 Kidney stones  is a disorder of the urinary tract wherein stones form in the kidney. This happens when solid particles in the urine become concentrated; the solid particles mostly being acid and mineral salts. This disorder can affect any part of the urinary tract: from the bladder to the kidneys. The treatment for this disorder is designed depending on the severity of your symptoms.

Symptoms
Once affected by this disorder, pain in the lower abdominal region will be common. The pain may get aggravated when you urinate. You may also exhibit symptoms of vomiting, nausea and a constant urge to urinate. Hematuria (presence of blood in the urine) is another symptom common to this disorder.

Causes
There is no single known cause for kidney stones. These stones occur when certain solid particles such as uric acid and calcium are present in the urine in large amounts. However, certain factors that increase the risk of kidney stones are:

Family history of kidney stones
Lack of sufficient water in the body or dehydration
Eating foods which are loaded with sugar and salts
Obesity
Ayurvedic treatment
Ayurvedic remedies for kidney stones are natural and free from side effects. Apart from relieving the symptoms, they also help in improving your overall well-being. These remedies balance the various doshas in the body and thus, lead to improved functioning of the abdominal organs. The Ayurvedic remedies for kidney stones are

Stay hydrated: Staying hydrated is the basic you can do to either prevent kidney stones or treating the condition. Dehydration is one of the most important causes for the formation of kidney stones.
Avoid certain foods: You need to avoid consumption of certain foods such as apples, tomatoes and cheese which increase the risks of kidney stones.
Exercise on a regular basis: You need to chalk down and stick to an exercise regimen to keep your weight at optimal levels. Remember that obesity is a major contributor to kidney stones.

How Ayurvedic Remedies are Effective in Treating Kidney Stones?

The 4 types of kidney stones and their common symptoms

Defined as hard and small mineral deposits that develop inside your kidney, kidney stones are made up of acid salts and minerals. The causes of this disease are not well-defined, although risk factors include drinking very little amounts of water and having a diet rich in sodium, protein and oxalate (chocolate and green leafy foods for example). However, knowing the type of kidney stone you suffer from can help ascertain the cause.

Here are the common types of kidney stones.

Struvite stones

This type of kidney stone is usually a response to certain kind of infection, such as a urinary tract infection for example. Characterised by rapid growth and a large size, struvite stones can develop without any warning signs.

Calcium stones

These are the most common type and are caused by a diet rich in oxalate. Risk factors for calcium stones include a diet consisting of plenty of nuts, chocolates and certain fruits and vegetables; metabolic disorders, high doses of vitamin d and intestinal bypass surgery, all of which can increase the amounts of calcium or oxalate in your urine, indicating the development of kidney stones.

Cystine stones

Those individuals with a hereditary disorder that causes their kidneys to produce certain amino acids (cystinuria to be precise) in excess are most likely to get cystine stones.

Uric acid stones

These are common in those whose diets are lacking in water or those who suffer from the excess fluid loss. People with a high protein diet and those who suffer from gout are also at risk. Genetic factors play a major role as well in increasing your risk of getting uric acid stones.

Apart from these, there are other rarer types of kidney stones that can also arise depending on a combination of an individual's lifestyle and genetic make-up.

However, to determine whether you're suffering from any of the aforementioned types of kidney stones, you must first know its common symptoms, which are:

  excruciating pain in your sides, and back, especially below your ribs

  feelings of pain in the groin and the lower parts of your abdomen

  intense and fluctuating pain that comes and goes in waves

  pain while urinating

  urine that is red, brown or pink in colour
  urine that's cloudy or has a foul odour

  vomiting and nausea

  constant urge to urinate

  increased frequency of urination

  urinating in small amounts

  chills and fever in case of an infection

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Related Tip: 20-Year-Old Indians Experiencing Kidney Failure! 4 Killer Reasons.

4 Types of Kidney Stones and Their Common Symptoms

If your doctor ever diagnoses you with chronic kidney disease, he/she will give you two options to choose from. The first option is to undergo dialysis for the rest of your life, while the other option is to undergo a kidney transplant. While you may prefer avoiding a major surgery, such as a transplant, dialysis is not the best solution for your condition.

Here are some reasons why you should consider kidney transplant surgery over dialysis if you are looking for better health for the long-term:

1. Increases your life expectancy: What you may not know is that people on dialysis treatment have a severely reduced life expectancy. For instance, if you are 30 years old when dialysis starts, the treatment will keep you alive at most for 15 more years. Therefore, you may not even survive until your fifties with dialysis treatment for your damaged kidneys.

However, if you transplant a healthy kidney your life expectancy increases by 30 to 40 years. Keep in mind that kidneys from living donors are better and will help you live longer.

2. Eliminates the need for undergoing dialysis: If you choose dialysis over transplant surgery, you will need to undergo the treatment on a daily basis. This is not only costly but also affects your quality of life. For instance, a patient on dialysis will need to make special arrangements if he/she wants to go on a vacation with family so that his treatment continues even during the trip.

With a kidney transplant surgery, once you recover from the operation, you can live a normal life, without the need for daily treatment.

3. Lower cost of treatment: While you may think kidney transplant surgery is the costlier option between it and dialysis, you would be wrong to assume so. In kidney transplantation surgery, you pay a hefty amount at the time of the operation. However, in the case of dialysis, you pay smaller sums over very long periods. When you add up these small sums over 10-15 years of dialysis, you will find that transplantation is the cheaper option.

If you are young and have a long life ahead of you, kidney transplantation should be the first and foremost choice of treatment for chronic kidney disease. You can undergo dialysis while you wait for a donor and then receive a healthy organ.

Why Kidney Transplant Should Be Preferred Over Dialysis?

