Right Flank Pain
Right Flank Pain and Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are one of the most common causes of right flank pain. This diagnosis can be both painful and frustrating, because there are no easy cures. Some people find the pain of kidney stones unbearable and cannot go about their daily routine when they are experiencing the severe right flank pain and other symptoms. Luckily there are a few ways to prevent and treat kidney stones.
Kidney stone pain is often described as the worst pain ever – even from women who have gone through childbirth! Although this is the most common thing we hear about kidney stones, they actually have very few symptoms. Many people do not experience the overwhelming pain, and some do not even know they have kidney stones until they begin to pass out of their body.
Kidney stones are hard, tiny, rock-like masses that are formed in the kidneys and made up of minerals and salts that make up human urine. If a person’s urine becomes too concentrated with these salts and minerals, then stones can form inside the kidneys.
Sometimes these stones will cause no problems whatsoever and can pass out of the kidneys without the person even realizing it. This might give you an idea of how tiny they can be – barely a speck. The problems – and pain – with kidney stones begin when the stones begin to increase in size. The bigger they are, the more difficult it is to get these stones to fit through the urinary tract and pass out of the kidneys.
Bigger kidney stones generally lead to a number of different symptoms, some of which can be quite painful. The most common kidney stone symptoms include:
> Frequent urge to urinate and going more often than usual
> Nausea and/or vomiting, which can be caused by the pain
> Painful urination or blood in the urine
> Severe right flank pain that radiates into the abdomen and groin areas
> Sudden pain that comes on strong and fast
> Waves of pain rather than a constant ache
These are all symptoms that can be treated at home, so a trip to the doctor is not always necessary with kidney stones. Of course, any time illness or pain is prolonged or extreme, medical attention may be in order. The bad thing about kidney stones is that the best way to get over most cases is just by waiting for them to pass – and this can be both uncomfortable and inconvenient. While the stones will usually move out of the body within a day or two, some can last much longer and make the sufferer more than miserable.
Pain killers are the most common medical treatment for kidney stones. Many people with kidney stones can get by using over-the-counter meds to treat the pain. But if the problem goes on for weeks and the pain continues to increase, a doctor visit may be in order. Medical professionals can provide prescription pain killers that are more potent than the over-the-counter brands and usually do a more efficient job of knocking down the pain. Of course, some of these meds also knock you out, so their use should be observed and monitored closely.
Kidney stones are caused by a concentration of substances that are already contained in the human body. The problem happens when these minerals and salts do not get diluted enough. This can be avoided by drinking water and juice – especially cranberry juice – on a regular basis. Always consuming enough liquids will help the body keep things in working order and avoid problems like kidney stones.