Kidney stones are sometimes referred to as “the pain of childbirth in men” because of the excruciating pain they cause. But the alarming truth is that even when the pain goes away, the stones can continue to grow silently, threatening kidney health.
Symptoms can range from severe back or lower abdomen pain to blood in the urine, nausea, or even high fever – warning signs of a dangerous infection. Ignoring these signals can lead to kidney failure or more serious complications.
Understanding how to control pain, when to seek emergency care, and strategies to prevent recurrence are key to avoiding the serious consequences of kidney stones.
Applying heat to your lower back may reduce kidney stone pain quickly.
Understanding Kidney Stone Pain
Kidney stone pain, one of the most excruciating experiences, often feels as if the body is being torn apart. Kidney pain is not just a reaction to stones in the kidney. Still, it also results from a complex series of physiological mechanisms as the stones move along the urinary system. Understanding this pain mechanism is key to finding effective treatment.
Causes of Pain
Kidney stones cause severe pain as they move through the ureter, irritating nerves and blocking urine flow. The pain often comes on suddenly and increases in waves as the ureter contracts, trying to push the stone out.
Location and Intensity of Pain
The pain usually begins in the lower back or abdomen and then radiates to the groin or groin. In particular, this pain can be persistent and change in intensity, like a cycle of severe pain, making it almost unbearable for the sufferer.
How to Treat Pain
Pain relief measures such as over-the-counter pain relievers, heat therapy, or drinking plenty of water can help reduce the discomfort. However, in cases where the pain becomes excessive, seeking medical help is absolutely necessary.
Immediate Home Remedies for Kidney Stone Pain
Kidney stone pain can come on suddenly and intensely, prompting people to seek quick pain relief at home. While medical treatment is necessary in many cases, some home remedies can provide immediate pain relief, promote faster recovery, and make the patient more comfortable.
Drink Water to Relieve Pain
One of the most effective and easy-to-do methods is to drink plenty of water. Water helps dilute the substances in urine and can aid in the passage of stones out of the body. Warm water, in particular, can reduce spasms and relax the ureters, thereby reducing pain.
Apply Heat to Relieve Pain
Using heat is a simple but extremely useful method for relieving kidney pain. Applying a heating pad or hot water bottle to the painful area can help relax the muscles, reduce spasms, and create a more comfortable feeling. However, the temperature needs to be regulated to avoid burns.
Use Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, can relieve temporary pain. They reduce inflammation and reduce the sensation of pain. However, caution should be exercised regarding dosage and interactions with other medications the patient is taking.
Medical Treatments for Immediate Pain Relief
When kidney stone pain becomes too much, and home remedies are not effective, medical intervention is necessary to relieve pain and handle the situation promptly. Medical treatments can relieve quick pain, helping patients reduce discomfort and avoid serious complications.
Strong Pain Relievers
When kidney pain becomes unbearable, your doctor may prescribe strong pain relievers, such as opioids. Drugs such as morphine or hydromorphone work quickly and effectively to relieve acute pain, helping patients feel more comfortable in a short time.
Alpha-Blockers
In cases where kidney stones are small but cause severe pain, alpha-blockers such as tamsulosin can help relax the smooth muscles in the ureter, reducing spasms and helping the stone move more easily. This medication helps relieve pain and promotes the passage of stones from the body.
Intravenous Fluids
If the patient is dehydrated or exhausted due to prolonged pain, intravenous fluids are an immediate treatment. The fluids provide water and electrolytes, improve kidney function, and reduce pain. Along with pain relievers, intravenous fluids also help patients recover quickly.
Alternative and Complementary Therapies
In addition to traditional medical treatments, alternative and complementary therapies have become a popular choice for many patients to relieve pain and support the recovery process when suffering from kidney stones. These methods can play an effective complementary role, creating comfort for the patient and helping to improve the quality of life during the treatment process.
Acupuncture and Massage
Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese therapy, has been studied and proven to effectively relieve pain by acting on specific acupressure points in the body. This therapy helps improve blood circulation, reduce inflammation, and relax muscles. Similarly, gentle massage of painful areas can relieve kidney pain, reduce stress, and improve the body's flexibility.
Herbs and Herbal Teas
Some herbs, such as cogon root, perilla, or herbal teas, have diuretic and pain-relieving effects. These herbs help enhance the process of stone excretion and reduce inflammation while supporting the body's natural cleansing process. However, the use of herbs should be guided by a doctor to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Breathing Techniques and Meditation
Deep breathing techniques and meditation can help reduce stress and relieve pain effectively. These methods help relax the mind and stimulate the body to heal itself. Deep breathing helps to reduce feelings of anxiety and pain while supporting the stability of body functions.
What Not to Do When You Have Painful Kidney Stones
When dealing with painful kidney stones, understanding what actions to avoid can help minimize discomfort and prevent dangerous complications. Many people often make mistakes when the pain is severe, and this can make the condition worse. Therefore, it is very important to follow the instructions below.
Avoid Overusing Painkillers
Although painkillers can provide temporary relief, overusing them, especially NSAIDs like ibuprofen, can lead to serious kidney and digestive problems. Taking too many painkillers without medical supervision can reduce the body's ability to heal itself and increase the risk of stomach ulcers and kidney failure.
