Renal colic – causes, symptoms and treatment

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Renal colic is a characteristic pain caused by a blockage in the outflow of urine from the kidneys. kidney stones. Other symptoms of renal colic include a persistent urge to urinate, nausea, and vomiting. In the treatment of renal colic, antispasmodics are effective.

What is renal colic?

Renal colic is the first specific symptom to indicate kidney stones. It is characterized by unbearable pain in the lumbar region, which is very often radiating. The pain is so severe that ordinary pharmaceutical painkillers cannot relieve it. Renal colic occurs when the pressure of the upper urinary tract suddenly increases due to urine remaining in it. This condition is caused by a blockage of urinary stones in the ureter. Treatment of this ailment is usually conservative, and the ailment itself passes with the expulsion of the stones. Unfortunately, in more than half of the cases, this bothersome ailment is recurrent.

Causes of renal colic

The pain associated with renal colic causes large amounts of urine to push against the kidneys. The residual kidney stones prevent its outflow – the patient cannot urinate despite the pressing feeling of filling. How to prevent renal colic? You should preventively drink plenty of fluids (mainly still water) and limit salt consumption.

Kidney stones – it is associated with the presence of stones in the urinary tract, which cause unwanted symptoms and sometimes complications. The stones are most often found in the renal pelvis or in the initial part of the ureter. The stones often become so large that they can quickly lead to the development of acute renal failure. An increased risk of kidney stones may be observed in overweight / obese people and those taking calcium supplements. Of course, it should be remembered that nephrolithiasis does not mean that there is renal colic at the same time!

Symptoms of renal colic

Renal colic is the most common symptom of kidney stones, which is blockage of the urinary tract by insoluble stones (deposits).

The most common symptoms of renal colic are: Painful urge to urinate, the need to urinate very often – albeit in small amounts, nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension – these are all symptoms of renal colic. Illness pain is usually localized in the lumbar region and may radiate to the pubic / genital area and even to the thighs. Where does this unbearable pain come from? It is caused by a stone that squeezes through the ureter, which pushes its walls apart. This condition causes the ureter to constrict on the deposit and its wall is ischemic. If symptoms persist and you are not receiving treatment, an increase in your blood pressure and fever may also occur.

The occurring stones (deposits) are at least 2 millimeters.

Renal colic – diagnosis

Sometimes the diagnosis of renal colic is not difficult, especially when the patient has specific symptoms. Then, additional tests in the form of urine tests or inflammatory markers are only auxiliary. Most patients with renal colic have high levels of red blood cells (haematuria) in a urine test; if there is an infection of the urinary system, bacteria and leukocytes may additionally appear. The blood test is usually normal

Imaging tests are of great importance in the diagnosis of renal colic. Among other things, it is performed:

1. Abdominal ultrasound – allowing the visualization of large stones around the kidneys and the initial segment of the ureters; the examination also reveals stones that are not possible to be visualized in the X-ray examination;
2. Abdominal X-ray – allows for the assessment of the size of the stones and their location.

Pre-drug management in renal colic

How to deal with renal colic by yourself? It is best to immediately reach for painkillers and diastolic pills. The most commonly taken preparations are:

1. diastolic preparations – based on papaverine, drotaverine, hyoscine;
2. painkillers – paracetamol, pylargine or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – ibuprofen, ketoprofen;
3. opioid preparations – recommended for relieving very severe pain that does not respond to standard treatment (usually tramadol, pethidine, morphine).

It is also worth supporting yourself with herbs that have a beneficial effect on the urinary system. We recommend FOR KIDNEYS – a herbal and fruit tea that increases diuresis and helps to detoxify the body.

A warm hot water bottle should be placed on the aching side of the abdomen. It is good to walk around to induce expulsion of stones. It should be remembered that the excretion of kidney stones is a very painful activity and it is worth going to the doctor beforehand. Patients who, despite the use of conservative treatment, still have symptoms of renal colic, and additionally experienced high temperature, vomiting, oliguria or anuria – should be treated as soon as possible. go to the urological emergency room. This also applies to pregnant women and patients with one kidney.

How To Treat Renal Colic?

If the pain in the renal colic cannot be controlled, it may be necessary to remove the plaque or to drain the urine over the obstruction (by inserting a special catheter into the urinary tract during cystoscopy, a so-called JJ catheter, or by performing a percutaneous renal fistula.

Removal of kidney stones

The decision to remove kidney stones is made when they are larger than 6 millimeters in diameter. The treatment is also considered in the case of smaller stones, when the patient complains of constant pain and frequent urinary tract infections. People with one kidney and those at risk of sepsis or pyonephrosis are also eligible for surgery.

The method of removing stones depends on the size of the deposits, their shape and location. It could be:

1. ureteroscopic lithotripsy – stones are removed from the lower ureter using a special endoscope inserted through the urethra and bladder (directly into the ureter);
2. extracorporeal lithotripsy – this is a method characterized by breaking stones with special shock waves generated outside the body. These waves may be electromagnetic or piezoelectric; this method is performed under short general anesthesia. It should not be performed in pregnant women, people taking anticoagulants or people with coagulation disorders;
3. percutaneous lithotripsy – stones are removed from the upper part of the ureter with the use of an endoscope, which is inserted into the calicopelvic system;
4. surgical removal of stones – it is rarely performed, in exceptional cases the entire kidney may be removed, e.g. in the case of its damage.

Renal colic – prevention

The first thing you need to do is to treat the conditions that cause kidney stones. However, non-specific preventive methods are:

1. proper hydration (you should consume at least 2 liters of fluid a day);
2. restriction in the diet of table salt;
3. restriction in the diet of products containing substances that form deposits; reduction of animal protein, purine compounds and oxalates;
4. physical activity.

Monitor the condition of your kidneys. Perform the diagnostic tests in the Kidney Diagnostics – Blood and Urine Tests package. You will test creatinine, uric acid, urea, urine albumin and creatinine index, and perform urinalysis.