Treatment of renal colic at home and in hospital. What to do at home for renal colic? A hot bath is indicated for renal colic

Many people experience the appearance of kidney stones and sand. These formations periodically come out, which provokes severe pain.

This condition is commonly called urolithiasis. It occurs quite often in men and women, so treating renal colic at home is a very pressing issue.

The essence of pathology

Renal colic is commonly called acute pain attacks in the lumbar region. The ICD-10 code is N23. Renal colic, unspecified.

This condition may be the result of a sudden disruption of the outflow of urine from the kidney or a circulatory disorder in the organ.

Sometimes pain occurs due to excessive stretching of the renal pelvis. This condition is associated with a violation of the outflow of urine, which creates increased pressure. People with renal colic need emergency help.

Symptoms

Pain syndrome with renal colic usually appears suddenly and is localized in the lumbar or hypochondrium. It persists both during movement and at rest.

Exacerbation of the disease can be caused by blows to the lower back, prolonged walking, or lifting heavy objects.

Painful sensations with this disorder have certain characteristics:

• discomfort is localized in the lumbar region - most often on a certain side;
• the pain is intense, cramping in nature;
• unpleasant sensations are felt constantly and increase during urination;
• the pain radiates to the genitals, groin area, thigh and rectum.

In addition to discomfort, the following signs may appear:

• bloating;
• increase in temperature;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• a feeling of fullness of the bladder - this is due to the accumulation of urine and a violation of its excretion;
• false urge to have a bowel movement;
• bloody impurities in the urine.

Severe pain syndrome can provoke a state of shock and even fainting. At the same time, the person’s skin turns pale, cold sweat is released, and blood pressure drops. After the attack ends, stones and bloody clots appear in the urine.

Renal colic

Provoking factors

Renal colic occurs due to blockage of the urinary tract and obstruction of the outflow of urine. In most cases, this problem occurs against the background of urolithiasis and is accompanied by the movement of stones.

According to statistics, in 90% of cases the pathology is a consequence of urolithiasis. However, sometimes attacks occur due to other kidney damage:

• acute inflammation of the pelvis– in this case, the paths are blocked by mucous or purulent clots;
• kidney tuberculosis– blockage with a fragment of a caseous focus is observed;
• kidney cancer– paths are blocked by parts of the tumor or blood clots;
• kidney damage– the pathways become clogged with blood clots;
• external compression of the urinary tract– may be associated with traumatic injuries or neoplasms in the pelvic organs.

When the kidney prolapses, attacks of pain are associated with kinking of the ureter. This anomaly is quite rare and is accompanied by an increase in discomfort in an upright position.

If a person has no history of nephritis or urolithiasis, if an attack occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor.

If the cause of the pain is known, first aid for renal colic should include the following:

Any medications can cause intoxication of the body and lead to a worsening of the condition.

First aid for renal colic should be provided in several stages. After the first measures, you need to ask the person about his well-being. It may take several hours for the outflow to normalize.

If the condition has noticeably improved, you can take a bath. In this case, the water temperature should not exceed 40 degrees. It is important to consider that too much heat can cause an abscess.

The duration of the procedure should be about 20 minutes. Near the patient it is worth marking ammonia and Corvalol. However, it is not recommended to give an anesthetic if the exact diagnosis is unknown.

Substances such as Ketorol can be given only after a visit to a doctor who has diagnosed renal colic. Otherwise, the drug will distort the clinical picture, and therefore it will be very difficult to make a diagnosis.

6 hours after the onset of the attack, you can give the person Panangin or Asparkam. Thanks to this, it will be possible to strengthen the heart, which is under serious stress.

In addition, Asparkam contains magnesium, which copes well with crystallization. However, there is a risk of problems with the absorption of this substance. To stimulate the process, vitamin B6 is used.

If the attack does not pass and the severity of colic persists, you need to use antispasmodics again - Baralgin, No-shpu. It is important to consider that No-shpa has a weaker effect, but it is permissible to use it.

If pain of high intensity occurs, it is worth injecting a mixture of Analgin and Pipolfen. The second drug has a sedative effect. After this measure, the patient will be able to fall asleep for several hours, which will ensure complete relaxation.

It is important to consider that after waking up, Pipolfen will provoke severe thirst. However, you should not drink a lot of liquid.

The patient can be given weak tea with lemon added.. It is also permissible to replace it with rose hips or cranberry juice. In this case, it is imperative to control the process of urination until the colic goes away.

Sometimes there are situations when attempts to cope with the situation on your own pose a real threat to the patient’s life. In such a situation, you cannot hesitate.

The only thing that can be done before the ambulance arrives is to give an antispasmodic drug.

You should call a doctor in the following cases:

• colic affected two kidneys at once;
• the patient has only one kidney;
• one of the kidneys is vagal;
• no improvement occurs within 2 days of therapy;
• pain is localized in the right kidney;
• the temperature increases to critical levels;
• the person experiences severe nausea and vomiting;
• there is no urine output.

When such symptoms appear, only qualified medical care can save a person’s life. If it is not provided in time, death will occur due to kidney failure or blockage of the urinary ducts.

Drug treatment

Many people are interested in what to do at home for renal colic. Drug therapy most often involves the use of the following antispasmodics:

• Papaverine;
• No-shpa;
• Drotaverine;
• Spasmol;
• Bespa.

How to relieve pain from renal colic? For this purpose, painkillers are used - Ketorol, Toradol, Veralgan.

If antibacterial therapy for urolithiasis is necessary, the risk of developing dysbacteriosis increases significantly. In addition, strong antibiotics provoke an increase in the load on the kidneys.

That is why it is so important to use antifungal substances, Bifidumbacterin and include fermented milk products in the diet. Antibacterial agents must be taken under the supervision of a specialist, otherwise you can get unpredictable consequences.

To cope with pathology, you can resort to the help of effective folk remedies:

What can you eat if you have renal colic? This symptom worries many people. If the pain attack is of high intensity, the patient has no time to eat.

If the symptoms are mild, follow a diet for renal colic. This will help minimize the number of attacks.

When choosing a diet, you need to consider the type of stones. Nutrition should be based on reducing the amount of carbohydrates and fats. Be sure to remove from the menu all heavy foods and dishes that irritate the digestive organs.

These include the following:

• spices;
• fried fish and meat;
• salt, pickles;
• baked goods;
• eggs;
• chocolate, cocoa, coffee.

It is allowed to eat light broths based on chicken meat. It is also permissible to eat boiled sea fish. It is advisable to drink a lot, especially cranberry juices and rosehip decoctions.

It is also worth eating fresh fruits and dairy products. Cucumbers, pears, and apricots are especially useful. Meals should be fractional.

Features of the disease in pregnant women

Women often experience stones in the upper urinary tract during pregnancy. In this case, the following manifestations occur:

• cramping pain in the form of attacks;
• hematuria;
• removal of stones.

Such attacks can provoke premature birth. That’s why it’s so important to make an accurate diagnosis in a timely manner. In this case, it is very important to immediately relieve pain and prevent complications.

Any medical procedures can be performed only in a hospital setting, which will help avoid dangerous consequences.

