URINARY BLADDER STONES
Bladder stones either form inside urinary bladder due to blockage to flow of urine or they drop from kidney. They must be taken care timely as otherwise they can lead to complications.
Causes
- Benign hypertrophy of Prostate as it leads to obstruction of flow of urine.
- Urethral stricture.
- Nerve damage to the nerves that supply urinary bladder. Stroke, spinal cord injuries, Diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, disc herniation etc. can damage nerves that control bladder function.
- Kidney stone can slip into bladder and get stuck inside it.
- Infection and inflammation of bladder.
Symptoms
Some stones may sit silently inside bladder for years (especially if they are smooth surfaced) without causing any symptoms until they become quite large. Spiky or irregular stones may irritate bladder even when they are small and can cause symptoms like-
- Pain in lower abdomen which may be more during passage of urine
- Blood in urine
- Increased frequency of urination
- Difficulty urinating or interrupted urine flow
Diagnosis
- Examination: By doctor expert in this field.
- Urine Test: May show infection, blood cells, crystals etc.
- Ultrasound: It may be able to pick stone lying inside urinary bladder.
- CT scan: May be required in doubtful cases.
- X-ray: May pick up stone if it is radio-dense.
Treatment
- Plenty of liquids may help in pushing out small stones. But in most cases stone may not pass out on its own and require some kind of intervention.
Transurethral removal of stones
Camera is inserted through urethra in bladder and stone is fragmented into smaller pieces using various modalities like lithotripter or laser and fragments are removed through urethra. It does not involve any cut on skin and patient can go home very quickly.
Prevention
- Plenty of fluids
- Healthy diet
- Healthy life style
- Early diagnosis and treatment of any urinary symptoms