Adrenal Glands are endocrine glands located right above the kidneys. They produce important hormones such as adrenaline, aldosterone and cortisol which are involved in a number of biological functions. The dysfunction of the adrenal glands can cause serious endocrine diseases.

Need for Surgery?
The adrenal glands may not function properly due to a number of reasons, including any kind of infection in the glands, kidney disorders, genetic ailments, lesions, tumours on or around the adrenal glands. Due to the irregularity in the release of hormones and enzymes that are essential to the normal functioning of a human body, a number of serious illnesses arise. There is an excess or absolute insufficiency in the release of hormones. This can even turn into a medical emergency. It can lead to uncontrollable obesity, very high or low blood pressure, dermatological problems, menstrual irregularities, blood sugar level irregularities, severe headaches, cramps, fluctuations in potassium levels and so on. That is when surgery is required.

How surgery is performed?
Laparoscopy is the type of surgery which requires minimum invasion. This is fairly a new and successful method of surgery. The patient recovers speedily and is able to go back home within a short span of time after the surgery. Removal of adrenal glands can be performed by making a maximum of three or four-and-a-half inches incision. This results in quicker cosmetic recovery compared to other patients of open surgery.
The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia. A narrow tube-like instrument, known as the cannula is placed into the upper abdominal cavity, below the ribs. Through the cannula, a tiny telescope, known as the laparoscope is inserted. It is connected to a special camera that provides a magnified view of the patient s internal organs on a large monitor. Using such technology, the adrenal glands are dissected free from other organs and removed.

Post Operative Care
In case of a simple laparoscopic surgery, there are hardly any post operative complications. In case of mild pain or discomfort, the doctors may however prescribe some medications. It is important to go for a medical check up after a couple of weeks of the surgery, to make sure you are completely fine.

Laparoscopic Adrenal Gland Removal Surgery - What Is It?

The kidneys are two small organs located in the abdomen. The main function performed by these organs is filtering of the blood. Kidneys help remove waste from the blood which they turn into urine so that it may be excreted from the body. In doing this they also help regulate blood pressure, maintain the production of red blood cells, and sustain the electrolyte balance. When the kidneys do not function properly, the results could be fatal. 

Hence, it is important to be able to recognize the early signs and symptoms of Kidney failure.

Tiredness: A decrease in kidney functioning can cause toxins to build up in the body and blood. This can make a person feel more tired than usual and keep them from concentrating on simple tasks. Kidney failure is also associated with anemia which can also contribute to fatigue.
Trouble sleeping: Chronic kidney disease has been linked to obesity and sleep apnea. Both these conditions can make it difficult for a person to fall asleep and stay asleep. The buildup of toxins in the blood can also contribute to insomnia.
Dry skin: The skin is one of the first organs to show signs of internal organ failure. Thus, when the kidneys stop functioning as well as they are supposed to, the skin turns dry and itchy. This is because the production of red blood cells is reduced and the amount of minerals or nutrients in the body is unbalanced.
Increased urge to urinate: An increased urge to urinate frequently especially at night could be a sign of kidney disease. This may also be a sign of a urinary infection.
Blood in the urine: Urine should ideally be clear and pale yellow in color. Seeing blood mixed with urine should never be ignored. This is a sign that the kidneys have been damaged and blood is leaking into the urine. It could also be a sign of kidney stones, an infection, or a tumor in the kidney.
Foamy urine: Excessive foam in the urine that does not go away even after flushing could be a sign of protein in the urine. This foam may look similar to a beaten egg white as it is produced by albumin; the same protein present in eggs.
Swollen ankles: Swollen ankles are a sign of sodium retention. This is caused by the improper filtration of blood by the kidneys. The patient may also notice his or her feet getting swollen.

Kidney Failure - Recognising The Early Signs!

Kidney stones could be a cause for worry by the time they are not removed causing incessant and regular pains and disrupting normal life. The task is not finished even if you get them removed because what follows is a rigorous and disciplined routine that you must follow to maintain your health after the surgery is done. Diet plays a crucial role in negating the possibility of yet another stone accumulation. Here are a few diet tips that would be handy if you have got a kidney stones removal surgery done. 
 
Do's
1. To stay hydrated is the golden rule that you must abide by at all costs. It is advisable to drink at least 2-3 litres of water on a daily basis. Water prevents the formation of stones and would also help to eliminate any remaining residues of kidney stones existing in the system. 
 
2. Dairy products could be included but in diluted form. 
 
3. A fixed dietary routine is mandatory above all. The patient should be given meals at proper time intervals in small proportions. Heavy meals should be avoided at all costs. 
 
4. Foods rich in high fibre should be included in the diet. They help in bowel movement also. These include whole grain breads and beans. 
 
Don'ts
 1. Foods rich in oxalates and calcium should be kept at bay for at least a period of two months after the stone removal procedure is complete. Oxalates can lead to the formation of yet another stone which is far from desirable. The foods that fall in this category include:
-Green leafy vegetables like spinach, mustard and beet greens
-Cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes
-Banana, mango, apricot, grapes
-Nuts like almond and cashew
-Alcohol
-Soft drinks
-Soda
-Caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee
 
2. Foods rich in sodium should be kept at bay for at least some time immediately after the surgery. 
 
3. Reducing the food intake that is high on animal protein. 
 
4. Do not eat stale food. 

5. Junk food should not even cross your mind. It is something which should be avoided for best results. 
 
These are generic guidelines that would help you to cope with post surgery care. However, there could be specific requirements depending from patient to patient. Therefore, it is advisable to get the guidelines by a doctor who will take into account the specificities of the case. Diet along with exercise is in most cases, the most effective combat to kidney stones. The trick however, is to not go overboard with either of them.

Diet Plan Tips After Kidney Stones Surgery - Eating Guidelines

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