Tag: Blood Test

Do You Know What a Kidney Stone Is

Do you know what a kidney stone is? These are minerals are salts that are found in your urine and when it hardens, it becomes a stone. Most of the time, these are very small that it does not cause any harm but if they get bigger or it builds up, then there is a problem.

Kidney stones do not just stay in the kidney. It can move to other parts of the body. When that happens, you will feel certain symptoms. You could feel pain coming from your back or pelvis, experience spasms, notice bloody, cloudy or smelly urine, feel sick, urinate frequently and have fevers and chills.

It is hard to tell if you have kidney stones because these symptoms also happen when you have UTI or urinary tract infection. Your doctor can only tell which is which after conducting some tests.

The different tests available include blood test, urine analysis, x-rays, ultrasound and non-contrast helical computerized tomography. If initial reports and the results confirm that you have kidney stones, then the proper treatment is administered.

Doctors dont know yet what causes kidney stones. Some believe it is caused by our lifestyle, due to certain medication, post surgery or therapy and in rare cases, a genetic disorder. This happens more often to men that women between the 20 to 40 age group.

If you are diagnosed with a kidney stone, you should know that treatment varies from one patient to the next because this depends on the kind of stone found in your kidney.

There are 4 types of kidney stones namely calcium uric acid, strutvite and cystine. The first 2 are the most common and if the size is less than 4 mm in diameter, you can expel it out of your system by drinking water and some medication.

Should the kidney stone be larger than 8 mm in diameter, this is the only time that surgery may be required.

The doctor may perform one of these procedures which include extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, ureteroscopic stone removal and percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Each procedure is designed to shrink the kidney stone and if one treatment does not work, only then will they try something else. Surgery which has been practiced for so many years is now the last option.

Now that you know what kidney stones, is there a way to stop this from happening? Yes there is and the most effective way is through prevention. You do this by drinking 3 liters of water or 6 to 8 glasses a day, make some changes in your diet like eat and drink products that contain calcium and exercise regularly.

Kidney stones can happen to anyone regardless of age or gender but guys, you should be more careful because you are at greater risk of getting it. If you feel some pain, go and pay your doctor a visit. Dont wait until it gets worse.

If it is a false alarm, then that is good. But if you do have kidney stones, cooperate with the doctor and follow his or her directions. You should also ask if the kidney stones have caused any permanent damage and what are the risks of the procedure if it requires medical intervention. Kidney stones do happen but dont worry because it is after all, treatable.

What Are Kidney Stones

Kidney stones form when minerals or salts which are normally found in the urine become solid. Most of the time, they are too tiny and do not cause any damage to the kidney because the body is able to expel it. But if they build up inside the kidney, then we have a problem.

The problem starts when the stones move out of the kidney and then go to through the ureters which are the little tubes that carry urine from the kidney to the bladder. If it gets stuck here, an infection will occur which may lead to kidney damage.

You will find out if you have a kidney problem when there is pain in one side of your back or on both, you experience spasms, notice bloody, cloudy or smelly urine, you dont not feel well, you urinate frequently and when you have fevers and chills.

The symptoms mentioned are very similar to UTI or urinary tract infection and you will only know what is going on when you have yourself checked by a doctor.

What causes kidney stones is still not known. What doctors know is that this happens often to men than to women.

These individuals fall within the 20 and 40 age group, have a family history of kidney stones, take certain medications such as antacids, diuretics and thyroid medications, have one kidney or one that is abnormally shaped, eat a lot of protein in their diet, often dehydrated, have poor mobility and have had a disease in the small intestine or small intestinal bypass. Although it is treatable, a new one can develop within the next 5 years.

Doctors tell the difference between UTI and kidney stones through a variety of tests. These include blood test, urine analysis, x-rays, ultrasound and non-contrast helical computerized tomography. If initial reports confirm the findings, then treatment is administered.

Treatment for someone who has a kidney stone varies per patient because this depends on the type of stone that is inside the body. If it is nothing serious, the doctor may not even have to do anything except tell you to drink lots of water and stay physically active.

It is going to hurt trying to expel the stones out from your system so this can be identified which is why you may be prescribed a paracetamol or codeine to reduce the pain. It is only when there is an infection that antibiotics will be given and surgery will have to be performed.

Examples of such procedures include extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, ureteroscopic stone removal and percutaneous nephrolithotomy. In simple terms, the doctor may use one machine to break the stones down using shockwaves, by simply pulling it out or using later to cut them into small pieces.

Kidney stone can easily be removed thanks to advances in modern medicine. If you have one or you think that you could have one, it is best to visit your doctor to see what is really the problem and the proper action can be taken.