Many people are interested in how long an attack lasts. If renal colic is caused by urolithiasis with small stones, it usually goes away after stone fragments are removed during urination.

If help is not provided in time, there is a risk of developing an acute form of obstructive pyelonephritis. This anomaly can lead to death in a short time.

The most common consequences of the disease include:

• urosepsis and bacteremic shock;
• deterioration of the diseased kidney;
• development of ureteral stricture;
• acute form of obstructive pyelonephritis.

If the causes of the disease are eliminated in time, the risk of relapse can be prevented. Prevention of pathology consists of maintaining a correct lifestyle.

It is important to adhere to a healthy diet and undergo an annual ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity, which will help detect the disease at the initial stage.

To prevent recurrent attacks, you need to adhere to a therapeutic diet:

• increase the volume of fluid consumed;
• consume juices, fruits, vegetables, dairy products;
• include dietary fiber in the diet;
• limit the consumption of eggs, meat, fish, legumes, and cereals.

Renal colic is a rather dangerous condition that can cause serious consequences.. To avoid this, it is very important to provide the patient with adequate assistance in a timely manner.

At home, it is allowed to use antispasmodics and folk recipes.

• What symptoms indicate renal colic?

Many people develop stones and sand in their kidneys, which periodically begin to come out, causing pain. This disease is called urolithiasis. Relieving renal colic is possible at home if the patient knows exactly what is happening in his body.

The process of stone formation cannot be stopped, as well as their release.

Antispasmodics help all people who experience renal colic when small stones and sand come out.

Drotaverine is the most popular antispasmodic, capable of relaxing the walls of the ureter, expanding the paths for the passage of neoplasms.

Most often, patients first learn about their disease after the appearance of pain in the genitourinary system. Painful sensations occur when small moving stones enter the ureter. Men and women may have difficulty urinating because the urethra is blocked.

The main signs of stone passage are sudden intense pain of a shooting or constant nature, located from the lower back to the groin area along the ureter. The following symptoms may appear:

1. Nausea.
2. Vomit.
3. False urge to urinate.
4. Weakness.
5. Heartbeat.
6. Dry mouth.
7. Thirst.
8. Chills.
9. Impurities in the urine of blood that gets there from the injured ureter.

A urine test reveals an increased number of leukocytes, red blood cells, and proteins.

If pain appears for the first time and it causes accompanying symptoms, then it is best to consult a urologist for examination. The doctor will examine the patient using an ultrasound machine and make an accurate diagnosis, and then decide how to treat renal colic and the disease that caused such symptoms.

The danger of self-medication is that pain may occur due to the movement of stones along the ureter.

Pain on the right side can be caused by cholelithiasis and appendicitis. Taking analgesics helps relieve pain, but at the same time blurs the symptoms and makes it difficult for a doctor to diagnose correctly, so it is always important to call an ambulance in case of pain to clarify the diagnosis.

Return to contents

What medications to use at home

If there is no danger, the doctor has confirmed the diagnosis, treatment is carried out at home. The pain syndrome can be different, and it depends on the age and tone of the urinary system. The older a person is, the less pain he experiences when walking through sand.

To relieve pain, antispasmodics are used for renal colic. You can use any drugs that relieve spasms of internal muscles. If drugs based on drotaverine do not work well, you can use other antispasmodics. This could be platyphylline or papaverine. In conditions of severe renal colic, spasmolgon and its analogues often help. All of them can relieve moderate pain. Before taking the drug, read the instructions so as not to exceed the permissible dose. Carefully determine the active ingredient, it will be the same for many drugs.

It is better not to use analgesics at home. They are recommended only by a doctor in a hospital so as not to miss the development of complications.

Antispasmodics for renal colic can alleviate the patient's suffering. Taking medications allows you to expand the lumen of the urinary tract and improve the outflow of urine from the kidney. Along with the fluid, sand and stones begin to move into the bladder.

If the waste of sand does not harm your health, then you can take some actions that will help free the ureter faster.

Return to contents

What to do with renal colic

An injection of an antispasmodic drug given by an emergency physician will temporarily relieve colic. The walls of the genitourinary system will weaken and urine will begin to leak. Once the injection wears off, the pain may return. This will continue for several days until the dislodged stones come out along with urine. What to do with renal colic to help the body speed up the process of breaking down stones naturally?

Bed rest is recommended for all patients with colic. If you have colic, you need to lie down correctly so that urine from the kidneys drains naturally into the bladder. To do this, you need to sit in bed so that your kidneys are above the level of your bladder.

You can alleviate the condition by using a hot heating pad. It is used if the pain is not intense. A rubber heating pad, two-thirds full, is placed on the lower back with the air released, and wrapped in a towel to avoid getting burned. As the water in it cools, unroll the fabric and enjoy the dry heat for a long time. This procedure will help expand the channels in the kidney and improve the passage of sand and small stones.

If the condition is mild and the pain is not severe, you can take a warm bath with essential oils added to it. In this case, juniper or cypress oil works well. A few drops in water will help activate metabolic processes and promote the removal of small stones.

A hot bath with a decoction of oat straw helps. The bath time is no more than half an hour.

Hospitalization of a patient with renal colic occurs if:

1. Antispasmodics do not help with renal colic.
2. The outflow of urine is not restored.
3. The patient has a high fever and is constantly vomiting.
4. Pain is observed on both sides.
5. The patient has only one kidney.

In a hospital setting, renal colic is relieved with injections of baralgin and other drugs, the administration of which must be supervised by a doctor. In difficult cases with intense pain, narcotic analgesics can be used. After a complete examination, the doctor will decide which type of treatment is more appropriate. This may be surgery or crushing stones using ultrasound.

Renal colic is a condition accompanied by severe pain. Treatment of renal colic at home is aimed at eliminating pain and alleviating the patient's condition.

Symptoms of renal colic

It is worth suspecting colic if there are sharp spastic pains in the lower back, under the ribs. The pain radiates to the perineum and goes to the thigh. Most often the pain is localized on the right or left; rarely there is renal colic on both sides. The attack is so strong that the person may go into shock and may lose consciousness. Due to spasm, urinary obstruction occurs, which leads to increased pain. If all the signs indicate renal colic, it is necessary to urgently provide the patient with emergency assistance, without waiting for the doctors to arrive.

Most often, the cause of an attack is urolithiasis - a spasm occurs when the stone moves. If there is no history of urolithiasis and the patient has never complained of kidney disease, one should not resort to potent analgesics and warming. This can worsen the situation (if the pain is caused by colitis or appendicitis) and blur the clinical picture. While waiting for the doctor, you can give the patient Spazmalgon or No-shpu; they are allowed for unclear diagnoses.

Emergency help at home

The primary task is to relieve spasm, stop a painful attack and normalize urine excretion. For this purpose, injections of antispasmodics and analgesics are used:

• Baralgin - do it intramuscularly, preheat the ampoule in the palm of your hand;
• Spasmalgon;
• No-Shpa (Drotaverine) solution for intramuscular injection slowly;
• Platiphylline is an injection solution, administered subcutaneously;
• Analgin and Pipolfen solution for injections.

