Not every pain at the side of the stomach should be taken lightly. Some of these pains can be dangerous and unsafe at certain times. Several health problems result in these kinds of suffering, including kidney stones. Kidney stones refer to solid pebbles composed of salt and minerals. These stones can be as tiny as rock particles and as large as gigantic gems. The formation of kidney stones is not very harmful, but they can spread infection across various parts of the body when left untreated.
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Less water intake is one of the significant causes of the development of kidney stones. In addition, consuming foods that are high in salt can increase the likelihood of developing these stones. Some people can easily pass these rock-style structures without any hassle, whereas, in some cases, patients must undergo proper surgeries. Please keep reading to learn about the varying types of kidney stones, their sizes, and their available treatments.
Types Of Kidney Stones
The kind of kidney stone can vary from patient to patient. Thus, it is essential to know their variants to understand their symptoms and ways of treatment.
Calcium Kidney Stone
The most common type of kidney stones are the calcium ones. They mainly contain calcium oxalate, which is obtained from some categories of foods that you consume frequently. If a higher percentage of calcium oxalate is found during the urine test, this indicates the development of calcium stones.
Uric Acid Kidney Stone
These stones are likely to be found in people with relatively high uric acids. Uric acid stones are primarily developed in those people who constantly complain of diarrhea or are diabetic patients.
Struvite Kidney Stone
Struvite stones often develop due to infections in the urinary system, kidney, or bladder. They are made of magnesium ammonium phosphate, and the size of these stones can increase comparatively fast; therefore, it is crucial to get immediate treatments.
Cystine Kidney Stone
Cystine stones are not so popular and are most commonly caused by a condition called Cystinuria. These stones are mainly formed due to genetics. With the help of a kidney stone size chart in mm and treatment, it is easier to identify the type of stone formed in your body.
Sizes Of Kidney Stones
The size of kidney stones ranges from 2 to approximately 10mm. The type of treatments required depends on these sizes of stones.
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2-4mm Kidney Stone
The stones ranging from 2-4mm are small-sized and have approximately 80% chance to pass quickly. It takes a maximum of ten to twelve days to pass this stone. Not such specific treatments are required to remove this stone. Patients must stay hydrated and maintain a healthy diet to overcome this kidney stone.
4-6mm Kidney Stone
The stones ranging from 4-6mm are medium-sized. The possibility of passing these stones is lesser than the small-sized stones, but still, there is a 60% chance that they can pass out easily. Apart from maintaining a healthy diet, a few procedures are carried out to remove these stones.
Ureteroscopy and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy are recommended treatments to remove these kinds of kidney stones. Under these procedures, X-rays and CT scans are conducted to identify the position of the stone so that it can be easily removed.
6-8mm Kidney Stone
Large-sized stones range from 6-8mm and are very harmful. There is significantly less probability that these stones can pass itself. It takes more than 40 days for these stones to pass themselves. In most cases, these stones can be removed only by treatments. Ureteroscopy is carried out for the treatment of these stones. If the stone size exceeds 8mm, then percutaneous nephrolithotomy is the suggested procedure to remove these giant stones.
The 2mm kidney stone size, the 4mm kidney stone size, and the 8mm kidney stone size, and their descriptions are all discussed above. The size of kidney stones and their related information is necessary to know if you are suffering from this health issue. It does not help you identify your problem level; instead, it makes it easier for you and your doctor to begin with the proper procedure directly. Along with maintaining your diet, you should start following the treatments based on your doctor’s prescription.
Signs Of Kidney Stones
The development of kidney stones is not as noticeable until it starts showing its symptoms. Sometimes, these stones are not huge and pass out quickly without surgeries. However, in most situations, people observe the following symptoms that determine the formation of stones in their kidneys.
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- Extreme pain in the back, at the side of the stomach, and under the ribs are significant signs of kidney stones. The intensity of this pain increases when the stone moves into the ureters as the blockage does not allow urine to pass through.
- In some cases, patients can observe severe sickness and fever as well. Body aches and pain can also lead to severe nausea.
- Some patients might observe a change in the colour of their urine. In such extreme cases, it is obligatory to rush to the doctor immediately.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Kidney stones can become a huge issue and affect your health if not diagnosed promptly. The size of the kidney stone is the most significant part of this treatment. The various sizes of the stones impact differently on a body. Several sizes do not cause much harm, but a few are extremely dangerous. Some commonly asked questions related to the size of the stone are as follows.
How Big Is a 2mm Kidney Stone?
The 2mm kidney stones are generally the smallest, like a tiny particle of sand, and do not require any special treatment for their removal.
How Big Is a 4mm Kidney Stone?
The stones that have a size of 4mm or less are smaller and can usually pass within 25 to 30 days. However, in some cases, surgeries are recommended.
How Big Is An 8mm Kidney Stone?
8mm kidney stones are big-sized stones like a pebble. They can not pass on their own and require proper treatment. Almost every patient in this situation undergoes an operation to remove this stone.
BOTTOM LINE
Everyone must be aware of kidney stones and how painful they can be at times, but the size of these stones is not commonly known by people. The kidney stone size chart in mm and treatment is one of the critical sections that you should be familiar with. Patients can observe different categories of kidney stones, but their sizes majorly help to scan the stones and start with the required treatment accordingly.
The sizes of kidney stones scale from 2 to approximately 10mm. Different sizes require different methods of healing and precautions. You must be very focused if you start observing any related symptoms. Consult your healthcare specialist for your medical treatments and follow the steps recommended to cure rapidly.