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At least 10% of adults develop kidney stones and experience extreme pain as a stone enters the urinary tract. After you form one stone, your chances increase of having more in the future. At Mission City Urology, Arpan Satsangi, MD, PhD, specializes in all the advanced techniques for removing kidney stones. He also helps you prevent future stones. At the first sign of kidney stone pain, call the office in San Antonio, Texas, or request an appointment online today.
Kidney Stones Q & A
What causes kidney stones?
Your urine consists of water and dissolved substances such as salt, uric acid, and calcium. When the dissolved solids become too concentrated, they crystallize and turn into kidney stones.
Kidney stones are named after the substances that make up the stone. You may have:
- Calcium oxalate stones
- Calcium phosphate stones
- Uric acid stones
- Struvite stones
- Cystine stones
Of these, calcium-containing stones account for 80% of all kidney stones.
What symptoms develop if I have kidney stones?
While your kidney stones are small and stay inside your kidneys, you probably won’t have symptoms. The pain begins when a stone gets large enough to block the opening to the ureter (the tube carrying urine from the kidney to your bladder) or when a stone leaves the kidney and enters the ureter.
As the stone moves, you experience:
- Sharp pain in your back and side (just below the ribs)
- Pain that radiates to your abdomen or groin
- Pain that comes and goes in waves
- Blood in your urine
- Nausea or vomiting
- Urinary frequency
- Burning or pain when urinating
- Urinating in small amounts
When a stone blocks the opening to the ureter, urine gets trapped in the kidney, potentially causing kidney inflammation and infection.
How are kidney stones treated?
After Dr. Satsangi identifies the size and location of your stone, he can determine if it’s safe to let the stone pass naturally or if you need a procedure to remove the stone.
Your treatment may include:
Medication
Dr. Satsangi may prescribe medication to manage your pain as the stone moves through your urinary tract. After the stone passes, he may also recommend medications to prevent future kidney stones.
Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL)
ESWL is a non-surgical treatment that uses the vibrations from high-energy shock waves to break apart your kidney stone. After the stone shatters, the pieces can pass through the urinary tract and leave your body in your urine.
Ureteroscopy
During a ureteroscopy, Dr. Satsangi guides a narrow scope through the urethra and bladder and into the ureter. Then he uses a small wire basket to remove the ureteral stone. If the stone is too large, he uses a laser to break the stone into small pieces.
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy
Dr. Satsangi may recommend percutaneous nephrolithotomy if you have a large stone causing problems in your kidney. He makes a small incision in your back, inserts a narrow scope into the kidney, and uses ultrasound to break the stone. Then he uses the scope to remove the pieces.
If you have signs of kidney stones, call Mission City Urology or book an appointment online today.