You can relieve an attack of colic with the help of tablet forms of these drugs, but you need to take into account that injections act faster, since the medicine immediately enters the blood.

To stop an attack and restore the outflow of urine, local heat is used - the patient should be put to bed so that the kidneys are above the bladder and a heating pad at a comfortable temperature should be placed on the perineal area. This warming helps relieve spasms and soothe pain.

It is necessary to monitor the patient's condition; if the urge to urinate occurs, immediately empty the bladder; under no circumstances should it be tolerated. If pain decreases and there is persistent improvement, the patient is recommended to take a bath, the water temperature should not exceed 40 degrees. To prevent clouding of consciousness, you should keep ammonia and Corvalol nearby. The duration of the procedure is no more than 20 minutes.

After 6 hours from the onset of the attack, the patient should be given an Asparkam tablet; it supports the heart muscle and helps remove stones from the kidneys. If the stone comes out, the attacks will stop.

You should not use a heating pad on the kidney area until urination is restored; it is not recommended to take diuretics until the spasm is relieved - this may worsen the situation. During pregnancy, hot baths and heating pads are prohibited; antispasmodics should be used and an ambulance should be called.

Phytotherapeutic methods for relieving renal colic

Medications to relieve an attack can be combined with herbal treatment for colic. Herbal infusions, teas, and herbal baths have pronounced anti-inflammatory, analgesic and relaxing properties.

Decoctions of medicinal herbs:

• A bath with a decoction of Sage, Chamomile, birch and linden leaves - 10 grams each, poured boiling water and infused for 30 minutes - helps well in relieving colic at home. Then the resulting broth is filtered and poured into the bath.
• Decoction of Chamomile and linden flowers - 20 grams, Oats (straw) - 200 grams, Malva leaves - 50 grams. The method of application is the same.
• Combine 10 grams of raspberry, manzhetki and dried leaves with birch branches - 100 grams. Pour boiling water, leave for 30 minutes and add to a warm bath.

Baths with herbal decoctions soothe and relieve spasms. After it, you need to spend about two hours in bed, covered warmly. It is recommended to drink plenty of fluids, provided that urination is normalized.

Public gatherings

Dosage forms that are taken orally and have a pronounced relaxing and analgesic effect can be prepared fairly quickly. The effectiveness and safety of folk remedies make them increasingly in demand among the population. Medicinal plants not only relieve pain, but also affect the cause of colic.

• Birch leaves – 10 grams.
• Juniper fruits – 10 grams.
• Stalnik root – 10 grams.
• Celandine – 10 grams.
• Potentilla goose - 10 grams.

Pour 4 tablespoons of the collection with 1 liter of boiling water, leave for 40 minutes and drink warm for an hour.

Collection No. 2:

• Celandine.
• St. John's wort.
• Thyme.

10 grams each, pour a liter of boiling water, take the same.

Decoctions of plants are used to help normalize urination and relieve pain:

• Birch buds and leaves – 40 grams per liter of boiling water, cook for 20 minutes.
• Lingonberries (leaves) – 60 grams per liter of water, cook for 10 minutes.
• Blackcurrant (leaves) – 40 grams per liter of boiling water, leave in a thermos for 30 minutes.
• Horsetail – 30 grams per 1 liter, cook for 10 minutes.
• Bearberry – 30 grams per liter, cook for 20 minutes.

All of these forms should be drunk when ready, in small sips, 300–400 ml. Take the rest during the day, half a glass after each bladder emptying. During this time, the pain attack usually subsides. But in order to cure the disease, it is necessary to know the exact diagnosis and take the appropriate course, combining drug therapy with folk remedies.

If relief does not occur, the temperature rises, and the condition worsens, you need to urgently seek help from the hospital.

Nutrition for renal colic

During intense pain there is no appetite, and the patient cannot be forced to eat. The exception is warm drinks (herbal decoctions) in small portions, fractionally.

Upon completion of the acute phase, the patient should adhere to a diet based on treatment table No. 10:

• Drinking regime – at least 2 liters of water per day.
• Reducing calories by reducing fats and carbohydrates.
• Limiting salt.

Recommended and prohibited foods:

Special nutrition in the case of renal colic serves to alleviate the patient’s well-being and prevent a recurrent attack. If the cause is urolithiasis, it is worth determining the nature of the stones, their composition - and prescribing the correct diet in accordance with it. It must be remembered that colic occurs due to kidney disease, which must be treated, so a visit to the doctor is mandatory.

The most common kidney disease. Approximately 70-75% of patients in urological hospitals are hospitalized with this diagnosis.

In fact, we are talking about several diseases that have different origins and different paths of development, but are united by one manifestation - renal colic. We received the first descriptions of this disease from Hippocrates, but until now scientists have not been able to solve the riddle: why are certain particles formed that do not obey the general movement of urine, but immediately grow from a crystal to a clinically significant size?

The answer to this question might have solved this problem, but today we can only note the steady growth of this disease. Moreover, if previously it affected mainly mature people, now it is often diagnosed even in twenty-year-olds.

Acute pain, so characteristic of this disease, is not caused by “scratching” a stone that has begun to move, as many people think. The mechanism of its occurrence is associated with a violation of the outflow of urine as a result of tissue edema and the swollen kidney tissue puts pressure on the fibrous capsule, which has a mass of pain receptors, which causes such a sharp syndrome.

Disruption of the outflow can be caused by the passage of a stone, small stones (in the form of sand), a blood clot, mucus or pus. The cause can also be a tumor process, and even inflammation that has arisen in neighboring organs: all this can be a prerequisite for compression of the ureter. And yet the most common reason is blockage of the urinary tract with a stone.

Manifestations of renal colic

Most often, it all starts completely unexpectedly, without any warning symptoms. The pain appears from the back, at first it is not sharp, nagging. However, very soon it begins to grow and gradually moves to the side, and then to the stomach, “sliding” down along the ureter.

The pain can be localized not only in the lower abdomen, it can radiate to the groin or genital area, often radiating to the thigh, lower back and subcostal area. If we talk about the intensity of the suffering, it is simply “legendary”: people roll on the floor, almost losing consciousness, on the verge of shock.

No change in body position can reduce the intensity or reduce these painful sensations; often only narcotic drugs can do this. Acute pain in renal colic causes bloating, muscle spasms, and difficulty in bowel movement. A person is ready to even take poison to stop this nightmare!

This is truly an extremely unpleasant symptom - renal colic. How to relieve pain? Resolving this issue becomes a mandatory and primary task. However, this is not the only manifestation of the disease. Patients may experience nausea, vomiting often occurs, and the temperature can sometimes even be very high.

The face turns pale, sweat appears, consciousness becomes clouded, heart rate changes, and blood pressure rises. Urination is frequent and painful, but can be impaired to the point of complete anuria. Typically, the duration of an attack of colic does not exceed a day, but there are cases when it continues for a long time, with periods of remission and subsequent deterioration of the condition.

Renal colic: how to relieve pain during an attack?