Don't Stop Drinking Water
When you have kidney stones, reducing your water intake is a serious mistake. Lack of water increases urine concentration, allowing stones to form and move more slowly. Staying hydrated will help reduce pain and support effective stone elimination. Patients should drink water regularly, especially warm water, to reduce pain.
Avoid High-Intensity Exercise
Although some people think vigorous exercise can help move stones faster, high-intensity activities can increase pain. Heavy exercise will create more stress on the body, especially the abdomen and lower back, making the pain more severe. Instead, patients should choose gentle activities such as walking to reduce pain without further damaging the body.
Preventing recurrent kidney stone pain
Kidney stones cause indescribable pain and tend to recur if strict preventive measures are not taken. Controlling your diet and lifestyle is key to avoiding severe pain caused by stones moving through the urinary tract.
Increase Hydration
Daily water intake plays a key role in maintaining a constant urine flow, helping to dilute the minerals that crystallize into stones. Prioritize filtered water, fresh lemon juice, or water with natural citrate to reduce the risk of forming calcium stones. Limit sugary drinks, especially soda and carbonated soft drinks, as they increase the excretion of oxalate, the main factor causing stones.
Control your diet
Diet directly affects the deposition of minerals in the kidneys. Reducing sodium helps reduce calcium reabsorption in the kidneys, thereby limiting crystallization. Increasing magnesium-rich foods such as almonds and green vegetables helps inhibit the combination of oxalate and calcium. Excess animal protein increases uric acid excretion, so it is necessary to appropriately adjust the consumption amount.
Maintain a scientific lifestyle
Obesity and lack of exercise increase the risk of stone formation and hinder the process of excreting excess minerals through urine. Regular exercise, weight control, and stress reduction are essential to maintaining a healthy urinary system.
Regular check-ups
People with kidney stones need regular health checks to assess the risk of recurrence. Urine tests, ultrasounds, or CT scans help detect early mineral accumulation and adjust their lifestyle.
When to Go to the Emergency Room
Kidney stone pain can be so severe that it paralyzes all activities, but not all cases require immediate emergency care. However, there are warning signs that the condition may become dangerous, requiring urgent medical intervention to prevent serious complications. Recognizing these symptoms is vital to protecting your health.
Severe, unrelieved pain
Kidney stones often cause pain in waves, but if the pain becomes unbearable, persistent, and does not respond to common pain relievers, this may be a sign of a serious blockage or a large stone. Delay can lead to acute kidney failure or damage to the ureter.
Fever, chills – Dangerous signs of infection
Urinary tract infections, when there are stones, are especially dangerous. If you have a high fever, chills, sweating, and severe back or lower abdomen pain, you likely have a kidney infection. If not treated promptly, sepsis can occur, which is life-threatening.
Prolonged nausea and vomiting
If nausea and vomiting prevent the body from retaining water, the risk of dehydration and electrolyte disturbances is very high. This not only makes the condition of the stone worse but can also cause kidney dysfunction.
Blood in the urine or urinary retention
Pink, dark red urine or complete urinary retention are signs that the stone may have damaged the ureter or completely blocked the urinary tract. If not treated promptly, the kidney may become over-dilated, leading to permanent loss of function.
Recognizing danger signs in time helps patients decide to go to the emergency room. Not only does it reduce the risk of complications, but early medical intervention also helps control pain effectively, avoiding serious long-term consequences.
Conclusion
Kidney stones not only cause extreme pain but also have the potential to recur and cause complications if there are no effective control measures. Understanding how to relieve pain, when to seek medical intervention and prevention strategies is the foundation for long-term kidney health protection.
Consuming enough water, adjusting your diet appropriately, and monitoring your health regularly will significantly reduce the risk of forming new stones. When dangerous signs such as pain that does not subside, high fever, or urinary retention appear, you need to go to a medical facility immediately to avoid serious consequences.
Proper awareness and timely action not only help control kidney stones but also improve the quality of life, minimizing the risk of complications that threaten kidney function in the long term.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Kidney Stones
-
Can kidney stones pass on their own without treatment?
Small stones under 5mm can pass through the urinary tract independently if you drink enough water and stay active. However, large or stuck stones can cause serious blockages that require medical intervention. -
Does drinking lemon water help prevent kidney stones?
Lemon water is rich in citrate, a substance that can inhibit the crystallization of calcium oxalate, the most common type of stone. However, the effectiveness of prevention depends on the overall diet, water intake, and the specific cause of the stones in each individual. -
Can kidney stones cause permanent damage to the kidneys?
If the stones block the ureter for a long time or cause a severe infection, kidney function can decline, even leading to permanent kidney failure. Early treatment helps reduce the risk of irreversible damage and protects long-term kidney health. -
Does having a kidney stone increase the risk of recurrence?
People who have had kidney stones are at high risk of recurrence due to their constitution, eating habits, and metabolic factors. Adjusting your lifestyle and controlling your oxalate, sodium, and protein intake can help reduce the risk of forming new stones. -
How long does kidney stone pain last?
Pain can last from a few hours to a few days, depending on the size and location of the stone. If the stone becomes stuck or causes complications, the pain can be more severe and requires urgent medical intervention.
