Are you experiencing a sharp pain under the ribs? Or having cloudy and foul smelling urine?

These could be signs of kidney problems, specifically kidney stones.

You may want to know what are the early symptoms of kidney stones and how you can recognise them early and take necessary actions.

It is essential for you to be able to identify these signs so that you do not ignore them and reach out for clinical help.

Early detection of kidney stones makes your treatment journey easy.

In this blog, Mykare Health will help you understand what kidney stones are, what are the early signs of kidney stones, and how to recognise them. So that, there isn’t any delay in diagnosing and treating them.

Do You Know What Kidney Stones Are?

Before diving into the symptoms, let us tell you what kidney stones are. In the most basic terms, you may assume it as a stone-like deposition of non-dissolvable minerals in your kidney.

In more medical or anatomical terms, they are known as renal calculi. They are the deposition of hard minerals inside the pathway of the urinary tract.

The deposition of these hard minerals can affect any of the parts of the urinary tract, between kidney to bladder. But in an indirect manner they also affect the normal functioning of the body.

Causes of Kidney Stones

One of the major reasons for kidney stones is your diet or the kind of food you consume.

If you consume soda drinks or drinks which contain sugar, chances for kidney stones are high. Soda contains unhealthy chemicals which is a threat to your body, specifically your urinary tract system.

Increased calcium intake, over consumption of processed foods, drinking too little water, obesity, and exercising too much or too little can also cause kidney stones.

How Can You Recognise Them?

Wondering how you can recognise kidney stones? What are the symptoms of kidney stones? How can you understand if it is regular back pain or kidney pain? We will answer them one by one.

There are several early signs to recognise them but these stones mostly become symptomatic once they are considerably big. The smaller ones are not recognisable without proper medical instruments.

They are not recognisable because usually the deposition of these hard minerals are removed by kidneys. They are usually small in size, so small that they can pass through the urinary tract without much pain.

So we are going to tell you 4 early warning signs of kidney stones once they become considerably bigger in size. These are:

• Pain in the back: This is one of the major signs that you should consider and report to the doctor as soon as possible. This type of pain, which is associated with kidney stones, usually occurs near the rib area in the back.

For a better understanding, these stones affect the area of your back where the ribs end. The pain occurs with fluctuating intensity. Sometimes it could be highly severe and sometimes it would be moderate. But the pain is not tolerable.

• Cloudy or foul smelling urine: While you may ignore the back pain, assuming it to be some sort of cramps or sprains in the back, this symptom is a clear indication that you may be having kidney stones. One of the most common early signs of kidney stones, cloudy or foul smelling urine occurs when there’s kidney stones and they are considerably bigger in size. Most people tend to identify kidney stones through this sign and seek medical advice.

Healthy urine is colourless and without any strong odour. Basically the strong odour comes from the bacteria that are leading to infection (Urinary Tract Infections). If your urine has a foul smell, you should consult the doctor as soon as possible.

• Much frequent urine calls: While this type of symptoms are not very recognisable by most people, it is important to identify your daily urine frequency and the timing between urination. If they are getting shorter, then it is something that you should give some attention to.

Frequent urinations could be because of the amount of water you are drinking. If you drink more water, you may get frequent urine calls. But if your urine calls are frequent even without drinking excessive water, then it needs some medical advice.

• Pain or burning sensation during urination: This is one of the most common early signs, and this could even be the indication of smaller kidney stones. While the stones are passing through the urinary tract, this severe sensation of pain or burning occurs.

You shouldn’t ignore these pains or burning sensations as they are the calls to have medical consultation or checkup. This symptom can save you from an eventual severe kidney stone problem.

These are some basic signs that you can experience if you have kidney stones. You must get in touch with a doctor as soon as possible, in case you go through any of these signs. Because, early detection and prompt initiation of treatment can make your treatment journey hassle free.

What Should You Do If You Have Any Recognisable Symptoms?

• If you are reading this and you recognise any of the symptoms, then you must surely book a medical consultation with your doctor immediately.

• Recognising these symptoms as early as possible would be best for you. Once you identify these signs, the best option would be to consult a doctor on a regular basis.

• Start hydrating yourself enough!

• And try some home remedies to cure things at your level.

• And rest yourself, so that your body can help in the recovery. Sound sleep is essential to tackle the issue.

Kidney stones are very much treatable. But early identification and prevention of delay in initiating the treatment can save you from the excruciating kidney stones induced pain.

So, make sure to recognise the early symptoms and take immediate action for healthy kidneys.