Briefly outline the strategy of action, it will be expressed in three directions:

1. Application of heat.
2. Analgesics.
3. Antispasmodics.

Let's start with the heat. It would seem that a hot bath up to the waist with water at the maximum temperature that the patient can withstand, a heating pad on the lumbar region or mustard plasters - and the issue is resolved. However, not all so simple. There are a number of factors and they must be taken into account.

For example, you should not use a hot bath if you have heart disease or high temperature. This method is also excluded in conditions accompanied by impaired consciousness. In addition, there must be firm confidence that this is renal colic, and not peritonitis caused by inflammation of the appendix, or something else that does not allow the use of heat.

If renal colic is definitely established, then a hot sitz bath is a very good remedy for relieving pain. If there are contraindications to a bath, you can use mustard plasters or a heating pad.

The most commonly used painkillers are Analgin or Baralgin. Any drug administered as an injection has a stronger and faster effect than tablets.

However, you should not take painkillers for renal colic until examined by a doctor. This can blur the picture and make it difficult to make a correct diagnosis.

Antispasmodics for renal colic are subject to the same requirement. If the diagnosis is beyond doubt, then taking them will help to expand and relax the walls of the ureter, facilitating the passage of urine and thereby improving the patient’s condition. Usually, the drug “No-spa” is well suited for this purpose, and you need to take a large dose of the medicine - up to four tablets.

There are times when all these remedies are not able to relieve pain. In this situation, a doctor who has narcotic drugs in his arsenal, for example the drug Promedol, can help. For a person experiencing renal colic, how to relieve pain is the main question, but you still need to start with an accurate diagnosis.

Examinations to clarify the diagnosis

Symptoms of colic may resemble a “hot stomach.” This concept includes a whole group of diseases. In addition to appendicitis, hepatic colic looks similar; it is also necessary to exclude acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis.

An error can also occur in the presence of peptic ulcers of the duodenum or stomach. Some vascular diseases have almost similar symptoms, not to mention women’s ailments. Symptoms of renal colic in women have their own specifics, so a special section is devoted to this topic.

In addition to the “acute abdomen,” a similar picture is given by herniated discs, radiculitis, herpes zoster, or even ordinary intercostal neuralgia. Almost complete coincidence of symptoms occurs with intestinal obstruction.

Many of these diseases require emergency action. So the task facing a doctor seeing a patient for the first time is not at all an easy one. This is why you should never resist an offer to go to the hospital and have a comprehensive examination done there. For renal colic, this is an absolute, one hundred percent indication.

In this case, an incorrect diagnosis may well cost a life. For example, the ureter could be completely blocked by a stone. This cannot be determined by external examination, but it may well lead to necrosis of the kidney and its acute failure. You may need to insert a catheter or have surgery and drainage of the organ. It is unlikely that you will be able to do all this without leaving home.

In a hospital setting, a doctor can prescribe a variety of tests as needed, as well as provide proper care for renal colic. However, first of all, they usually do general tests, specifying blood biochemistry and, of course, ultrasound and possibly x-rays.

"Female" specificity of renal colic

The symptoms of colic described above are not gender specific, except that sometimes pain in men radiates to the scrotum. For women, pain in the labia area is more common. Otherwise, all this is of a universal nature.

Moreover, the same symptoms of renal colic in women may indicate completely different diseases that men, due to their nature, cannot have. For successful treatment, it is extremely important to make a clear differentiation when diagnosing the patient in order to exclude the following causes:

• rupture of the fallopian tube;
• ovarian apoplexy;
• tubal abortion;
• ectopic pregnancy;
• torsion of the ovarian stalk.

All of these conditions can cause blockage of the ureter and create the typical picture of colic. In this case, warning signs may include:

• cold sweat;
• pallor;
• low pressure;
• tachycardia;
• dizziness.

Renal colic in women that occurs during pregnancy is particularly difficult to treat. This condition in itself does not create conditions for the development of urolithiasis, however, it is during this period that exacerbations of all chronic diseases very often occur.

This is especially true for the kidneys, which are especially actively involved in the process of creating new life and are forced to work with redoubled force. Manifestations of the disease are common, but the arsenal of means to relieve pain is seriously limited.

Firstly, hot baths are excluded, as well as other thermal procedures on the kidney area - this can lead to premature birth. For obvious reasons, narcotic painkillers for renal colic are also not applicable in this case.

At the same time, prolonged intense pain itself can provoke premature onset of labor, so the only correct way out is to immediately consult a doctor. In the most extreme case, it is possible to take “No-shpa”, “Papaverine” or “Baralgin”, in the form of injections.

What should you do first in case of renal colic?

Of course, to relieve pain, to save a person from nightmarish torment. This is the first thought that may come to mind, but it is not the best. First aid for renal colic should be provided by a doctor.

Moreover, before his arrival, it is advisable to refrain from any attempts at home treatment in order to avoid complications and keep all symptoms in a severe form, without interfering with the correct diagnosis.

This is especially important in complicated cases: colic of one remaining kidney, old age, bilateral attack, poor general condition, heart disease, etc. What to do if a doctor is unavailable for some reason? How to relieve renal colic in this case? In principle, the main methods have already been described.

It is only important to add that in cases where there are doubts about the true causes of pain, the least dangerous would be the use of antispasmodics, but if there is no doubt, you can use a heating pad, bath, analgesics. Some experts also recommend adding half a tablet of Nitroglycerin under the tongue.

To stop an attack in a hospital setting, novocaine blockade, acupuncture, electropuncture, and physiotherapy are also used. If all measures do not bring the desired result, urine output will be restored using a catheter. It is also possible to pre-destruct the stone using special equipment.

It is in a hospital setting that it is easier and more logical to undergo a thorough examination in urology after the attack has been eliminated. In any case, it is necessary to remember the serious danger of self-medication in the presence of such a terrible symptom as renal colic. How to relieve pain, how many and what examinations to do, how to treat - all this should be decided only by a doctor.

Renal colic. ICD-10

Today in Russia, this disease has been approved at the level of the Ministry of Health. This is a step-by-step developed system, according to which assistance is provided to patients with similar symptoms. A system was created based on data from the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision. It provides all methods for diagnosing and treating diseases. In accordance with the ICD, renal colic has code N23.

How to eat with renal colic

After the pain is relieved, nausea gradually disappears, and the patient returns to the ability to eat. It is important to understand that diet for renal colic is very important for a quick recovery. Only a doctor can give specific recommendations on products, since he knows the chemical composition of the stones. As for the general recommendations, they are as follows:

• meals are frequent, fractional, portions are small;
• do not overeat, especially at night;
• exclude spicy, fried, smoked, canned foods;
• do not subject food to prolonged heat treatment;
• It’s better to steam or boil, you can bake.

A diet for renal colic is relevant during illness. As the kidneys recover, the range of products should be expanded, guided by recommendations for a healthy and balanced diet.

This means that, firstly, there should be enough food to meet all the body’s needs, but not too much.

Secondly, food should be varied, with the obligatory inclusion of “live” foods: vitamins, minerals, fiber.

Thirdly, moderation in the consumption of tasty, but not healthy foods.

And finally, the most important thing: provide the body with a large amount of truly pure water without any impurities. Many believe that compliance with this one condition can completely heal the body.

