it happens to you or someone in your family. For Information Regarding kidney stone problems, Contact DMICC, One of the best Critical care centres in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
