Bladder stones are small mineral masses that develop in the bladder, usually when the urine becomes concentrated. Urolithiasis refers to stones in any part of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, bladder or urethra. The stones can be called calculi. Spinal cord injuries that result in urinary incontinence an enlarged prostate, or recurring urinary tract infections are common causes of concentrated and stagnant urine. If urine remains too long in the bladder, urine chemicals start clumping together, forming crystals which grow and eventually develop into bladder stones. Bladder stones used to be much more common in the UK, USA and other developed countries, when peoples diets lacked a good balance of carbohydrate and proteins. Today, however, most patients in industrialized nations with bladder stones have an underlying bladder problem. Sometimes, patients with bladder stones first know about it after tests for other problems reveal them - they may exist without any symptoms. Signs and symptoms of bladder stones may include abdominal pain, pain when urinating, or blood in urine. A tiny bladder stone may pass out of the body on its own. However, larger ones require medical intervention to get them out. Untreated bladder stones can eventually result in infections and complications. Symptoms and signs of bladder stones : Lower abdominal pain Back, buttocks or hip pain, which worsens with physical activity Blood in urine, or the urine may be abnormally dark Getting up during the night from sleep to urinate Intermittent urination (urination stops and starts) Males may experience penile and scrotal pain or discomfort More frequent urination Pain when urinating Some patients may find it hard to start urinating (have to wait for the flow to come) Urinary incontinence (unintentional leaking) Bladder stones may be : So small that they come out during urination So large that they fill the entire bladder Soft Hard Smooth Jagged Spiked A single stone or many of them Risk factors of bladder stones : - Being a child in a developing nation - bladder stones are common in children in developing nations. Mainly because of dehydration and a diet that lacks protein . - Being an elderly male in developed nations - bladder stones occur much more frequently in elderly males, compared to other humans. - Age - people in developed nations aged over 50 years have a higher risk than younger people.. - Bladder outlet obstruction - this term refers to any condition that undermines the flow of urine from the bladder to the urethra, such as an enlarged prostate, cystocele, bladder diverticula, certain medications and narrowing of the urethra. - Nerves that control bladder function - any condition that damages the nerves that control bladder function make the likelihood of bladder stones greater, such as a spinal cord injury. - Recurrent bladder infections - chronic (recurrent, long-term) bladder infections causes inflammation, which may result in the development of bladder stones. - Urinary catheters - these are slender tubes which are inserted through the urethra to the bladder to help drain urine. Urinary catheter use, especially long-term use, can increase the risk of developing bladder stones. - Kidney stones - very small kidney stones can travel down the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder (ureters) and enter the bladder, where they may eventually grow into bladder stones. -Other factors - bladder stones are more likely if a persons diet is high in fat, sugar or salt. A vitmain A and/or vitamin B deficiency may also increase the risk. These other factors are more likely to affect people in developing nations. Causes of bladder stones : By far the most common cause of bladder stones is the bladders inability to empty itself completely. Urine, which is produced in the kidneys, consists of water and waste products which have been removed from blood. Urea, one of the waste products, is made of carbon and nitrogen - (NH2)2CO. Stagnant urine - urine that remains in the bladder because it could not empty itself fully - leads to the clumping together of the chemicals inside urea, eventually resulting in the formation of crystals. Treatment of bladder stones : - Cystolitholapaxy. - Surgery.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 05:40:07 +0000
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