Traditional methods of treatment

Numerous traditional healers offer us help with renal colic. Although they, first of all, advise consulting a doctor. But while waiting, you can apply a cabbage leaf to your lower back or drink an infusion of birch buds.

Horsetail has proven itself well, and knotweed also helps quite well with this ailment. For colic, prepare a decoction from a mixture of centaury and sage; it is even better to add chamomile to it. You can drink this drug for a long time, up to two months. But you can not only drink horsetail, but also add it to your bath.

Compresses made from hot potatoes or oat broth are also suitable. In general, there are many recipes. If you add a diet to all this, success is guaranteed. But on one condition: please call a doctor!

Well, to be very serious, it is unlikely that traditional methods will withstand competition with modern medicine in the treatment of the acute phase of the disease. But now you have been relieved of the pain attack, examined, given nutritional recommendations, and prescribed medications. Now we need to work hard to cleanse our kidneys of unnecessary “junk”, to dissolve and expel everything that should not be there. It is at this stage that the experience of traditional medicine is simply irreplaceable.

It is the collections of herbs and medicinal plants that have been polished over centuries that will help you completely say goodbye to the disease, and at the same time restore the impaired metabolism. The best thing is to find an experienced herbalist and, with patience, carry out the course of treatment to the end, as expected.

And after that, be sure to undergo a re-examination and compare the results. What can you do? In this world, nothing comes to us without difficulty, but health is worth it!

How to prevent renal colic

The formation of stones is often provoked by diseases of the endocrine glands. Also, an excess of vitamin D in the body or a lack of A contributes to the deposition of salts. Diseases of the digestive system also play an important role in this process. Nutrition for renal colic, or rather, the principles of such nutrition, should be applied after recovery in order to prevent recurrence of the disease.

Limitation of human mobility is also a risk factor. A hot climate creates conditions for dehydration and, accordingly, increased urine concentration. Even frequent consumption of mineral water becomes a source of introduction of salts into the excretory system. Drinking clean water daily, in large quantities, but in small portions, can play a decisive role in defeating the disease.

Sanatoriums and resorts for urolithiasis

Many people have heard about how well resorts with mineral water help to recover from kidney disease. However, each water only affects a certain type of stone. If there are phosphates, you can go where there are acidic mineral waters:

• Truskavets.
• Kislovodsk
• Zheleznovodsk

If urate is found in your urine, it means you need:

• Borjomi.
• Zheleznovodsk
• Truskavets.
• Essentuki.

• Pyatigorsk
• Essentuki.
• Zheleznovodsk

Renal colic is a set of symptoms that occurs when the drainage of urine from the kidneys is difficult or impossible. As a result, the renal pelvis fills with urine, its walls stretch under pressure, the smooth muscles of the ureters contract convulsively, causing spasms, the tissues swell, the blood vessels supplying the kidney narrow, and the kidney experiences a lack of oxygen, which only aggravates the situation. The person experiences acute pain. It is believed that the pain during renal colic is one of the most severe that a person can experience, and the intensity of the impact exceeds even childbirth.

How does renal colic develop?

Acute phase. Renal colic occurs suddenly. If the patient is sleeping at this time, he wakes up from pain. If awake, the patient can usually name the exact time of onset of renal colic. The occurrence of renal colic does not depend on physical activity, but its appearance can be facilitated by a large volume of liquid drunk the day before, taking diuretics, stress experienced by a person, a bumpy road or a rich meal.

The pain is constant and may get worse over time. Gradually, the intensity of pain increases, until its apogee a few hours after the onset of renal colic. The level of pain depends on the individual sensitivity of the person, as well as the rate of increase in fluid pressure in the renal pelvis and ureter. If the frequency of contractions of the ureter increases and the obstruction causing urinary retention moves, the pain may intensify or return.

Constant phase. When the pain reaches its limit, it remains at that level for a long time. Typically this phase, which is very painful for the patient, lasts from one to four hours, but in some (fortunately quite rare) cases it can last up to twelve. As a rule, it is during the constant phase that patients go to the doctor or go to the hospital.

Decay phase. During this period, the pain decreases until it stops completely and the person finally feels better. The pain may stop any time after the onset of renal colic.

Symptoms of renal colic

How to distinguish renal colic from pain caused by other diseases? The most important sign of renal colic is the nature of the pain. Pain with renal colic always occurs suddenly and sharply. First, a person feels a twinge of pain in the side, lower back, or in the area of ​​the lower ribs near the spine. Gradually, the pain intensifies, its localization changes: from the initial place of origin it goes down to the genitals, and can affect the rectum and upper legs. Often, the lower the pain, the stronger it is. Patients often say that they feel constant pain with sharp and severe cramping attacks. A person is unable to find a position in which he would not experience pain, and is forced to walk back and forth even at a doctor’s appointment. And the pain associated with renal colic is long-lasting; an attack can last from three to eighteen hours.

Depending on the disease that caused renal colic, symptoms, accompanying it may vary. As a rule, patients experience a frequent urge to urinate, with very little or no urine, and cutting pain in the bladder and urethra. The patient's mouth becomes dry, he feels nauseous and vomits, but neither nausea nor vomiting brings relief. The pressure rises, the heart rate increases. As a result of the accumulation of gases in the intestines, the abdomen swells, and the patient experiences the urge to defecate. The temperature rises slightly, and the person may feel chills.

Very severe pain with renal colic can lead to the development of pain shock. The patient turns pale, the heart rate decreases, and cold sweat appears on the skin.

After the end of the painful attack, a large volume of urine is released. However, due to the presence of blood in the urine, its color may become reddish. But even if the urine looks ordinary, traces of blood can be detected under a microscope.

Renal colic in children

Unlike adults, in young children pain from renal colic is felt in the navel area. The attack does not last long, 15-20 minutes, the child is frightened, cries, vomits, and the body temperature rises slightly.

Renal colicin pregnant women

Chronic diseases often worsen during pregnancy, and kidney disease is no exception. As a rule, pregnant women develop renal colic in the third trimester. The pain usually begins in the lower back and can radiate to the hips and genitals. If renal colic occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor, as there is a danger of premature birth.

Causes of renal colic

One of the most common causes of renal colic is mechanical obstacles to the passage of urine. In most cases, a kidney stone (stone) gets stuck in the ureter. In case of pyelonephritis, instead of a stone, the ureter is blocked by inflammatory products - clots of mucus or pus, and in case of kidney tuberculosis - dead tissue. With nephroptosis, kidney dystopia, strictures, the ureter may twist, bend, or its lumen is so small that urine output is difficult. Sometimes the ureter can be affected from the outside by pinching it, tumors of the kidneys, ureter, prostate gland, as well as hematomas after injury or surgery.

Sometimes renal colic occurs due to inflammation of the urinary tract, for example, with hydronephrosis, periureterin, prostatitis, and so on. Renal vein thrombosis, renal infarction and embolism can also be accompanied by renal colic. And, of course, congenital defects in the genitourinary system, caused by impaired fetal development in the womb, can also contribute to the development of renal colic.

