Renal colic is a typical manifestation of urolithiasis, the most common kidney disease. Approximately 70-75% of patients in urological hospitals are hospitalized with this diagnosis.
In fact, we are talking about several diseases that have different origins and unequal development paths, but are united by one manifestation - renal colic. We received the first descriptions of this disease from Hippocrates, but so far scientists have not been able to solve the riddle: why are certain particles formed that do not obey the general movement of urine, but immediately grow from a crystal to a clinically significant size?
An answer to this question might have solved this problem, but today we can only state the steady growth of this disease. Moreover, if earlier it affected mainly mature people, now it is often diagnosed even in twenty-year-olds.
Sharp pain, so characteristic of this disease, is not caused by "scratching" of the calculus that has set in motion, as many people think. The mechanism of its occurrence is associated with a violation of the outflow of urine as a result of tissue edema andvenous congestion. The swollen tissue of the kidney puts pressure on the fibrous capsule, which has a lot of pain receptors, which causes such a sharp syndrome.
Obstruction of the outflow can be caused by the passage of a stone, small stones (in the form of sand), a blood clot, mucus or pus. The cause can also be a tumor process, and even inflammation that has arisen in neighboring organs: all this can be a prerequisite for squeezing the ureter. And yet, the most common cause is precisely the blockage of the urinary tract with a stone.
Manifestations of renal colic
Most of the time, it all starts quite unexpectedly, without any warning symptoms. The pain appears from the side of the back, at first unsharp, pulling. However, very soon it begins to build up and gradually moves to the side, and then to the stomach, “sliding” down along the ureter.
Pain can be localized not only in the lower abdomen, it can radiate to the groin or to the genital area, often radiates to the thigh, lower back and hypochondrium. In terms of the intensity of suffering, it is simply "legendary": people rolling on the floor, almost losing consciousness, being on the verge of shock.
No change in body position can reduce heat, reduce these painful sensations, often only narcotic drugs can do this. Acute pain in renal colic causes bloating, muscles spasm, and bowel movements are difficult. A person is ready to take even poison to end this nightmare!
This is really a very unpleasant symptom -renal colic. How to relieve pain? The solution of this issue becomes a mandatory and paramount task. However, this is not the only manifestation of the disease. Patients may experience nausea, vomiting often occurs, and the temperature can sometimes even be very high.
The face turns pale, sweat comes out, the consciousness becomes clouded, the heart rate changes, the pressure rises. Urination is frequent and painful, but may be disturbed up to complete anuria. Usually the duration of an attack of colic does not exceed a day, but there are cases when it lasts for a long time, with periods of remission and subsequent deterioration.
Renal colic: how to relieve pain during an attack?
If we briefly outline the strategy of action, then it will be expressed in three directions:
- Applying heat.
- Analgesics.
- Anspasmodics.
Let's start with heat. It would seem that a hot bath to the waist with water of the maximum temperature that the patient can withstand, a heating pad on the lumbar region or mustard plasters - and the issue is resolved. However, not all so simple. There are a number of factors that must be taken into account.
For example, you can not use a hot bath in case of heart disease or high temperature. This method is also excluded in conditions accompanied by impaired consciousness. In addition, there must be a firm certainty that this is renal colic, and not peritonitis caused by inflammation of the appendix, or something else that does not allow the use of heat.
If the kidneycolic is well established, a hot sitz bath is a very good pain reliever. If there are contraindications to the bath, you can use mustard plasters or a heating pad.
Of painkillers, the most commonly used drugs are "Analgin" or "Baralgin". Any drug given as an injection has a stronger and faster effect than tablets.
However, do not take painkillers for renal colic before seeing a doctor. This can blur the picture and make a correct diagnosis difficult.
Anspasmodics in renal colic are subject to the same requirement. If the diagnosis is not in doubt, then taking them will help to expand, relax the walls of the ureter, facilitating the flow of urine and thereby improving the patient's condition. Usually, No-shpa is well suited for this purpose, and you need to take a large dose of medicine - up to four tablets.
There are times when all these remedies fail to relieve the pain. In this situation, a doctor who has narcotic drugs in his arsenal, for example, the drug Promedol, can help. For a person experiencing renal colic, how to relieve pain is the main issue, but you still need to start with an accurate diagnosis.
