Bladder stones are urinary stones that can form mostly in the urinary bladder, ureter or kidney. Typical signs are often disturbances in urination, blood in the urine or pain when urinating. Bladder stones should in any case be examined and treated by a specialist.
What are bladder stones?
Schematic diagram showing the anatomy and structure of the urinary bladder. Click to enlarge. Bladder stones form from salts that crystallize in the bladder less often than in the renal pelvis. Most often, bladder stones consist of calcium phosphate, calcium oxalate, or uric acid. These are substances formed from water-insoluble compounds. Bladder stones are of different sizes. In some cases, bladder stones are very small and are called kidney gravel. Then there are bladder stones that fill the entire renal pelvis. Women are less prone to bladder stones than men. If the bladder stones move from the kidney to the ureter, sufferers may experience incarceration. Cramping or sharp stabbing pain (renal colic) occurs suddenly in the bladder-lumbar area. Some of those affected also complain of a strong urge to urinate, vomiting, chills or blood in the urine during the colic. Very often, the bladder stones are flushed out in the process. If the bladder stones are too large and cannot migrate, chronic renal pelvic stones develop. Very often, renal pelvic stones cause little discomfort. Only through the constant irritation of the kidney mucosa, it can lead to chronic renal pelvic inflammation in those affected. Chronic renal pelvic inflammation in the long run is the cause of shrunken kidney.
Causes
Common causes of bladder stones are disorders in uric acid metabolism, calcium metabolism, and other medical conditions that obstruct urine flow and lead to urine concentration. Insufficient fluid intake, stress, mental stress and a salty diet are other risk factors.
- Too little fluid intake
- Chronic urinary tract infections
- Disturbances in calcium metabolism
- Other pathologies by which urinary flow is obstructed and leads to urine concentration.
Symptoms, complaints and signs
Bladder stones do not necessarily cause discomfort, it depends on the location and size. In some people, they cause no discomfort. If a stone is in the bladder, it can usually pass through the urethra without any problems. It becomes difficult if there is a blockage of the lower outlet of the bladder towards the urethra. If a larger stone is stuck there, the urine can back up and only a small amount of water may be passed. Despite urination, patients continue to feel the need to urinate and have to visit the toilet frequently. Strong, colicky pain in the lower abdomen is characteristic of bladder stones. This is caused by irritation of the mucous membrane by sharp-edged bladder stones. Urination itself can also be very painful because the urine cannot drain properly. Urinary retention can go all the way to the kidneys. When urine backs up completely, doctors call it urinary retention (ischuria). Many patients with bladder stones are restless inside looking for a pain-free position because of the severe pain. The pain attacks can be so severe that they trigger nausea and vomiting. Affected individuals should see a doctor if bladder stones are suspected, because urinary retention all the way to the kidneys can cause damage to the kidneys.
Course
If the bladder stones travel from the kidney to the ureter, they may become trapped at narrow points in the urinary drainage system. Cramping or severe stabbing pain (renal colic) suddenly occurs in the bladder-lumbar region. Some of those affected also complain of a strong urge to urinate, vomiting, chills or blood in the urine during the colic. Very often, the bladder stones are flushed out in the process. If the bladder stones are too large and cannot migrate, chronic renal pelvic stones develop. As the disease progresses, renal pelvic stones cause little discomfort. Only through the constant irritation of the renal mucosa, it can lead to chronic renal pelvic inflammation. Chronic renal pelvic inflammation in the long term is the cause of a shrunken kidney.Bladder stones can block the outflow of the kidney and urinary retention occurs. The kidney stops functioning and the waste products to be excreted accumulate in the blood instead. The various substances in the blood raise the levels and is called urinary toxicity (uremia).
Complications
Bladder stones usually do not cause any secondary damage. A sharp-edged stone is capable of injuring the urethra. The subsequent scarring can lead to chronic discomfort during urination. If urinary stones leave the kidneys via the draining urinary tract, there is a risk that they will get stuck in the ureters, at the outlet of the bladder or in the urethra. This causes sharp, cramping pain (colic) in the lumbar region that often radiates to the lower abdomen and to the unaffected side of the body. Severe, acute colic is always a medical emergency and requires immediate medical attention. If bladder stones are stuck in one of the ureters, the outflow of urine is obstructed. Urinary retention causes the renal pelvis to dilate and may become inflamed. Symptoms of severe, acute renal pelvic inflammation include primarily fever and chills. A life-threatening complication is blood poisoning (sepsis) in rare cases. If bladder stones are stuck in one of the ureters, the outflow of urine is obstructed. Urinary retention causes the renal pelvis to dilate and may become inflamed. Symptoms of severe, acute renal pelvic inflammation include primarily fever and chills. If bladder stones are surgically removed, there are additional surgical risks.
When should you see a doctor?
