A kidney stone infection occurs when a kidney stone blocks the passageway of urine from the kidneys to the bladder. This causes urine to back up in the kidneys, leading to serious infection. Individuals who are suffering from this condition often experience symptoms such as lower back and abdominal pain.
While it can sometimes be difficult to accurately diagnose this condition, the treatment can be actually quite easy and effective. For best results, lithotripsy is often used, which is a process in which the kidney stone causing the infection is broken up. The individual often is then required to take antibiotics in order to clear up the infection completely.
While a kidney stone infection can be related to a number a symptoms, it most commonly causes a sharp pain in the lower back, near the location where the kidneys are situated. This pain can also sometimes be present in the lower abdomen. While this is typically the most common symptom of a kidney stone infection, people may also experience symptoms such as an increased need to urinate, extreme fatigue, and may even experience significant pain during urination. An individual who experiences these symptoms should be sure to schedule an appointment with his or her primary care physician as soon as possible in order to achieve optimal results during treatment.
A kidney stone infection is most often diagnosed through the use of an x-ray or ultrasound. However, in order for these methods to be effective in the diagnosis of a kidney stone infection, the stone must be relatively large. Individuals who experience the symptoms listed above and receive negative x-rays or ultrasounds may also consider requesting a CT scan. These scans can typically pinpoint smaller kidney stones that can be difficult to identify with other types of equipment. If a doctor does not find a kidney stone infection and doesn't recommend additional testing, the patient may want to consider seeking a second opinion.
While kidney stone infections can be very difficult to diagnose, there is really no problem when it comes to treating this pesky problem. One of the easiest and most common ways to treat a kidney stone infection is to first get rid of the kidney stone. This can be done through a through a process called lithotripsy, which involves using sound waves to break up the stone. After the kidney stone has passed, the individual will typically receive high grade antibiotics in order to clear up the infection that was caused by the kidney stone.