When to seek medical help for renal colic

At the first symptoms of renal colic (especially if it occurs on the right side), it is recommended to immediately call an ambulance, otherwise there is a high risk of serious complications, including kidney death, chronic renal failure, and even the death of a person. It is advisable not to take medications, as they can blur the clinical picture and prevent the doctor from diagnosing the disease that caused renal colic.

Which doctor should I go to for renal colic?

First, the patient will be referred to a general practitioner, who, based on the results of the examination, sends the patient to specialists - a nephrologist or urologist. A nephrologist is consulted in case of renal failure, urolithiasis, polycystic kidney disease, when surgical intervention is not required, but medication is sufficient. A urologist is a more general specialist who deals with the entire genitourinary system and can use surgical treatment methods. In some cases, consultation with a gastroenterologist is required (if there is a suspicion of cholecystitis, peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum, gastritis) and a gynecologist (for pelvic inflammatory diseases, ruptured ovarian cysts and algodismenorrhea).

Diagnosis of diseases that cause renal colic

Making a diagnosis of suspected renal colic is not an easy task. The medical literature provides data that only one quarter of the total number of patients taken to the hospital with suspected renal colic suffers from it. In three quarters of cases, the cause of pain is other diseases.

First of all, when making a diagnosis, the doctor interviews the patient, studies his medical history, measures temperature and blood pressure and conducts a physical examination, that is, palpation (feeling) and percussion (light tapping) of the abdomen, lower back, and chest. One of the symptoms of renal colic is pain in the lumbar region and when tapping on the lower edge of the ribs on the right side. The intensity of pain depends on the stage of development of renal colic - when it is in an acute or constant stage, the sensation is strong, when it subsides, it is weak. And if the attack is over, the patient may not feel pain at all. Palpation will help identify where the abdominal muscles are tense, which indicates a pathological process in this place. In some cases, it is even possible to feel the enlarged diseased kidney.

During the examination, the doctor may ask the following questions:

• When exactly did the pain start? (Pain from renal colic can appear suddenly, at any time of the day, and is poorly related to a person’s physical activity.)
• When does the pain go away? Does it appear again, and if so, after how long? (Pain from renal colic can return at any time.)
• Where did the pain start? Where does it spread? (If the cause of renal colic is mechanical blockage or compression of the ureters, then the pain is felt in this place. Subsequently, the pain may go down to the groin, genitals and inner thighs.)
• In what cases does the pain increase and in what cases does it decrease? (There are no relieving factors for renal colic; changing body position does not affect the degree of pain intensity; pain can worsen with a large amount of fluid drunk.)
• Does the patient have nausea or vomiting? (With renal colic, the patient vomits the contents of the stomach, vomiting does not bring relief.)
• What is the patient's blood pressure? (Usually, in the case of renal colic, the pressure increases.)
• What is the patient's temperature? (With renal colic, the temperature is usually slightly elevated, from 37° to 37.9°.)
• How does the urination process work? (Renal colic is characterized by difficulty urinating with painful sensations.)
• Does the patient or his immediate family suffer from urolithiasis? (In most cases renal colic caused by mechanical blockage of the ureters by stones or other formations.)

Diseases that can be confused with renal colic

Acute appendicitis. Most often, renal colic is confused with appendicitis, to the point that 40% of patients suffering from kidney or ureteral stones have had their appendix removed. The reason for the errors is the proximity of the appendix to the right ureter. One of the main differences between renal colic and appendicitis is the nature of vomiting (with renal colic it occurs immediately, with appendicitis - after a long time after the onset of the disease) and the position taken by the patient. While patients with appendicitis lie relatively still, those with renal colic constantly change body position in an attempt to relieve the pain.

Hepatic colic. The percentage of errors in this case is less - those suffering from renal colic were treated for hepatic colic in 5% of cases. Renal colic, like the liver, is characterized by sharp and severe pain that occurs in the same place. However, if in the case of renal colic it spreads down to the groin and genitals, then in hepatic colic it goes up and extends to the chest, scapula and right shoulder. In addition, the doctor can easily establish a connection between dietary violations and an attack of cholecystitis, whereas with renal colic, food does not directly affect its development.

Acute pancreatitis. When the stomach hurts and radiates to the back, to the lumbar region (where it occurs renal colic). Both pancreatitis and renal colic may be accompanied by flatulence and bloating, as well as nausea and vomiting. However, with pancreatitis the pressure drops, while with renal colic it is normal.

Intestinal obstruction. This condition is easily confused with renal colic, if it is complicated by bloating and flatulence. The main difference between intestinal obstruction and renal colic is the nature of the pain; with the latter it is constant, and with the former it is cramping and depends on the frequency of contractions of the intestinal muscles. The second difference is the high temperature with peritonitis that has developed as a result of obstruction, while with renal colic the temperature does not exceed 37.9°.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm. With this disease, the stomach hurts, the pain radiates to the lumbar region. Like renal colic, an aneurysm may be accompanied by bloating, nausea, and vomiting. The difference is that the pressure during an aneurysm is low, up to the possible development of shock.

Shingles. The skin rashes characteristic of this viral disease do not appear immediately, which can make diagnosis difficult. With herpes zoster, the pain does not change its location, unlike renal colic, which spreads to the lower part of the body.

Lumbosacral radiculitis. The nature of pain with radiculitis is similar to renal colic - it is strong and sharp. However, the patient does not experience nausea, vomiting, or urinary retention. And with renal colic, the intensity of pain does not depend on the position of the patient’s body, as with radiculitis.

Inflammation of the appendages. Often with this gynecological disease, the pain radiates to the lower back, so it can be confused with hepatic colic. However, unlike the latter, with inflammation of the appendages, a woman feels pain in the area of ​​the sacrum and uterus, which the doctor can easily verify by palpating.

Tests and examinations for renal colic

Blood analysis. As a rule, usually with renal colic, an increased number of leukocytes in the blood is not observed (their presence rather indicates acute inflammatory processes occurring in the body). But the urea content in the blood serum may increase when, as a result of blockage of the upper urinary tract and the resulting increase in pressure, urine can penetrate into the blood.

It is also necessary to do a biochemical blood test to assess kidney function, degree of dehydration, acid-base balance, calcium and electrolytes. It is also worth checking the level of parathyroid hormones if hyperparathyroidism is suspected as the cause of hypercalcemia.

Analysis of urine. Blood clots, protein, salts, leukocytes, red blood cells and epithelium can be found in the urine. If the number of white blood cells is higher than red blood cells, then a urinary tract infection is possible.

In the vast majority of cases with renal colic, there is blood in the urine, sometimes visible to the naked eye. However, if the ureter of a diseased kidney is tightly blocked, a urine test may be normal, because the bladder receives urine only from a healthy kidney. The time of development of hematuria (blood in the urine) can say a lot about the cause of renal colic - if blood appears in the urine after an attack of pain, it means that there is likely a mechanical obstruction in the ureter or pelvis. And if blood appears before an attack of pain, it means that renal colic was caused by a tumor.

A urine acidity level greater than 7.5 may indicate the presence of a bacterial infection and/or struvite stones, while an acidity level less than 5.5 indicates the possibility of uric acid stones. If there are crystals in the urine, their type can indicate the presence and composition of kidney stones.

