Kidney Stones

12% of India's total population suffers from urinary or kidney stones. Indian food habits can be a cause of this surprising number. Let us see what they are and why they are becoming so prevalent. Kidney stones are crystallized deposits of minerals found in the kidney. The main reason for the formation of kidney stones is more minerals and less fluid in the urine. Liquids like water help to dilute the minerals. Usually, urinary stones that are small in size do not cause any harm or pain. Trouble starts when it moves inside the kidney or to the ureter (a tube connecting the kidneys to the bladder). Read on to know more about kidney stones, its causes, symptoms, specifications, treatment, preventive measures, and the best-suited health insurance plans.

A variety of factors can cause kidney stones, including diet, obesity and family history. However, what causes kidney stones is concentrated urines. This concentrated urine contains minerals like calcium and uric acid which stick together to form a stone. The ureter usually does not have any problems with small stones as they pass through easily. The problem starts when the size of the stone is bigger. It tries hard to pass the ureter, which can be very painful. Sometimes, bigger stones can even lodge the passage of urine in the ureter. Due to this, there can be swelling in the kidney and which can lead to infections. Such a condition needs immediate medical treatment.

Kidney stones pain area and intensity can vary depending on stone location and size. But, the common signs to look out for are: Sharp pain at the side or back of the abdomen.

• Blood in the urine
• Foul-smelling or cloudy urine
• Constant urge to urinate
• Fever and chills in case of infection
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Difficulty in urinating

Kidney stones are very painful and are prone to serious infections. So, it is advised to get rid of them as soon as possible. Doctors often recommend having a CT scan to know the size of the stone. Based upon that, they will suggest the necessary treatment. Kidney stone treatment usually involves prescription medicines to dissolve the stones and ease the pain. For severe cases with bigger stones, prescribed drugs do not work. Depending on the severity, doctors can suggest various kidney stone removal methods like open surgery, shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, and Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

With the help of small changes in diet and lifestyle, you can keep the danger of having a kidney stone at bay. Some preventive measures to keep it away or stop it from recurring are:

• Drink a lot of fluids, especially water; it will help dilute the minerals. Doctors recommend a person with kidney stones should drink 12 glasses of water every day.
• Cut down the intake of high sodium foods like potato chips, pickles, etc.
• Avoid eating food with high oxalate like potatoes, spinach, cashews, peanuts, etc.
• Fresh lemon juice can also help curb the acidic urine a bit.
• Eat a lot of watery fruits and vegetables like watermelon and cucumbers.

• Life is unpredictable:

  Due to bad lifestyle and food habits, getting into a serious health problem is very common. It's good to have a plan for uncertainties. Medical charges for treating and removing kidney stones are increasing rapidly. Health insurance for diseases like kidney stones is always a good idea, especially if your family has a history of the disease.

• Financial security:

  A sudden and huge cash outflow from savings can be a burden. Being prepared and having a plan to overcome such a burden is always advisable. Health insurance gives you the financial support to bear a sudden loss of money.

• Ever-increasing medical inflation:

  In our discussion, we discussed ways to remove kidney stones; all of these techniques require expert doctors and advanced technology. This can leave you with a huge medical bill. Insurance can assure you a lump sum on your hard days.

Be aware of all the inclusions in your health insurance. Read all the insurance documents carefully to know about the inclusions. Here are some common inclusions in health insurance you should look out for:

• In-hospital expenses:

  Your health insurance will cover the costs of the hospital room, special room, physician, and nurse fees incurred during treatment for your kidney stone. Do check the network hospitals of the insurance company in the documents.

• Pre and post-hospitalisation expenses:

  Sometimes even after the treatment doctor may call you for follow-ups. Your insurance company assures the fees for follow-ups, too. It also includes medicinal expenses.

It is necessary to know all exclusions of your health insurance to yield maximum benefit from it. The fewer the exclusions, the better the insurance plan. Here are the most common insurance exclusions:

• Diagnosis expenses:

  Kidney stone treatment often starts with a CT scan for diagnosing the nature of the stone. Diagnosis tests like CT scans or blood/ urine tests are exclusions in many health insurances.

• Pre-existing conditions:

  If you already have kidney stones and want to seek treatment, it may not be possible because you will have to wait for a waiting period after purchasing the insurance.