When it is all over and the kidney stones are removed, it is best to make some lifestyle changes because they could come back and you will have to go through this ordeal all over again. Surely, you wouldnt want that to happen.

Skin And Thyroid-Hormones Released Make You Healthier

When people think about getting healthier skin they do not often think of their thyroid gland. Most people do not realize the connection their thyroid has with their skin and as such will often neglect it. Your thyroid is in charge of a lot of things, most people know it for controlling your metabolism. What most people do not know is that your Skin and Thyroid are linked.

The hormones released by the thyroid gland does more than just regulate your metabolism, they also work to make your skin healthier. A lot of people suffering from hypothyroidism will notice that their skin suffers as well. They will feel dry and coarse and in colder temperatures they will seem itchy and may even notice cracks in their hands and fingers.

These problems are caused because your thyroid gland is not getting enough iodine. Iodine is a chemical that can be found in a variety of sources, such as the soil (and thus plants) and seawater (thus seafood). However in today’s society a lot of natural iodine is stripped from our food, which causes people to get less than they need and leads to hypothyroidism.

If you are concerned about your Skin and Thyroid then you should look into figuring out if hypothyroidism is the cause. There are many symptoms associated with hypothyroidism ranging from fatigue, constipation, weight gain, depression, and anxiety. Your skin looking worse is also a symptom.

If you notice that not only your skin is suffering but you also possess some of the other symptoms, than you may have found the cause. It is important you go and see your doctor to confirm whether or not hypothyroidism is to blame. A simple blood test is all it takes to determine that.

If hypothyroidism is the cause all you will have to worry about is making sure yo get enough iodine. Your doctor will likely prescribe some medication for you to take and may even advise you adjust your diet. That should be all it takes to get your thyroid in working order again.

Once you get your thyroid back under control you can expect to see stark improvement in the way your skin looks and feels. It should become smoother and more natural looking as it starts to receive the hormones it was sorely lacking.

While your thyroid may be to blame for your skin problems, it is not the only thing out there that can rob you of your beauty. There is a variety of other conditions and reasons for why your skin has the problems it does, and so if getting your thyroid back in top shape does not improve your skin, there may be other factors involved.

If that is the case you should look into other ways to get your skin looking it’s best and try to find the cause behind it. Your Skin and Thyroid are both important and critically linked, so even if your skin does not clear up at least you found out your thyroid was out of whack and fixed it.

Hormones And Thyroid-Active Or Under Active

Hormones and Thyroid are what control your metabolism and help keep your body running efficiency. If your thyroid is not operating as it should, this can lead to a host of problems. The two main issues with your thyroid are hyperthyroidism, where it is over active, and hypothyroidism, where it is under active.

While hyperthyroidism is not as common as hypothyroidism, both conditions stem from iodine. Iodine is a crucial element in thyroid function as it acts as a fuel for your thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism is generally caused when you take in too much iodine and hypothyroidism is generally caused by not getting enough iodine.

A slew of symptoms can occur from both over active and under active thyroid glands. From gaining weight and being unable to shed it to losing too much weight and putting your health at risk. There are also mental symptoms such as depression and anxiety that can be caused by these conditions.

These problems are why it is important to maintain a balanced intake of iodine so that your thyroid can function normally. The problem with this is that most people do not even know whether or not their thyroid is acting up.

All the symptoms caused by your Hormones and Throid gland acting up can also be caused by a variety of other things, which makes it incredibly difficult to determine whether or not your thyroid is to blame. It is actually because of this that most cases of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism go untreated for a long time.

If you think that your thyroid is to blame then it is advised you go to your doctor and ask them to check it out for you. A simple blood test is all it takes to determine whether or not your thyroid is the cause.

While these conditions are pretty mild and easily treated, they are not something you should ignore if you can help it. They can lead to more serious problems down the road if left untreated and there is always the chance that it is something more serious that is causing your thyroid to go out of whack such as cancer.

If it turns out that your thyroid is the cause and you are suffering from hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, do not be all that concerned. As I already said, these are fairly mild conditions and are easily treated. In most cases simply adjusting your intake of iodine can do the trick.

While this is a lifelong problem you will have to live with, it will not have all that much impact on your daily life. Simply taking medication and maybe adjusting your diet is all that is required to get your Hormones and Throid back in working order.

If, in the unlikely event that your thyroid problems stem from something else you might have to take more drastic measures. As always you should talk to your doctor and get all the facts from them. They will tell you what you should do in order to deal with any condition you may be suffering.