Bladder stones - An overview
Bladder stones (bladder calculi) are the cluster of minerals formed in your bladder where the urine is stored until excreted. The minerals form these stones from the urine. They do not cause trouble when they are small in size because they pass out easily. When they develop into hard masses, you may need treatment or surgery, as per your medical practitioner's advice.
If unnoticed bladder stones can get you into serious trouble, you may suffer from infection, bleeding, urinary tract problems and pain while urinating. You may as well suffer from long-term urinary tract problems.
Let us get to know the terms related to bladder stones.
Bladder: The bladder is a hollow muscular organ of your body wherein the waste products (like inorganic salts, creatinine, ammonia, urea and water) extracted from the kidney travels through the narrow tubes called ureters and get stored in the bladder.
Calculi (calculus) is a medical term that denotes the clumps of minerals in your organ or any part of your body. Calculi refer to stones in general.
Gallbladder stones: The gallbladder is a small organ situated beneath your liver. It stores the bile juice, which is secreted by the liver. Bile juice helps in breaking down and absorbing the facts. Gallbladder stones are clumps of hard minerals formed as stones in your gallbladder. There is no clear cause for the gallbladder stones, mostly formed from the excess deposit of fluids in the gallbladder.
Kidney stones: There is a high difference rate in addressing bladder stones and kidney stones. The hard cluster is formed from the salt and minerals inside the kidney. If the stones get passed through the ureters and reach the bladder, they are referred to as bladder stones.
We have an all-in-one health insurance policy for kidney stones, which helps patients get financial support to treat the medical expenses related to the disease. You can be covered for kidney stone treatment, including diagnostic tests, doctor visits, and medications.
What are the expected symptoms of bladder stones?
Your body gives various symptoms for different disorders to indicate the disturbance in normal body functioning mechanisms. Symptoms of bladder stone can be listed as,
- Blood in urine
- Irritation, pain and burning sensation while urinating
- Unbearable pain in the lower abdomen
- Frequent urination
- Change in urine colour
- Interruption or difficulty while urinating
Symptoms may get severe at the chronic stage of bladder stone because of the irritation created by the stone.
What are the causes of bladder stones?
Bladder stones get stuck inside the bladder and later develop into clusters of hard lumps. The lumps also form when the urine stays longer in your bladder, one of the significant causes of bladder stones. Other common causes include:
- Urinary tract infection
- Nerve damage
- Bladder augmentation surgery
- Bladder diverticula
- Bladder inflammation
- Dehydration
- Kidney stones
Cystocele (prolapsed bladder) is a disorder in females. This is the condition where the walls of your bladder become weak and drop down into the vaginal walls, thus causing trouble in urination.
How are bladder stones diagnosed?
You have to undertake the X-ray and CT scan, along with a physical examination by a physician or doctor.
Physical examination: A physical examination will follow the symptoms you mentioned to your doctor. Your doctor will check if your abdomen (belly) is bloated. Then follows the elaborate discussion of your bladder stone symptoms.
Urine test: Your urine sample will be examined to track if you are suffering from any urinary tract infection and review the level of blood, salt and other minerals.
CT scan, X-ray and ultrasound tests: All these tests will aid you in seeing a clear image of the bladder. The ultrasound can detect stones despite their shapes and size.
Cystoscopy: In this process, your doctor will examine your bladder through a cystoscope. A small tube with a camera is sent through the urethra and this proceeds further to the bladder. Through cystoscopy, you can get a clear image of your bladder, which helps examine your bladder and check for stones.
What are the treatment options for curing bladder stones?
If you have the symptoms of bladder stones, consult a Urologist (who treats and diagnoses urinary tract-related problems). If the stones are small in size, you don’t have to fuss about it because they will pass out with urine, causing bearable pain.
The bigger the stone is, the greater the problem. Depending on the size of the problem, your doctor will recommend the apt bladder stone treatment for you.
Cystolitholapaxy: A surgical procedure to treat bladder stones. First, you will be diagnosed by the cystoscopy method to locate the bladder stone. If the size of your stone is possible to break down, the doctor will use a laser or ultrasound to break down the bladder stone into small pieces. Then, the broken stones are washed away with the fluid.
Surgery: A surgery happens when the size of your bladder stone is bigger than the normal size and if it is impossible to be treated by Cystolitholapaxy. Then your doctor will perform surgery by an incision near the pelvis and remove the stones.
How to prevent bladder stones?
Bladder stones can be prevented once the stones are formed, but there are possibilities.
Drinking water: Water helps to dilute the mineral in your bladder. If you take plenty of water, you may avoid the risk of getting bladder stones. Check with your doctor about your intake level of water.
Treating early: Do not overlook the symptoms that your body indicated. Try to check with your consultant and make sure you follow the prescription to avoid the risk.
When should I consult a doctor?
Do not wait until the symptoms get severe. Take the doctor's advice immediately if you feel like having the symptoms of bladder stones. If you overlook your symptoms, it may lead to an increase in the growth of stones in your bladder.
In Conclusion
Every part of the body has its own function, which is essential to lead a healthy and balanced life. Do not restrain yourself from conveying your problems to your doctor; this will worsen your condition. Be outspoken about your symptoms. Only then will you be provided with beneficial treatment that suits your health condition.
Dehydration is a major cause of bladder stones other than a medical condition. Early treatment of your bladder stones relieves you from the symptoms, stops the growth of stones and prevents you from serious health hazards.
FAQ:
Do people with bladder stones also have kidney stones?
Can children get bladder stones?
Can bladder stones cause cancer?
Can you feel a bladder stone come out?
However, because the stones either irritate the bladder wall or obstruct the flow of urine, most people with bladder stones experience symptoms. In some instances, a person with a bladder stone feels the stone passing out.
What happens if bladder stones are left untreated?
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are more likely to happen if bladder stones aren’t treated.
