Kidney stones: symptoms, causes and cure

The kidney is a vital organ filtering out wastes and excess fluid from your body and excreted as urine. Your kidney’s functional efficiency is often marred by lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and Kidney Stones, which are tiny crystalline “pebbles”. Though initially painless, Kidney Stones may cause high levels of discomfort when it is not flushed out through urine. Severe pain in the flank accompanied by other symptoms signal their presence for medical attention and Kidney Stone Treatment.

What causes Kidney Stones?

Several factors are associated with Kidney Stone formation.

• Fluid Intake: Inadequate fluid intake is the primary cause of Kidney Stones. Not drinking enough water raises urine’s acidity and helps crystallization.
• Dietary Habits: The food you take has a direct impact on stone formation. Foods rich in Protein, Sodium and Oxalate can increase the risk of stone formation.
• Obesity: You are at higher risk if you are overweight. The resultant insulin resistance and increased urine calcium can cause Kidney Stones.
• Medical Conditions: Some diseases like Gout and Crohn’s Disease are known to trigger Kidney Stone formation.

Cure and Kidney Stone Treatment:

Drink eight to ten glasses of water daily to prevent Kidney Stone formation. Even after that, if you face any or all the symptoms already mentioned, you must seek professional medical advice. Your doctor will prescribe a series of diagnostic tests to identify your condition and the stone size to decide on the treatment course.

Your doctor may advise any of the following Kidney Stone treatments depending on the diagnostic investigation reports and clinical findings.

• Medicines: If the doctor finds that the stone is small and can pass out on its own, medication like NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), Alpha Blockers to help pass the stones and sufficient fluid intake are advised.
• Lithotripsy: Shock waves are used to break the stone into small pieces to excrete on their own.
• Microsurgery: The doctor will remove the stone or place a small flexible tube in the Ureter until the stones pass.

Cost of Kidney Stone treatment:

The elaborate procedure of visiting your doctor, going through the prescribed tests is long-drawn and expensive. It can put you down by anything from a few thousand rupees to a few Lacs, depending on the stone’s nature, location and recommended treatment. Even after you have undergone Kidney Stone treatment, you are vulnerable to suffer from it again in the long run. It is assessed that you carry a 50% higher risk to develop Kidney stone again within about five to seven years.

A Health Insurance Cover that covers kidney stones treatment is an alternative to pay for the involved costs, and secure you from future medical contingencies. Your choice of a suitable health insurance policy will depend on several factors such as the following:

• Level of coverage: Most health insurance policies cover total hospital expenses, pre and post-hospitalization expenses for doctor’s consultation, diagnostic tests, and medication
• Waiting period before the condition is covered

Why SANA.Insure?

The best option for you is at the SANA.Insure portal, where we will assist you through the complexities to zero in on the best-suited health insurance policy. Check out our varied services in a user-friendly environment for every health insurance policy related solution. We are open for a WhatsApp chat at 82782718178 and a call at 1800 202 8118 for an Expert’s advice at Sana. Insure.

Wish you a healthy and happy life!