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KIDNEY
STONES Passing a
kidney stone is usually an
extremely painful experience. In fact, it is said that the only pain
that is worse is childbirth!
Kidney stones can develop at any age in
both men and women. They range in size from a pinhead to ones that
measure 4 inches or more in length and fill an entire
kidney.
The most common type of kidney
stone contains calcium.When a
kidney stone moves tries to move
out of a kidney and travels down the
ureter to the
bladder, several
things happen. The first is pain, which can range from mild (rare) to
severe (more common). Pain typically is located in the middle or lower
back area and may move to the side or lower abdomen.
The
stone may
cause a blockage to the flow of urine which results in
kidney
swelling that can lead to permanent
kidney damage. There may be blood in your urine. Many patients experience
nausea and vomiting. You could develop a urine infection which causes
a fever. If the pain is too intense, or if
nausea and vomiting prevent you from drinking liquids, then you may
need to go to a local hospital emergency department.
How do you diagnose a kidney
stone?
There are a variety of methods to
diagnose a kidney stone. Basic testing includes a physical
examination, an ultrasound to help locate a
stone or area of blockage
and a urine analysis to look for blood or an infection. A CT scan or
other x-rays that maybe needed to help
find a stone.
What can you do if you develop a
kidney stone?
Drinking extra liquids to help to flush the
stone out
and using pain medication, are two of the most effective and
time-tested methods available. If the pain is too intense, or if
nausea and vomiting prevent you from drinking liquids, then you may
need to go to a local hospital emergency department.
Most small
stones will pass
spontaneously. Larger
stones, or ones with rough, jagged edges, may
become lodged in the ureter. If that happens, it may be necessary to
have surgery. This is usually done through a very thin telescope that
is inserted under
anesthesia. The telescope is passed up the
ureter to
locate the stone. Then, using a laser probe, the
stone
can be fragmented and removed. A small piece of plastic tubing may be
left in the ureter to allow it to heal. It can be removed 1 to 2 weeks
later. Some ureteral stones, and most
kidney stones, can be fragmented
with shock waves. The fragments will then pass out in the urine over
the next several weeks.
Does diet/nutrition help prevent
kidney stones?
Perhaps the most important part of
stone treatment is to determine why a
stone develops. While most
stones are made of calcium, there are many other substances and
reasons for stone formation.
Dr.
Pugach,
Medical Director of
Pacific Coast Urology Medical Center, provides thorough, painless
testing to determine why a
stone develops so that he can recommend
changes in you diet or medications to help you prevent making more
stones in the future. In
fact, we offer the services of a certified nutritional counselor
to work with our kidney stone
patients.
Dr. Pugach and
PCUMC's certified clinical nutritionist recommend one basic step to
help prevent the reoccurrence of kidney stones:
drink more water! Try to drink 12 full glasses of water a day. It
has been demonstrated that drinking adequate amounts of water helps
to flush away the substances that form stones in the kidneys.
Also, we recommend that you limit your coffee, tea, and cola to 1 or
2 cups a day because the caffeine may cause you to lose fluid too
quickly. Further recommendations may include:
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Cutting back on
certain foods. For example, if you have a uric acid stone we may
recommend that you limit your meat because meat breaks down to
make uric acid.
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If you form
oxalate stones (calcium), we may recommend that you limit foods
hight in oxalate; such as, spinach, beets, and chocolate.
This is another example of the
comprehensive approach we take to ensure your urologic health – now
and in the future! Contact us for more information on our
nutritional counseling
services.
Patient Testimonial
April 2011
When I experienced my first bout with kidney stones, I had no idea
what was wrong, the pain was overwhelming and I kept passing out and
waking up on the floor. I finally ended up in the ER, who referred
me back to my family doctor. However, I did not have a great
experience with the first urologist I was referred to, which was
very unfortunate. This doctor could not see on my test results that
I had a huge stone that was descending, so he gave me samples of
Flomax for my symptoms, scheduled me for a regular follow up in two
weeks and sent me home.
That weekend, I had two separate attacks of excruciating pain each
sending me to the ER. This time, a different ER physician suggested
I follow up with Dr. Pugach. Dr. Pugach's staff worked me into his
schedule immediately, where he quickly assessed my situation and I
was scheduled for a procedure soon thereafter to get rid of my
existing and very painful stones. Also, I have a very sensitive
system with little tolerance for prescription pain medication, so he
really got me back on the road to recovery as quickly as possible.
Like most people, I have experienced high pain levels from injuries
over the years, but I had never experienced the intense level of
pain created by kidney stones. I was beside myself and quite fearful
of the situation repeating over and over. But, Dr. Pugach had a
better idea - to go forward thinking positively and make some
changes for a better outcome.
He
also introduced me to a terrific nutritionist who visited me at my
home to assess my situation and made wonderful recommendations on
how to adjust my food intake and also started me on more meaningful
vitamins and supplements. I could feel the different almost
immediately, because with the changes I became more energized and
balanced. I have become a "water baby" and view my new appreciation
of water and proper nutrients as part of my personal arsenal to
avoid developing new stones.
As
a patient predisposed to generating stones. I am still seeing Dr.
Pugach regularly. I have learned to love water and a healthier
lifestyle. My test results continue to come back as excellent, and
if I ever need help with stones in the future, I know that Dr.
Pugach and his staff will be there to help me. Kidney stones are far
from fun, but the fear and anxiety of having them come back (if they
do) is lessened from knowing that I have the best of the best to
help me with Dr. Pugach and his staff. Catherine, Long
Beach
To read more patient
testimonials, click here.
If you have a question about a
service or procedure, please email us or call our
office at (888) 735-4336. |
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UPDATES |
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Did you know
that most stones can now be prevented? There are many new methods
for treating stones that avoid surgery, such as lasers, and shock
waves.
Dr. Pugach is
skilled in these techniques. Most important, stones can be
prevented with some very simple tests. At Pacific Coast Urology
Medical Center, we can help!
CALL TODAY!
(888) 735-4336
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