Is It Kidney Stones?
A sharp, throbbing pain in the back or kidneys may be your first indication that you have kidney stones. A leading cause of trips to the ER, kidney stones can be very debilitating. Over 500,000 people go to the ER each year for kidney stones, and one in ten people will experience them at some point in their lives.1 The physicians at Medco ER in Plano, TX, are here to help you identify and understand the problems associated with a blockage of the ureter caused by kidney stones.
Symptoms2
- Sharp pain in your back, side, abdomen or groin
- Blood in the urine – pink, red or brown
- Urgent and frequent need to urinate
- Painful urination
- Cloudy urine
- Bad smelling urine
- Inability to urinate
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever and chills
Risk Factors
- Obesity
- Under hydration (not enough fluids in diet)
- Lack of calcium
- Too much salt in diet
- Too much sugar or high fructose corn syrup in diet
- Bariatric surgery
- Family history
- Exercise – too much or too little
“If you don’t drink enough water each day or you have a diet high in sugars and salt,” said Medco ER’s Medical Director, Dr. Nasir Khan, “you may increase your risk of kidney stones. If it runs in your family, your first line of defense is drinking plenty of water daily.”
Types of Stones
“Kidney stones are caused by high levels of certain minerals in the urine,” said Dr. Khan. “Normally, they wouldn’t be a problem, but at high levels they start to build up and cause calcification that turns into stones.”
- Calcium oxalate – most common kidney stones formed when you don’t get enough fluids or calcium3
- Uric acid – high levels of purine from some meats and shellfish can cause these kidney stones that often run in families3
- Struvite – less common, these are formed from upper urinary tract infections3
- Cystine – these kidney stones are caused by a rare condition that is passed down in families that can be treated but not cured3
Prevention
Drink plenty of water to keep the color of your urine light or clear. Limit sugar, high fructose corn syrup and salty foods. Eat more fruits and vegetables to lower the acidity of the urine. Lose weight if you are overweight, but avoid high protein diets. Consult a registered dietician for weight loss tips and to understand what foods bind with calcium to cause kidney stones.
Treatment
Treatments may include:1
- Waiting to see if the stone passes on its own
- Shockwaves (lithotripsy) directed at the stone to break it up into tiny pieces
- Ureteroscopy of the ureter which uses a long tube to take out the stone or break it into smaller pieces with a laser
- Percutaneous nephrolithotomy makes a small cut in the back and inserts a viewing tool to locate and remove the kidney stone directly from the kidney
Get Help Fast at Medco ER
When an abdominal X-ray or CT scan, coupled with a urine or blood analysis, can quickly show the presence of kidney stones, you want to go to an ER that has everything available right when you need it. At Medco ER, we’re open 24/7 and have the imaging equipment and rapid results labs to identify and to begin to treat kidney stones.
Plano: 3960 Legacy Drive, Plano, TX 75023 (on the corner of Legacy and Coit Road)
Call us @ 469-747-0370
1 https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/kidneystones
2 https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kidney-stones/symptoms-causes
3https://www.kidneyfund.org/all-about-kidneys/other-kidney-problems/kidney-stones
6 Things You Need to Know About Urinary Tract Infections
A mild twinge may soon bloom into a bout of painful, frequent, bloody and unproductive urination known as a urinary tract infection (UTI). A UTI is a painful condition caused by bacterial growth anywhere in the kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra, although it may also be called a bladder infection or kidney infection if it is located there. At Medco ER & Urgent Care of Plano, TX, we can diagnose and treat a UTI before it becomes too painful.
“Most women and many men will experience at least one UTI during their lifetime,” said Medco ER & Urgent Care’s Medical Director, Dr. Nasir Khan. “Fortunately, it is one of the easiest conditions to diagnose and to treat.”
Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infection
Symptoms can be anywhere from mild to severe. They may or may not include:1
- Pain or burning during urination
- Persistent sensation of needing to urinate without urine present
- Frequent urination of small amounts
- Discolored urine – dark, pink, deep yellow, or brownish
- Cloudy urine
- Strong-smelling urine
- Pelvic pain in women
- Burning pain
- Back pain
- Side pain
- Fever, chills
- Nausea, vomiting
Causes of UTI
A UTI is caused by the presence of bacteria in the urinary tract.2 A common cause is bacteria entering from the rectum to the urethra. Sexual activity may also introduce bacteria that can cause a UTI.
Risk Factors for UTI
You are more likely to develop a UTI if you:3
- Are sexually active
- Are a woman after menopause
- Have a condition that blocks the urethra, such as an enlarged prostate
- Have kidney stones
- Are a woman who has used a diaphragm or spermicides for birth control
- Have diabetes
- Have had a UTI in the past
- Have used a catheter
- Are immunocompromised
Prevention of UTI
While a UTI can be hard to prevent, there are some things you can do to help reduce your risks. For babies and children, make sure they are receiving enough water every day. Teach girls the proper way to wipe – from front to back. For adults, make sure you are also drinking enough water each day. Cranberry juice may be beneficial. Urinating after sexual intercourse may help purge the urethra of bacteria. Change from polyester underwear to cotton and wear loose-fitting, breathable pants. Minimize or eliminate sprays, douches, powders or soaps that may irritate.
Diagnosis of UTI
Your physician at Medco ER will have you give a urine sample for testing. In some cases, a cystoscopy, ultrasound or CT scan may be required if you have been experiencing repeated UTIs.
Treatment for UTI
Treating a UTI is almost always successful with a course of antibiotics. Patients need to take the antibiotics according to the prescription to fully eradicate the infection.
Seek Immediate Medical Treatment
“A urinary tract infection must be treated by a medical professional. At-home remedies never work,” said Dr. Khan. “They may slow the bacterial growth but they won’t fully reverse the infection. It’s not an invasive or difficult treatment, so come to Medco ER right away and get the help you need to get over the UTI.”
If left untreated, a life-threatening condition of widespread infection, called sepsis, may occur. Or, the kidneys may be permanently damaged. If you are experiencing painful urination or have any of the above symptoms, come to Medco ER & Urgent Care right away.
Get help for your UTI at Medco ER & Urgent Care
It doesn’t take long for a UTI to become painful. When you start to notice symptoms of a UTI, come to Medco ER & Urgent Care right away. We’re open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. We will make sure you are seen by a board-certified physician right away. Our in-house rapid results labs can verify diagnosis and you can soon be on your way to feeling like yourself again.
- Plano location:
3960 Legacy Drive, Plano TX 75023 (on the corner of Legacy and Coit Road)
Call us @ 469-392-4000
1 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urinary-tract-infection/symptoms-causes/syc-20353447