Kidney stone treatment in Neelankarai, ECR
Severe side or back pain, or blood in the urine? Learn about kidney stone symptoms, tests and treatment options with the urologists at Healtree Hospital, ECR.
By the Healtree Hospital clinical team.
Kidney stones are hard crystals that form in the kidney and can cause severe pain when they move into the ureter. Small stones often pass on their own with fluids and medicines. Larger or stuck stones are removed with endoscopic procedures that need no cut. The urology team at Healtree Hospital, Neelankarai, ECR diagnoses and treats kidney and ureteric stones, and the emergency department is open 24 hours for stone pain.
Symptoms
- Sudden, severe pain in the side or back that may spread to the lower abdomen or groin
- Pain that comes in waves, often with nausea or vomiting
- Blood in the urine, or pink or brown urine
- Burning while passing urine, or passing urine often
When it is an emergency
Come to the emergency department if pain is not controlled with painkillers, if you have fever or shivering with stone pain (a sign of infection behind a blocked kidney), if you cannot pass urine, or if you have only one working kidney.
Why stones form
Not drinking enough water is the most common reason, especially in Chennai's heat. A diet high in salt and animal protein, a family history, obesity, diabetes, gout and some urinary infections also raise the risk.
Tests
- Urine tests for blood and infection
- Blood tests for kidney function and calcium and uric acid
- Ultrasound and X-ray, with a CT scan when needed to show the exact size and position of the stone
- Stone analysis and a 24-hour urine test for people with repeated stones
Treatment
Treatment depends on the size and position of the stone, the symptoms and whether there is infection. The urologist will explain which option suits you.
- Watchful waiting with fluids, pain relief and medicines that help small stones pass
- Ureteroscopy: a thin scope passed through the urinary passage, with laser to break the stone, and no cut
- Shock-wave lithotripsy, which breaks some stones from outside the body
- Percutaneous surgery through a small opening in the back for large kidney stones
- A temporary stent to relieve a blocked or infected kidney
See a specialist in Neelankarai, ECR
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. Our Urology team at Healtree Multi-Speciality Centre & Hospital can assess your situation. The hospital is open 24 hours.
Specialists: Dr. Chandru, Dr. Manas Ranjan Panda, Dr. Manoj Kumar Deepak
Related services: Ultrasound & Doppler, Digital X-Ray, 24/7 Emergency Care
Frequently asked questions
- Can kidney stones pass on their own?
- Many stones smaller than about 5 mm pass by themselves within a few weeks with plenty of fluids and medicines. Larger stones, or those causing infection or blockage, usually need a procedure.
- Does every kidney stone need surgery?
- No. Small stones that are not causing problems may only need monitoring. A procedure is advised for stones that are large, stuck, causing repeated pain, infection or reduced kidney function.
- Is laser kidney stone treatment painful?
- It is done under anaesthesia, so you feel nothing during the procedure. Mild discomfort or burning while passing urine for a few days afterwards is common.
- Can kidney stones come back?
- Yes, stones often recur. Drinking enough water to pass about two to two and a half litres of urine a day, eating less salt and following the urologist's advice after stone analysis reduce the risk.
- How much water should I drink to prevent kidney stones?
- Enough to keep your urine pale, usually about three litres a day, and more in hot weather or with heavy sweating. People with heart or kidney conditions should ask their doctor first.
Ready to see a specialist?
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