How Smoking can affect 5 Urologic Conditions

Smoking has been a visible reason for a healthy individual to suffer many serious health consequences.  Cardiac and respiratory problems apart, researches have shown that smoking can even create an imbalance in the smooth functioning of your kidneys. Urology Specialists in Bangalore have been seeing an upward trend in Urologic conditions being influenced by smoking.  It is therefore a good idea to educate ourselves on the ill effects of smoking and to highlight that, here are 5 known Urologic conditions that can have an adverse impact due to heavy smoking.

1. Infertility: This is a common problem continued to be faced by couples all over the world.  It is increasingly observed that Smoking can have a serious effect on the ability of women to conceive. It has also been noted that the infertility rate in smokers is two times higher than in non-smokers.  Best Urology Doctors from NU Hospitals, one of the leading care centres for Urologic disorders in Bangalore, have even seen smoking to have adverse effect on In-Vitro Fertilization, the vastly recommended treatment for Infertility, even if one of the partner is a habitual smoker.

2. Kidney Cancer: Urology Specialists in Bangalore have attributed Smoking to be one of the most threatening reasons behind developing Kidney Cancer. Though there are other factors that can contribute to Kidney Cancer like Age, Obesity and generic factors, Smoking has been considered as a critical reason behind patients presenting themselves with high risk Kidney Cancer.

3. Bladder Cancer: one of the common types of cancer increasingly being noted especially in males is Bladder Cancer. Studies indicate that tobacco is the main cause behind the alarming increase in Bladder cancer. Frequent smokers, especially males, possess a 4 to 5 time greater risk to develop bladder cancer than non-smokers.

4. Erectile Dysfunction: One of the successful hospitals in treating complex cases with Erectile Dysfunction is NU Hospitals in Bangalore.  Best Urology doctors of Bangalore who form an expert team at NU Hospitals have attributed smoking cigarrates to be one of the main reasons to face this problem which is due to poor supply of blood to the Penis, the male reproductive organ.

5. Overactive Bladder: This is another common problem which causes conditions like frequent urination and disturbance in sleep. One of the major irritants to an otherwise normally functioning bladder is Smoking

Quitting Smoking can go a long way in helping you de stress yourself from facing any likelihood of developing a urologic disorder. 

5 Steps for Preventing Kidney Stones

 

Kidney stones are characterized by a condition wherein the urine instead of flowing out of the body crystallizes into small masses which then block the urinary tract causing pain and infections thus leading you to requiring Bladder & Renal Stone Treatment. Some of the most prominent symptoms of kidney stones are: 

• Pain areas: in the back or side part of the body
• Pain types: can be severe, sharp, or sudden in the abdomen
• Pain circumstances: can occur during urination
• Gastrointestinal: nausea or vomiting
• Urinary: blood in urine or frequent urination
• Also common: sweating

Since symptoms of kidney stones can sometimes be misleading, it’s advisable to get professional guidance at the earliest from a Top Urologist in Bangalore. Although there’s no particular cause for kidney stones, slight changes in lifestyle can help avoiding it to a certain degree. 

Let’s discuss 5 effective ways of preventing kidney stones: 

• Stay sufficiently hydrated: Excess water helps dilute the elements that are potent of causing stones in the urine. Even some citrus beverages like orange juice and lime cordials help dilute stone formation.
• Increase calcium intake: Reducing calcium intake in the diet can lead to increased levels of oxalate in the urine. In order to prevent oxalate formation, one can take an age-appropriate amount of calcium which your doctor will be able to tell you.
• Regulate sodium intake: Kidney stones are triggered by increased sodium levels in the diet. A low sodium diet helps prevent the development of kidney stones. 
•  Check on the amount of animal protein: Uric acid levels are easily hyped by an increased intake of animal proteins such as seafood, eggs, red meat, etc., In fact, a high-protein diet is seen to bring down citrate levels, the element crucial to preventing kidney stones. Hence, only adequate amounts of meat is recommended for those looking to lead a stone-free lifestyle.  
• Foods can cause stones too: Foods such as spinach, beets, rhubarb, chocolate, tea, and nuts can lead to kidney stones as all these are rich in phosphate and oxalate leading to Bladder & Renal Stone Treatment. 