Problems with urination require immediate and comprehensive medical clarification in any case. In case of a concrete suspicion of bladder stones, one should immediately go to the family doctor. In particular, symptoms such as frequent urination, unusually small amounts of urine or pain and cramps during urination should be clarified immediately. In particular, the so-called stakkatomiktion, in which the urine stream repeatedly breaks off during urination, requires medical clarification. A visit to the hospital is recommended if blood is detected in the urine or if there are bladder spasms with severe, contraction-like pain. The above-mentioned complaints do not go away by themselves, but even increase in the course of the disease. A doctor must be consulted at the latest when severe pain and an increasing feeling of illness are noticed. Patients with osteoporosis, thyroid disorders or existing urinary tract infections belong to the risk groups and should discuss such complaints with their family doctor immediately in order to avoid further complications. Other contacts are the urologist or the gynecologist.
Treatment and therapy
It is advisable to have bladder stones treated only by a physician. The doctor can determine the size of the bladder stones and the location of the bladder stones through various examinations. Affected individuals are usually prescribed a combination therapy consisting of antispasmodic, analgesic and flushing medications, increased fluid intake, heat and plenty of exercise. Sometimes the bladder stones can be dissolved with medication. If the bladder stones are conveniently located, they are removed with a medical snare. The doctor smashes larger bladder stones in shock wave treatment (ultrasound). In some cases, surgical intervention to remove the bladder stones is unavoidable. Afterwards, the removed bladder stones are analyzed in the laboratory for their composition and it is determined from which salts the bladder stones were formed. The following home remedies have proven to be an alternative form of therapy for the removal of bladder stones:
- Saltless, vegetarian diet (spicy foods and a diet rich in meat produce sharp urine! It comes to bladder irritation).
- No cold drinks
- No coffee or alcoholic beverages
To reduce and relieve pain from possible inflammation, sufferers can apply hot flaxseed and hay flower packs in the bladder-lumbar area. Inflammation foci can be directly addressed by the affected person with massages three to four times a day in the bladder-lumbar area. Here, the affected person can use natural massage oil or a few drops of tea tree oil.Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect of apple cider vinegar in the kidney-bladder area. The acid-base ratio is regulated in the urine. Apple cider vinegar stimulates the metabolism and promotes the elimination of toxins and waste products through the skin. The kidneys are relieved and the performance of the kidneys is increased. To prevent bladder stones from settling, sufferers should drink a lot. Sufferers who have already had bladder stones should avoid substances in their diet that are harmful to them. In general, when bladder stones are diagnosed, the consumption of offal should be avoided. Urinary tract infections and bladder stones must always be treated by doctor.
Outlook and prognosis
In most cases, bladder stones are excreted in urine and do not cause permanent damage to the urinary tract, although they may cause severe discomfort as they pass through the urethra. Sharp-edged bladder stones can injure the urethra or bladder wall, and the scars that form as a result can permanently interfere with urination. Surgical removal of bladder stones is not usually necessary, nor can it guarantee that new ones will not form afterwards. Bladder stones tend to form again and again, especially in people who have had them before. However, the outlook can improve if patients take care in their lifestyle to minimize the risk by eating a balanced diet and getting enough exercise. A diet high in fiber and low in animal proteins is favorable. People with a tendency to stone formation should limit foods with purine and oxalic acid, e.g. meat, especially offal, fish, seafood, spinach, chard, legumes, coffee and black tea, rhubarb. In addition, it is important to flush the urinary tract by drinking plenty of fluids, so that the sedimentation of mineral salts does not promote stone formation. However, even these preventive measures ultimately cannot generally eliminate the risk of stone formation.
Aftercare
Follow-up care is particularly important for urinary tract stones, including bladder stones. If appropriate follow-up measures are not taken, stone recurrence occurs in about 50 percent of cases, and multiple stone recurrences may also develop. One of the most important measures in follow-up care is behavioral adjustment on the part of the patients. They must take targeted action against the causes of urinary stone formation. These include, above all, poor eating habits, insufficient fluid intake, and obesity and lack of exercise. Patients with a BMI of 25 or higher should definitely reduce their body weight first. If this cannot be achieved alone, a nutritionist should be consulted. Weight reduction is also promoted by regular exercise. For patients who do not exercise at all or who exercise as little as possible because they are overweight, a half-hour walk per day or two to three hours of water gymnastics per week often show initial success. The reduction diet should also be combined with a change in diet and the regular consumption of large amounts of animal fat should be avoided. Regular consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, on the other hand, has a positive effect on general well-being and aids digestion. In addition to dietary changes, many patients also need to increase their fluid intake. The amount of urine regularly excreted per day should be at least two liters.
What you can do yourself
For first aid in bladder stones, urine should be diluted by drinking at least 2.5 liters of water or unsweetened tea to force and facilitate excretion. To prevent cystine stones, the amount of drinking should be as much as three liters. One liter of this should be drunk at night. A drink of fresh couch grass doused with hot water helps to flush out the bladder stones better. Two cups of corn, rosemary or fennel tea daily will help with drainage. Among the proven home remedies is also a course of elderberry juice. Daily 50 ml should be drunk. In principle, the diet should be low in calcium, as this also means that little oxalate is absorbed. Foods that are better not eaten constantly for this reason include, for example, rhubarb, beets, chard and spinach, as well as nuts, cola, black tea and coffee. Foods with low oxalate content include cherries, apricots and pears.Salad as well as raspberries and apples can be moderately incorporated into the diet. Rice is also recommended as it has a strong dehydrating effect.