Examinations to clarify the diagnosis
The symptoms of colic can resemble an "acute abdomen". This concept includes a whole group of diseases. In addition to appendicitis, hepatic colic looks similar, acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis must also be ruled out.
Mistake mayalso occur in the presence of peptic ulcers of the duodenum or stomach. Some vascular diseases, intestinal obstruction, not to mention women's ailments, have almost similar symptoms. The symptoms of renal colic in women have their own specifics, so a special section is devoted to this topic.
In addition to the "acute abdomen", a similar picture is given by a herniated disc, sciatica, herpes zoster, or even ordinary intercostal neuralgia. An almost complete coincidence of signs occurs with intestinal obstruction.
Many of these diseases require urgent action. So the task facing the doctor, seeing the patient for the first time, is not at all an easy one. That is why one should never resist the offer to go to the hospital and have a comprehensive examination there. With renal colic, this is an absolute, one hundred percent indication.
In this case, an incorrect diagnosis may well cost a life. For example, the ureter could be completely blocked by a stone. This cannot be determined by external examination, but it may well lead to necrosis of the kidney, its acute failure. You may need to insert a catheter or surgery and drain the organ. It is unlikely that all this can be done without leaving home.
In a hospital environment, a doctor can prescribe a variety of examinations as needed, as well as provide the right assistance for renal colic. However, first of all, they usually do general tests, while clarifying the biochemistry of the blood and, of course, an ultrasound of the excretory system, and possibly an x-ray.
"Female" specifics of renal colic
The symptoms of colic described above are not sexual, except that sometimes pain in men radiates to the scrotum. For women, pain in the area of the labia is more characteristic. Otherwise, all this is universal.
At the same time, the same symptoms of renal colic in women may indicate completely different diseases that men, by virtue of their nature, cannot have. For successful treatment, it is extremely important to make a clear differentiation when diagnosing a patient in order to exclude the following causes:
- fallopian tube rupture;
- ovarian apoplexy;
- tubal abortion;
- ectopic pregnancy;
- torsion of the ovarian pedicle.
All of these conditions can cause blockage of the ureter and create the typical picture of colic. In this case, warning signs can be:
- cold sweat;
- pallor;
- low pressure;
- tachycardia;
- dizziness.
Renal colic in women during pregnancy is especially difficult to treat. By itself, this condition does not create conditions for the development of urolithiasis, however, it is during this period that exacerbations of all chronic diseases very often occur.
Especially this applies to the kidneys, which are especially actively involved in the process of creating a new life and are forced to work with a vengeance. The manifestations of the disease arecommon, but the arsenal of pain relief tools is seriously limited.
Firstly, hot baths are excluded, as well as other thermal procedures on the kidney area - this can lead to premature birth. For obvious reasons, narcotic painkillers for renal colic are also not applicable in this case.
At the same time, prolonged intense pain in itself can provoke a premature onset of labor activity, so the only right way out is to immediately consult a doctor. In the most extreme case, it is possible to take antispasmodics: drugs "No-shpa", "Papaverine" or "Baralgin", you can in the form of injections.
What is the first thing to do with renal colic?
Of course, relieve pain, save a person from nightmarish torment. This is the first thought that may come to mind, but it is not the best. First aid for renal colic should be provided by a doctor.
Moreover, before his arrival, it is advisable to refrain from any attempt at home treatment in order to avoid complications and keep all symptoms in a pronounced form, without interfering with the correct diagnosis.
This is especially important in complicated cases: colic of one remaining kidney, old age, bilateral attack, poor general condition, heart disease, etc. What to do if the doctor is unavailable for some reason? How to alleviate renal colic in this case? In principle, the main methods have already been described.
It is only important to add that in cases wherewhen there is doubt about the true causes of pain, the use of antispasmodics would be the least dangerous, but if there is no doubt, you can use a heating pad, bath, analgesics. Some experts also recommend adding half a tablet of Nitroglycerin under the tongue.
Novocaine blockade, acupuncture, electropuncture, physiotherapy are also used to stop an attack in a hospital setting. If all measures do not bring the desired result, urine output will be restored using a catheter. It is also possible to pre-destruct the stone with the help of special equipment.