NU Hospitals offers the best Kidney Stone Treatment for adults and children. Call/visit the website to book your appointment today.

How to Differentiate Between Kidney Pain and Back Pain?

Sometimes, it can become difficult for all of us to identify between kidney pain and back pain. Our kidneys are placed beneath the rib-cage towards the back, and hence, kidney pain may sometimes be easily mistaken for back pain. In this article, we will talk about the symptoms and types of pain so as to make it easier to identify in the initial stages whether you have back pain or kidney pain, which must always be followed up by professional medical guidance. 

Kidney Pain 

Usually, it’s kidney stones or a kidney infection that causes kidney pain. So, look out for these features if you suspect kidney pain: 

Location of the pain: 

Kidney pain would usually occur in the flank area, which is the part on either side of your spine between the hips and the rib-cage’s bottom. 

Pain Analysis:

If it is a sharp pain, it may be kidney stones, while a dull pain would reflect a kidney infection. 

Although it won’t increase with moving around, it would definitely require treatment at the earliest to prevent further damage. 

Pain radiation: 

The pain may sometimes move towards the lower abdomen or the inner thighs and this phenomenon is known as radiation of the pain. 

Kidney Treatment: 

Irrespective of the source or cause of pain, kidney pain will need expert-guided treatment. The doctor may, depending on the issue, prescribe certain procedures such as Kidney stones treatment and kidney infection diagnosis etc., 

Book An Online Video Consultation with our Doctors For Kidney Disease In Bangalore

Associated Symptoms:

• Chills & Fever 
• Vomiting
• Dark urine or cloudy in texture 
• Frequent urination 
• Urinary pain
• Bladder infection 
• Urinary blood 

Back Pain

In terms of findings, back pain is more common than kidney pain. Back pains are a result of minor muscle pulls, bone and nerve injuries pertaining to the back. If you are confused whether the pain you're experiencing is back pain or kidney pain, look out for the features to know it’s the back. 

Location of pain:

Back pain, although can occur in a wide surface area, is usually felt in the lower back or on one of the buttocks. 

Pain Analysis:

A dull ache would mean a minor muscle pull, however, if it’s a sharp, burning sensation it may be revealing a damaged nerve. While muscle pains are known to affect both sides, nerve damage would cause pain in one side along with muscle spasms and weakness. 

For the best Urologist Doctors In Bangalore, you can visit NU Hospitals, Bangalore.

Kidney Stone Removal Without Surgery

Kidney stones are hard crystals of minerals and salts that form by sticking together inside the kidneys. The size of kidney stones can vary from a seed to a pearl or even larger. It can obstruct the urine flow and cause infection, kidney damage or kidney failure.

Treatment for kidney stones

Most kidney stones can be treated without surgery. Kidney stones can pass by itself through the urinary tract but may cause severe pain. The pain caused by a kidney stone may differ in intensity when shifting to a different location.

Kidney stones can be easily melted by medication and therapy until the size of the stones are very large that can't be removed or crushed with other treatments. In this case, surgery might be the only option. Find the best treatment of kidney stones in Bangalore.

Following are some ways to treat kidney stones without surgery:

• Medications

Some specific types of kidney stones like uric acid stones can be dissolved with the help of medications. Medications are used to make stones easy to pass through urine.

• Drink a lot of water

Some kidney stones are formed by an infection because of not drinking enough fluids or water. Drinking plenty of water is one of the best ways to prevent and treat kidney stones. It helps ease the passage or slow the growth of stones in the kidneys.

• Home remedies

Several home remedies are present to cure kidney stones. The purpose of these methods is to dissolve kidney stones in the urine and pass it out from the body.

But it is always recommended to consult with your doctor first as you may be allergic to some ingredients.

Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, pomegranate juice, basil and wheatgrass juice etc contain the ingredients that can help prevent kidney stones.

