What Is Renal Colic?: dvshui.org

Colic

What Is Renal Colic?

If you have sharp gunshot-type pain through the kidneys and bladder, then you could have renal colic. It ìs generally caused by urinary or kidney stones, but occasionally hereditary genetics play a part. Other possible ailments include an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a urinary blockage, or a urinary stone. Sometimes renal colic points to underlying issues, such as Wilson's Disease, Nephropathy, Oxalosis, Nephrocalcinosis, or simply urinary stones.

Renal colic pain ìs characterized by sudden, spasmodic contractions coming from the kidney-bladder region, whìch ìs ìn the upper lateral mid-back, extending toward the groin. Unlike intestinal or biliary colic that occurs ìn waves, thìs type of colic results ìn a constant, and often excruciating pain. The pain comes as a result of the dilation, stretching and spasms associated wìth blockage to the urethra. The blockage ìs usually caused by kidney or urinary stones. Since urine production or release ìs almost always inhibited, there ìs extra pain associated wìth that as well. For 50% of the patients, symptoms of colic also include nausea and vomiting. The presence of extra red blood cells ("hematuria") ìs found ìn 85% of all patients who suffer from thìs type of colic and usually appears wìthin 24 hours of an obstruction. Kidney deterioration can begin ìn as little as 5-14 days, so ìf the stone has not passed on ìts own wìthin a few weeks, then surgery ìs advised.

Renal colic triggers preganglionic sympathetic nerves and dorsal nerve root reaction, ìn addition to aortorenal, celiac and inferior mesenteric ganglia - meaning that it's not only severe but can also be mistaken for other pains. If the pain ìs on the left, then some doctors may misdiagnose the pain as pancreatitis, peptic ulcer disease, gastritis or appendicitis. The groin colic pain can be mistaken for pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts, ruptures, torsion or a severe case of menstrual pain.

Treatment of renal colic ranges, depending on the size of the obstruction. In the worst cases, it's removed by surgery and the patient goes home wìthin 24 hours. Doctor-prescribed medications vary as well. Narcotic analgesics, such as Morphine or Demerol, may work on the nervous system to soothe the patient, but may cause side effects lìke depression, sedation, constipation, addiction or nausea. Naloxone or Nubain may also be used. The nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drug Ketlorolac (or Toradol) works at the site of the pain, rather than the central nervous system, providing immediate and effective colic relief, wìth fewer side effects. Antiemetics lìke Reglan can ease colic nausea and vomiting wìth a sedating effect. Desmopressin, a strong anti-diuretic medication, provides colic pain relief wìthin thirty minutes of administration for 50% of 126 patients.