Kidney stone
April 18, 2011 | 20,00 EUR | answered by Uni-Arzt Freddy Feuerstein
Good evening, I was brought to the hospital on Saturday with severe kidney pain where blood in the urine was detected. I was immediately transferred to a urology clinic where an ultrasound revealed a kidney stone measuring 0.3-0.5 cm. I received a shot from the doctor and the pain went away. Yesterday, an X-ray with contrast agents was performed, which did not show the kidney stone anymore and the pain has also decreased, so I was discharged from the hospital. My question is, could it be that the kidney stone was unnoticed flushed out? I feel a slight pulling in the kidney area, which I attribute to a stone passing through and irritating the ureter. I currently have a strong urge to urinate, but I drink a lot of fluids and can go to the bathroom normally. Looking forward to a quick response.
Dear Inquirer,
You are describing the typical course of a renal colic with passing of a stone. Your kidney stone was not the largest, so it is quite possible that it passed unnoticed.
Blood in the urine is a typical sign of a kidney stone, so you do not need to worry additionally.
The pain medication provided relieved the symptoms, but of course, they do not address the cause. You probably received something spasmolytic like Buscopan or similar, which leads to relaxation of the smooth muscles, also found in the ureter and bladder. This relaxation can also help in moving a stone towards the bladder.
In theory, the stone could still be in the bladder, as it seems to be no longer detectable in the kidney. Additionally, ultrasound is a technique highly dependent on the examiner, so the results are rarely completely objective. Although, at a specialized urology clinic, it can be assumed that they understand their profession.
In summary, it can be said:
1. The current treatment was correct.
2. Now it is a matter of "wait and see", or in good old German "Abwarten und Tee trinken".
3. If symptoms reoccur, you can seek treatment again.
4. Once you have had a stone, you are likely to have another one. In the future, you are at risk of getting another stone, so if you show the same symptoms again, you should investigate the causes with a urologist.
5. Almost one in five people between 30 and 60 years old will experience a kidney stone at least once, so you should not be unnecessarily worried.
Wishing you all the best,
Sincerely,
Torben C. Müller
P.S. Feel free to ask if you have any questions.
