Bladder Stones
What is it?
Bladder stones form when substances (such as calcium oxalate) in the urine concentrate and coalesce into hard, solid lumps that lodge in the bladder. Often, several stones form at once. Normally, they are fairly small and are excreted in the urine without complications, but sometimes stones become trapped in the neck of the bladder and—as residues in the urine continue to accumulate—grow large enough to cause pain, urinary blockage, or infections, thus requiring surgical intervention. Bladder stones almost exclusively affect middle-aged and older men, but, for unknown reasons, are becoming increasingly rare.
What Causes It?
- Most commonly, stones become problematic when the neck of the bladder is obstructed due to prostate enlargement, a benign growth (adenoma) within the prostate, or abnormal contraction or stricture of the bladder neck. Stones often or iginate elsewhere in the urinary tract (such as the kidneys), or in the bladder itself. Hereditary factors may be involved.
- Other causes include the long-term use of a urinary catheter, chronic urinary tract infections, or a nerve injury that impairs bladder function.
- Mild, chronic dehydration concentrates the urine, which may promote stone formation.
- A diet high in oxalic acid (found in rhubarb, leafy vegetables, and coffee) may lead to stones.
Prevention
- Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
- Get prompt treatment for urinary tract infections.
Diagnosis
- A thorough medical history and physical exam (including a rectal exam) are necessary.
- Urine samples are taken and analyzed.
- Stones can be located with x-rays or ultrasound.
- Cystoscopy (inspection of the inside of the bladder using a scope) confirms the diagnosis.
How to Treat It
- Your doctor may prescribe narcotic analgesics to relieve pain and antibiotics to treat an infection.
- Smaller stones can be removed through a cystoscope, a tube inserted through the urethra that allows the doctor to view the stones. The scope can also be outfitted with a device that crushes the stones, after which the fragments are washed away.
- Larger stones can be treated with extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy, which aims concentrated bursts of sound waves that pulverize the stones.
- On rare occasions, very large stones may require surgical removal (suprapubic lithotomy).
- The underlying problem (such as prostate enlargement) causing stones to be trapped in the bladder must be identified and treated to prevent recur rence.
When to Call a Doctor
- Call a doctor for symptoms of bladder stones.
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Copyright © 2008 Medletter Associates, LLC
Content excerpted from Johns Hopkins Symptoms and Remedies: The Complete Home Medical Reference.