Kidney Stones Symptoms & Treatment

Urologists & Sexual Medicine Experts located in Beverly Grove, Los Angeles, CA

Kidney Stones services offered in Beverly Grove, Los Angeles, CA

Many of our patients have heard about kidney stones before, but only in passing. Learning more about this condition is important for prevention and finding appropriate treatment if it happens to you. The more you know about kidney stone symptoms, the better prepared you will be to handle them. After all, kidney stones affect nearly 9% of all adults. So while the odds are not high of getting them, there is enough of a chance that preparation will prove helpful. To schedule an appointment, call the office or book an appointment online today.

Q & A

How do they form?

Your urine contains minerals, salts, and other substances that generally stay dissolved. However, when your urine is too concentrated, these substances can crystalize and form stones. Over time, the stones enlarge, causing extreme pain as they travel through your urinary tract or cause an obstruction. Currently, there is no guaranteed way to ensure you never experience a kidney stone. However, our experienced urologists can help you develop lifestyle changes that decrease your risk for certain stones as much as possible.

What type of kidney stone might I develop?

You may develop one of four types of kidney stones. One of our first steps in treating kidney stones is identifying what type you have. We can then match your treatment to your situation, providing effective results as fast as possible.

Calcium Stones

Calcium stones account for 80% of all kidney stones in patients. Most consist of calcium oxalate, but you can also develop calcium phosphate stones.

Uric Acid Stones

Uric acid stones represent 5-10% of all stones present in patients. They typically develop in people who don’t drink enough fluids or who have very acidic urine. Your risk for uric acid stones increases if you:

Follow a high-protein diet
Have high blood sugar
Or possess certain genetic factors

Struvite Stones

Struvite stones often develop after a urinary tract infection. They often grow quickly and cause sudden pain without warning signs.

Cystine Stones

These kidney stones form due to a hereditary disorder that makes the kidneys excrete excessive amino acids.

What symptoms develop?

Kidney stones seldom cause symptoms while they remain in the kidney. Unfortunately, this makes it challenging to spot them before they begin to be passed. When they move into the ureter and start to travel to the bladder, you can experience a range of symptoms, including:

Back pain under the ribcage
Lower abdominal or groin pain
Blood in your urine
Nausea or vomiting
Urinary frequency or urgency
Burning with urination
Intermittent urine stream

You may experience pain in different locations as the stones move through your urinary tract. As soon as you begin to notice any of these signs, we recommend contacting Comprehensive Urology. If you are indeed experiencing a kidney stone, the sooner we address it, the better.

How do urology experts treat?

Your Comprehensive Urology provider performs a urinalysis and diagnostic imaging such as an:

Ultrasound
X-ray
Intravenous pyelogram
Or CT scan

These tests show the location and size of your stones. Additionally, they can show if the stones block any part of your urinary tract. With this foundational information, we can move on to developing the best treatment plan to relieve your symptoms.

Finding the Cause

Your provider determines the underlying cause of your kidney stones and creates a customized treatment plan. The team may recommend outpatient stentless surgery such as:

Laser stone ablation
Shock wave therapy
And percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PCNL)

After determining the type of kidney stones you have, the Comprehensive Urology team can help you prevent future stones with dietary changes, supplements, and medications when necessary.

Get Treatment Today for Kidney Stone

If you develop back pain, abdominal pain, or other symptoms of kidney stones, call Comprehensive Urology or schedule an appointment online today. We work quickly and professionally to help each of our patients find relief from kidney stones in Los Angeles. Using years of experience and modern medical methods, we can effectively treat a range of kidney stones. Our goal: get your life back on track with minimal symptoms.

Learn more about kidney stones treatment near me today.

Kidney Stones Symptoms & Treatment

Kidney Stones services offered in Beverly Grove, Los Angeles, CA

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