Paroxysmal and severe flank pain radiating to the inguinal area. It is caused by the passage of a kidney stone through the ureter.
Symptoms of Renal Colic
The following features are indicative of Renal Colic:
severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs
pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin
pain on urination
experience of passing blood, blood clots, and pieces of the stone
pink, red or brown urine
cloudy or foul-smelling urine
persistent need to urinate
urinating more often than usual
fever and chills if an infection is present
urinating small amounts
nausea
vomiting
It is possible that Renal Colic shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.
Get TabletWise Pro
Thousands of Classes to Help You Become a Better You.
Common Causes of Renal Colic
The following are the most common causes of Renal Colic:
obstruction of the urinary flow by a kidney stone
increased pressure on the urinary tract wall
smooth muscle spasms of the ureter
edema and inflammation near the stone
increase in peristalsis and pressure of the proximal stone
Prevention of Renal Colic
Yes, it may be possible to prevent Renal Colic. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
increase fluid intake to optimize urine
limit sodium intake
increase intake of fruits, vegetables
decrease intake of non dairy animal protein
lower the oxalate intake such as spinach, nuts, chocolate, green leafy vegetables
Occurrence of Renal Colic
Number of Cases
The following are the number of Renal Colic cases seen each year worldwide:
Very common > 10 Million cases
Common Age Group
Renal Colic can occur at any age.
Common Gender
Renal Colic can occur in any gender.
Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Renal Colic
The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Renal Colic:
Blood test: To reveal too much calcium or uric acid in blood
Urine test: To show excretion of many stone forming minerals and few stone preventing substances
Ct scan (Computed Tomography): To reveal kidney stones in urinary tract
Complications of Renal Colic if untreated
Yes, Renal Colic causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Renal Colic is left untreated:
preterm labor and premature rupture of the membrane in case of pregnancy
Procedures for Treatment of Renal Colic
The following procedures are used to treat Renal Colic:
Surgery: To remove the kidney stones
Self-care for Renal Colic
The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Renal Colic:
Increase intake of water: Keeping the urine diluted that lessens the formation of kidney stones
Consume healthy diet: Reduce the amount of oxalates in the diet
intake diet low in salt and animal protein
Alternative Medicine for Treatment of Renal Colic
The following alternate medicine and therapies are known to help in the treatment or management of Renal Colic:
Acupuncture: To manage the pain of renal colic
Patient Support for Treatment of Renal Colic
The following actions may help Renal Colic patients:
Join online support groups:Provides information about disease through education programs
Time for Treatment of Renal Colic
While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Renal Colic to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision: