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Kidney disease is one of the biggest health problems in North America and it affects over approximately 10 million people. There are many deaths that occur each year from kidney disease. Kidney disease can be as common as minor infections of the kidneys all the way to complete kidney failure and the removal of the kidneys. Patients who have kidney disease will also have symptoms of anemia, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, depression, and sexual function disorders. Many patients of kidney disease will have kidney stones which may require a stay in the hospital and involve a great deal of pain.
Over the past years there have been many changes and advances in the diagnosis, treatment, and cure of kidney disease. Patients that have been diagnosed with kidney disease and complete kidney failure are able to lead normal lives due to the effectiveness of new and improved dialysis techniques. There have been major advances and great success in kidney transplants so that patients with kidney disease and complete kidney failure can have a chance at a normal life.
One common part of kidney disease is the formation of kidney stones. Kidney stones occur when chemicals from the urine from crystals that adhere together. These crystals may be very tiny or can grow to be as big as a golf ball. Many of the smaller kidney stones pass through our body through our urine. Kidney stones the size of golf balls need to be removed or reduced since they generally won’t pass through the urine and will often cause problems by stopping urine flow or by irritating the urinary tract lining. Kidney stones can be considered a type of kidney disease. The symptoms of kidney stones include a burning feeling when urinating, nausea, vomiting, a frequent need to urinate, fever and chills, bloody urine, or a complete blocking of the urinary tract. If there is complete blockage you should seek immediate help from your doctor since this could lead to a serious and harmful infection.
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