But remember, if you are noticing symptoms of kidney stones, it is always good to see a urologist before taking any medication or therapy. Your doctor may suggest a kidney stone surgery until and unless kidney stones starts coming down and get stuck in the ureter. Larger kidney stones require immediate removal by kidney surgery or even kidney transplant.

Get kidney function tests regularly as sometimes no symptoms are seen for most of the kidney disease. Choose the best treatment and care for your kidneys in one of India’s leading Nephrology-Urology hospitals.

Contact NU multi specialty hospital Bangalore

Do You Need a Surgery for Removal of Kidney Stones?

Stones usually pass from the kidneys, and finally through the urethra on their own without causing any pain. They develop primarily when you do not feel the urge to urinate often. Both the genders can develop stones in their lifetime- the common age group being 35-60+.

Let us take some of the queries related to removal of kidney stones:

Does one need kidney stone surgery for removal of stone?

This entirely depends on the location, size of the stone and the damage it is causing to our kidneys. A small stone of around the size of 6mm or less, which is in the urinary tube not causing much of swelling of the kidney, can be managed medically. You won’t be requiring surgery but you have to be under medical supervision. On the contrary, larger stones in the ureter causing swelling of the kidney or infection require immediate removal by ureteroscopy and Holmium LASER. Small obstructing stones in the kidney also require removal either by shock waves that is crushing the stones from outside. Though this method is not as effective. Large kidney stones can be removed by a small hole through the skin. This method is called Per Cutaneous Nephro Lithotripsy (PCNL).

Will one get kidney stones again?

There is high probability that one gets the stone again in his life time. Almost 40% patients can develop second stone in their lifetime. Therefore, it’s better if one undergoes a regular check up with the doctor.

Will they damage the kidneys?

Stones which block the kidney, whether they are in kidney or ureter and cause swelling of the kidney can gradually damage the kidney function. Stones can also cause recurrent infection in urinary tract which can further damage the renal function. 

Equipped with matchless technologies and a set of well-learned surgeons making NU Hospitals one of the best to provide kidney stone treatments in Bangalore.

How You Can Prevent Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are solid deposits of crystals, usually made of calcium oxalate, which form in the kidneys, bladder, urethra and the ureter. They can be very painful.

Why do kidney stones form?

• The leading cause of kidney stones is insufficient intake of water.
• The uric acid doesn’t become diluted enough and hence the urine becomes more acidic.
• This acidic environment in the urine can result in formation of kidney stones.
• Excessive concentration of substances like calcium, oxalate and uric acid.
• High amounts of proteins, salt and glucose in the diet.
• Inflammatory bowel diseases and infection in the urinary tract
• Medications such as diuretics, anti-seizure drugs and some antacids can also play a role in formation of kidney stones.

Symptoms of Kidney Stones

In the initial stages, the person does not usually exhibit any symptoms. When the stones move into the ureter, which is the tube connecting the kidney and the bladder, the following symptoms of kidney stones can be observed:

• Severe pain in the lower back and the sides, called renal colic.
• Pain radiating to the groin area
• Blood in the urine (pink, red, or brown urine)
• Pain that occurs in waves and varies in intensity
• Sweating, nausea and vomiting
• Fever and chills
• Frequent and painful urination
• Pain in the testicles or the scrotum in men

Treatment for kidney stones

Kidney stone treatment depends on their size as well as the composition. Small-sized stones can be treated in the following ways:

Drinking water: Adequate consumption of liquids can help flush out the smaller kidney stones out of the system.

Medication: Pain relievers such as ibuprofen, medicines like diuretics and alpha-blocer drugs are also effective.

Stones which are bigger in size can be treated in the following ways:

Lithotripsy: This method employs sound waves to create strong vibrations that can break up large stones into smaller pieces that can be easily removed from the body.

Ureteroscopy: A thin tube is inserted through the urinary tract in order to break up the stones into smaller fragments which are then removed through the tube.

Kidney Stone Surgery: A surgical procedure called percutaneous nephrolithotomy, by which kidney stones are removed through a small incision in the person’s back may be performed if the lithotripsy was unsuccessful.