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Kidney stones are one of the very common ailments that can trouble people of any group and gender. The risks of developing kidney stones mostly depend upon the eating habits and the quality of water you consume.
Kidney stones are curable, but it’s really important to identify and treat the symptoms in time.
You still must be pondering about the aforementioned question. Well, in simple, kidney stones can prove to be fatal in serious and prolonged cases only. So, yes untreated multiple kidney stones can kill a person later in life. Before you freak out, let us remind you that it happens only in the rare serious cases of kidney stones.
It is not the kidney stone, but the risks or complications associated with it that can kill a person.
Fact: Around 15 per cent of adults face the condition of kidney stones at some point in their lifetime. In 2015, 22.1 million cases of kidney stones were reported around the world. Out of these, 16,100 cases resulted in death.
Complications of kidney stones that can potentially put a patient’s life in danger are:
Renal/kidney damage- Prolonged kidney stones damage the kidneys adversely. The worst part is that in most cases, this damage occurs without any major symptoms. The patient is not even aware of the seriousness of the condition. Therefore, they do not seek proper treatment in time, resulting in a worsening of the condition.
Chronic Kidney Disease- Recurrent kidney stones can lead to loss of kidney function over time. In a study conducted on 5,971 women, it was revealed that women with a history of kidney stones had a 1.8 times increased risk of developing Chronic Kidney Disease. Chronic Kidney Disease can lead to failure of one or both kidneys and can have fatal complications.
Kidney infection Sepsis- If kidney stones get stuck in any part of the urinary tract, the urine and bacteria build-up in the area can lead to urinary tract infections. This can even lead to abscess formation and lead to kidney infections. One of the most common signs of kidney infection is fever accompanied by chills. In the long run, kidney infections can lead to sepsis and can result in death.
Renal failure/Renal loss- Kidney stones can cause both Acute Renal Failure and Chronic Renal Failure. Large kidney stones interfere with the functioning of the kidneys and lead to renal failure. The risk of renal failure due to kidney stones is even higher in people who have only one kidney.
Hydronephrosis- A large kidney stone can block the ureter and obstruct the passage of urine. This can lead to a condition called hydronephrosis in which the kidney swells due to fluid build-up in the kidney. Hydronephrosis can lead to failure of the kidney. The treatment of this condition requires dialysis. In the absence of dilation, various complications can arise resulting in even death.
(Also read: Side effects of kidney stones)
Now that you have come to terms with all the possible serious complications of kidney stones, the necessity of the timely treatment becomes all the more clear.
But, right now if you are sweating over your condition of kidney stones, here is a breeze of ease for you. The modern treatment for kidney stones inflicts no pain and is minimally invasive. This minimally invasive treatment procedure for kidney stones is called shockwave lithotripsy (SWL). This procedure to treat kidney stones hardly takes 30-40 minutes.
You will feel even better to know the benefits of shock wave lithotripsy over other treatments. One of the major key features of SWL is that it is a daycare procedure. Hence, the patient can go back home within 24 hours of the procedure.
Let’s tell you further in detail about the Shockwave Lithotripsy for kidney stones
In today’s day and age, Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL) is the common and the most effective treatment for kidney stones. SWL acquires the use of sound waves to radiate strong vibrations called shock waves. These shock waves act directly upon the kidney stones to break them down.
The specialist doctors use anesthesia (local or general) to the patient before lithotripsy, so the patient is at rest and cal throughout the procedure. Although there is no use of incisions or cuts required in the SWL, still anesthesia is for convenient precise treatment. The mild sedation works well for the patient. This greatly keeps away any discomfort and enables the doctors to break the kidney stones precisely.
The shock waves in the lithotripsy are very precise and impactful to crush kidney stones of any size. The powdered granules of kidney stones can easily release from the body with urine. The urine can look dark along with the crushed kidney stones. This is normal after shock wave lithotripsy. Shock wave lithotripsy is certainly the best treatment.
Quick tips for kidney stone patients
- Hydration is the key! Enjoy fresh fruit and vegetable juices.
- Keep away from processed and preserved foods
- Foods with added sugar are a big no for you
- Fresh lemon soda is a tasty remedy
- Vitamin C in natural form and supplements help in dissolving kidney stones
- Cut down on caffeine and carbonated beverages
- Wheatgrass juice to be very helpful in elimination kidney stones
Take Away
The wise know what to do, the wiser know what not do as well. So, please be wiser and not delay the treatment for kidney stones in the present. Proper treatment is a permanent solution. Why choose pain when you can choose ease?!
You can get in touch with us at Pristyn Care for the best consultation and treatment experience.
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