It is in a hospital that it is easier and more logical to undergo a thorough examination in urology after the attack has been eliminated. In any case, it is necessary to remember the serious danger of self-treatment in the presence of such a formidable symptom as renal colic. How to relieve pain, how many and what examinations to do, how to treat - all this should be decided only by a doctor.
Renal colic. ICD-10
Today in Russia, at the level of the Ministry of He alth, a standard for the treatment of this disease has been approved. This is a step-by-step developed system, in accordance with which assistance is provided to patients with similar symptoms. A system was created based on the data of the International Classification of Diseases of the Tenth Revision. It provides all methods of diagnosis and treatment of diseases. According to the ICD, renal colic is coded N23.
How to eat with renal colic
After removing the pain syndrome, graduallynausea disappears, and the patient returns to the ability to eat. It is important to understand that a diet for renal colic is very important for a quick recovery. Specific product recommendations can only be given by a doctor, as he knows the chemical composition of the stones. As for the general recommendations, they are:
- meals are frequent, fractional, portions are small;
- do not overeat, especially at night;
- exclude spicy, fried, smoked, canned foods;
- do not expose food to prolonged heat treatment;
- better to steam or boil, you can bake.
Diet for renal colic is relevant during illness. As the kidneys work again, the range of products should be expanded, while being guided by recommendations for a he althy and balanced diet.
And this means that, firstly, there should be enough products to provide all the needs of the body, but not too much.
Secondly, food should be varied, with the obligatory inclusion of "live" foods: vitamins, minerals, fiber.
Third, moderation in the consumption of tasty, but not he althy foods.
And finally, the most important thing: to provide the body with a large amount of truly pure water without any impurities. Many believe that compliance with this condition alone can completely heal the body.
Folk treatments
Help with renal colic is offered to us by numerous folkhealers. Although they, first of all, are advised to consult a doctor. But in the process of waiting, you can attach a cabbage leaf to your lower back or drink an infusion of birch buds.
Horsetail has proven itself well, and knotweed helps with such an ailment. For colic, a decoction is prepared from a mixture of centaury and sage, it is even better to add chamomile there. You can drink such a drug for a long time, up to two months. But horsetail can not only be drunk, but also added to the bath.
Hot potato compresses or oatmeal broth are also suitable. In general, there are many recipes. If you add diet to all this, success is guaranteed. But on one condition: please call a doctor!
Well, seriously, folk methods are unlikely to compete with modern medicine in the treatment of the acute phase of the disease. But now you have been relieved of a pain attack, had an examination, given recommendations on nutrition, and prescribed medication. Now we need to work hard to cleanse our kidneys of unnecessary "trash", dissolve and expel everything that should not be there. At this stage, the experience of traditional medicine is simply irreplaceable.
It is the centuries-old polished collections of herbs and medicinal plants that will help to completely say goodbye to the disease, and at the same time restore the disturbed metabolism. The best thing is to find an experienced herbalist and, with patience, carry out the course of treatment to the end, as expected.
And after that, be sure to undergo a re-examination and compare the results. What can you do? In this world, nothing is given to us without difficulty, but he alth is worth it!
How notallow renal colic
The formation of stones is often provoked by diseases of the endocrine glands. Also, an excess of vitamin D in the body or a lack of A contributes to the deposition of s alts. Diseases of the digestive system also play an important role in this process. Nutrition for renal colic, or rather, the principles of such nutrition, should be applied after recovery in order to prevent the recurrence of the disease.
Restriction of human mobility is also a risk factor. The hot climate creates conditions for dehydration and, accordingly, an increase in the concentration of urine. Even the frequent use of mineral water becomes a source of introduction of s alts into the excretory system. Drinking pure water every day, and in large quantities, but in small portions, can play a decisive role in defeating the disease.
Sanatoriums and resorts for urolithiasis
Many have heard about how well spas with mineral water help to recover from kidney disease. However, each water acts only on a certain type of stones. In the presence of phosphates, you can go where there are acidic mineral waters:
- Truskavets.
- Kislovodsk.
- Zheleznovodsk.
If you have urates in your urine, then you need alkaline water:
- Borjomi.
- Zheleznovodsk.
- Truskavets.
- Essentuki.
Recommended for oxalate stones:
- Pyatigorsk.
- Essentuki.
- Zheleznovodsk.