Daily urine analysis. During a daily urine analysis, all urine produced by a person within 24 hours (with the exception of the very first, morning portion) is poured into one large container, which is then sent for analysis. This method helps the doctor determine which metabolic disorder caused the appearance of kidney stones and, as a result, renal colic, identify whether stones remain after treatment, determine renal failure or the presence of stones in both ureters.

X-ray of the abdominal cavity and urinary system. An x-ray of the abdominal cavity can determine whether the patient suffers from acute abdominal pathology, intestinal pneumatosis, what pathological changes have occurred in the kidney - if the kidney is sick, it usually looks darker in the picture than a healthy one. Edema of the kidney can be determined by the presence of a clear line separating the shadow of the kidney from the perinephric tissue. In the vast majority of cases, the presence of stones can be seen in the image (the exception is if the stones consist of crystals of uric acid or cystine).

Intravenous urography. During this examination, the patient is placed on an x-ray table, where a radiopaque substance is injected into his vein. Then, after the time specified by the doctor, a series of x-rays are taken. Sometimes the patient is asked to stand up and photographs are taken in a standing position.

Urography is indispensable for assessing the functioning of the kidneys (this can be seen by the rate of excretion of the contrast agent), determining changes in the structure of the kidney, the contours of the calyces and pelvis, the patency and function of the ureters. Allows you to determine the presence of nephrolithiasis, stones, hydronephrosis and other diseases that cause renal colic. It works great in tandem with an x-ray of the abdominal cavity and allows you to find which organ system the suspicious darkening in the image belongs to.

True, urography has one big drawback - the contrast agent used can cause allergic reactions and even impaired renal function.

Chromocystoscopy. During chromocystoscopy, the doctor first examines the condition of the mucous membrane of the urinary tract, bladder and ureters using a cytoscope. Then the patient is injected intravenously or intramuscularly with medical indigo carmine. The drug is completely harmless; the only thing it does is turn the urine blue. Then the doctor takes up the cytoscope again and evaluates how long it takes for the dye to appear in the ureter and bladder, how exactly the colored urine enters the ureter and the general condition of the ureteric orifices. As a rule, if the functioning of the kidney is impaired, the appearance of colored urine may be delayed; if there is a delay of more than 15 minutes, we can talk about serious problems with the kidneys, for example, swelling, a stuck stone or hemorrhage. Although chromocystoscopy does not require special equipment, is easy to perform and is safe for the patient, it is quite painful and is therefore performed under anesthesia.

Ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder. Allows you to determine the condition of the urinary tract, the degree of dilation of the ureters and renal pelvis, the condition of the kidney tissue, and also find out whether the patient has stones in the kidneys and ureters, what size they are and where they are located. However, if the stones are located in the middle third of the ureter, it is more difficult to determine their presence using ultrasound because the pelvic bones interfere with the view.

Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and pelvis. It is carried out if there is a suspicion of an acute abdomen - a set of symptoms indicating serious diseases of the internal organs of the abdominal cavity. The cause of the condition may be appendicitis, perforation of a stomach ulcer, intestinal rupture after injury, ectopic pregnancy, and so on. Acute abdomen is an indication for immediate surgery.

CT scan. If neither x-rays nor ultrasound help determine whether there are kidney stones in the patient's body, you can resort to computed tomography of the retroperitoneum and pelvis. With it, instead of the usual two-dimensional one, a three-dimensional image of the patient’s body is simulated, and the doctor has the opportunity to examine the affected area of ​​the organ from different angles. The reliability of CT is very high, so CT is often used in complex cases or when planning surgery.

Urolithiasis as one of the most common causes of renal colic

Kidney stone disease (nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis) is a common disease that affects 5 to 15% of the population. It is caused by kidney stones, or calculi, which, if stuck, going down from the kidney through the ureters, can cause renal colic in a person. ICD is highly recurrent - approximately half of the total number of patients are susceptible to recurrent stone formation if they do not prevent the disease. More than 70% of cases of renal colic caused by stones occur in people between 20 and 50 years of age, more often in men than in women (2 to 1 ratio). There are several prerequisites for the possible formation of stones.

The most common of them are the following:

• Insufficient urine output. If the amount of urine produced by the patient is no more than 1 liter per day, the urine becomes more concentrated and may stagnate, which leads to its oversaturation with dissolved substances and, as a result, the formation of stones.
• Hypercalciuria. The reasons for its occurrence have not yet been studied. It is believed that this condition may be a consequence of increased calcium absorption into the blood, increased calcium levels in the blood, hypervitaminosis D, hyperparathyroidism, eating a high protein diet, or systemic acidosis. Hypercalciuria increases the saturation of urine with calcium salts such as oxalates and phosphates, which leads to the formation of crystals. Approximately 80% of kidney stones contain calcium.
• Elevated levels of uric acid, oxalates, sodium urate, or cystine in the urine. Stones with uric acid salts account for 5 to 10% of all kidney stones. Often this urine composition is the result of a diet high in protein, salts and oxalate esters (oxalates), or a genetic disorder that causes increased excretion.
• Infection. It is caused by urea-splitting bacteria (Proteus or Klebsiella species). They break down urea in the urine, thereby increasing the concentration of ammonia and phosphorus, which contribute to the formation and growth of stones. Stones of this type are called mixed (because they contain magnesium, ammonium and calcium phosphates).
• Insufficient levels of citric acid salts (citrates) in the urine. The role of citrates in urine is similar to the role of bicarbonates in blood serum. They reduce the acidity of urine, but also slow down the growth and formation of crystals. The optimal level of citrates in urine is 250 mg/l to 300 mg/l.
• Obesity, hypertension, diabetes. All these diseases contribute to the formation of kidney stones and, as a result, the appearance of renal colic in humans.

Complications of renal colic

As the stone moves from the collecting system, it can injure the ureter, thereby promoting the formation of strictures in it, block it and cause hydronephrosis and an attack of renal colic, reduce the rate of ureteral peristalsis and promote the return and stagnation of urine in the kidneys. This in turn leads to a decrease in the rate of glomerular filtration of urine in the affected kidney and an increase in the load on the healthy one. Complete blockage of the ureter can cause acute renal failure. If left untreated within one to two weeks, the damage may be irreversible. Additionally, there is a risk of rupture of the renal calyx with the development of urinoma (urinary pseudocyst, when the urine is surrounded by a fibrous capsule and looks like a tumor). An infection that has entered the affected kidney can cause even greater concern, which ultimately leads to obstructive pyelonephritis (occurs in about a quarter of the total number of cases of renal colic) or purulent inflammation of the kidneys, pyonephrosis. In severe cases, urosepsis can develop, which can be fatal.

Prognosis for renal colic

Conditionally favorable if the patient consulted a doctor after the first symptoms of renal colic appeared, and the disease that caused it had no complications. Otherwise, everything depends on the severity of the disease, age and condition of the patient.

Emergency hospitalization for renal colic

The patient must be urgently sent to the hospital if, despite all efforts, it is not possible to reduce the pain of renal colic, the patient has both kidneys affected or only one is present, when exudate is released (liquid that enters the tissues from the blood vessels during inflammation), hypercalcemic crisis.

Urgent treatment is also necessary if the stone blocking the ureter becomes infected. Such a stone acts as a source of infection and causes stagnation of urine, which reduces the patient’s chances of somehow resisting the infection. Such stones must be removed immediately and completely to prevent re-infection and the formation of new stones.

Treatment of renal colic

When treating renal colic, the doctor faces two tasks: first, it is necessary to relieve pain; secondly, to cure the disease that caused renal colic and normalize the functioning of the urinary system.

Remedies for relieving pain in renal colic

• Thermal procedures. You can reduce the pain of renal colic by applying a warm compress or a warm heating pad to the lower back or abdomen. The patient can be given a sitz bath with water above body temperature (up to 39°) for 10-15 minutes. Attention! If renal colic is accompanied by inflammatory processes in the body, for example, pyelonephritis, then thermal procedures cannot be performed - they can only worsen the situation.
• Medicines. To reduce spasm of the urinary tract, relieve the pain it causes and resume the passage of urine, the doctor may suggest that the patient take painkillers - non-steroidal analgesics or, in case of severe pain, opiates. The use of non-steroidal analgesics can kill two birds with one stone. First, they reduce the release of arachidonic acid derivatives, which serve as intermediaries at pain receptors, which helps relieve pain from stretching the walls of the renal capsule. Also, non-steroidal painkillers lead to a decrease in glomerular filtration and a decrease in fluid pressure on the glomerulus. Since patients often cannot take medications orally due to pain and vomiting, they may be given intravenous or intramuscular painkillers - for example, Revalgin (metamizole sodium, pitofenone, fenpiverinium bromide), ketorolac, atropine, drotaverine, analgin with platyphylline and other. For severe pain, opiates such as morphine sulfate may be used. However, they should be used with caution - in addition to respiratory depression and sedation, the patient may develop dependence. In the future, when his situation improves, the patient can take some medications on his own, for example, spazdolzin in the form of suppositories, cystenal with sugar under the tongue, cystone tablets, and so on.
• In case of severe pain, the doctor can block the spermatic cord in men or the round ligament of the uterus in women, when a novocaine solution is injected into the affected organ with a syringe to the patient lying on the operating table. Perinephric blockade, when a solution of novocaine is injected into the perinephric tissue, is not recommended for renal colic - it can only further injure the kidney and complicate its work. If the pain persists even after the blockade, the patient must be urgently taken to the hospital.
• Catheterization of the ureter. If medications fail to bring relief to the patient, ureteral catheterization is indicated. If you manage to bring the catheter to the obstruction in the ureter and bypass it, you can immediately remove the accumulated urine, which immediately brings relief to the patient and relieves renal colic. To prevent infection, the patient should be given antibiotics.

Treatment of the disease that caused renal colic

It is selected by the doctor individually, depending on the disease that caused the renal colic and the condition of the patient. If the cause is a blockage of the ureter, the obstruction can be removed with medications (dissolved or forced to come out on its own). If this is not possible, remote shock wave lithotripsy (where shock waves destroy the obstruction, and the remaining small particles are excreted in the urine on their own), contact lithotripsy (breaking up the stone using an endoscope) or percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (when an endoscope is inserted through a tiny incision in the skin) is used. ).

If renal colic is caused by kinking of the ureter during kidney prolapse (nephroptosis), in the early stages of the disease the patient is recommended to wear a bandage to prevent displacement of the kidney and engage in physical exercise to strengthen the muscle frame. If these measures do not help or the situation is complicated by pyelonephritis, stones and arterial hypertension, the kidney is returned to its place surgically.

Stricture (narrowing of the canal) of the ureter can only be corrected surgically. If the stricture is small, it is removed using endoscopic surgery. If a blood vessel is pressing on the ureter, the doctor may, during laparoscopic surgery, cut the ureter, move the vessel to its back, and re-suture the ureter. If the affected areas are so large that excision is impossible, the affected fragments are replaced with fragments of the patient's own intestinal tissue.

For tumors in the abdominal cavity, one of the consequences of which is kinking or twisting of the ureter and renal colic, surgical treatment is indicated. If the tumor is benign, it is removed so that it does not undergo malignancy (that is, so that benign cells do not turn into malignant ones). For large tumors, a combination of surgery and radiation therapy is used, and if the cancer cannot be removed by surgery, chemotherapy is used.

Outpatient treatment for renal colic

Young and middle-aged people may be allowed to be treated at home and visit a doctor on their own if their condition is generally stable and does not cause concern, renal colic is without complications, the pain is not severe, and the body’s response to the administration of painkillers is good. And, of course, the patient must be able to regularly travel from home to the hospital.

In this case, the patient should follow a home regime and, as necessary, carry out thermal procedures to relieve pain (heating pad, hot bath). Particular attention should be paid to the condition of the genitourinary system - visit the toilet in a timely manner, try to completely empty the bladder, wash your hands with soap before and after visiting the toilet. The patient should urinate into the container from time to time and inspect it for stones in the urine. Another requirement is to strictly follow the diet prescribed by your doctor. Usually, for renal colic, treatment table No. 10 or No. 6 is prescribed.

It is not recommended to take several analgesic drugs at once - they can enhance each other's side effects. If anuria (urinary retention) is observed, there is no need to try to stimulate urination and drink a diuretic - this can only provoke a new attack of renal colic.

If the patient again feels pain due to renal colic, the temperature rises, he feels sick, vomits, urination is difficult, and the general situation worsens, you should immediately call an ambulance.

Rehabilitation and prevention of renal colic

After relieving the attack of pain due to renal colic and treating the disease that caused it, the rehabilitation process begins. Its method is selected by the doctor for the patient, based on the nature of the disease, the age and condition of the patient, the presence of complications of the disease and pathological changes in the body. But for any diseases of the genitourinary system, it is recommended to visit a urologist or nephrologist at least once a year for a preventive examination, take a urine test and do an ultrasound of the pelvic organs. For patients who have undergone tumor removal, this is especially important.

Diet plays an important role in preventing the re-formation of stones, which can cause a new attack of renal colic. One of its main conditions is to drink at least 2.5 liters of fluid per day, which can significantly reduce the concentration of salts in the urine. As a rule, when dieting, the consumption of animal proteins, sweets, fats, and salt is reduced. Depending on the type of kidney stones, your doctor may further limit foods that contain substances that promote the formation of this type of stone, such as oxalates (found in apricots, tomatoes, cornmeal, etc.) or purines (beer, legumes, liver, yeast). A patient who has had pyelonphritis is advised to avoid eating fried, fatty, baked foods, dishes high in salt and spices, as well as fresh bread.

With nephroptosis, the patient is advised to follow a diet so that sudden changes in weight do not lead to a relapse of the disease, as well as to strengthen the muscle frame with regular exercise. It is usually recommended to follow diet No. 7 and individually adjust it to suit you. With nephroptosis, it is important to get enough calories so that the lack of fat does not cause new kidney prolapse and another renal colic.