Kidney Stone Specialists Near You in Noida | Expert Guide to Safe Removal

Kidney stones are highly common in Noida, with some studies showing that 1 in every 7 people in the city has the condition. The high incidence mirrors that of the average found in North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi NCR, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Punjab.

The primary cause for the increased incidence of kidney stones in the region is due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, poor dietary habits, rising stress levels, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. The risk of the condition in places like Noida has significantly increased among people between the ages of 25 and 40.

Kidney stones can be very painful and often require adequate treatment in a timely manner to ensure your renal system doesn’t get permanent damage. Kidney stone specialists near you in Noida are highly trained medical professionals who understand the root cause of your kidney stones and offer personalised treatment.

The primary job of kidney stone specialists is to diagnose the stones as early as possible and recommend a safe treatment method for you. In this blog, we’ll discuss how kidney stones are formed, how specialists diagnose them, what you should do for kidney stones of different sizes, and what the best kidney stone removal surgeries available in Noida are.

Understanding Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are crystallised formations inside your kidneys that are formed due to the abundance of certain minerals in your urine. These minerals include calcium, oxalate, and uric acid. Kidney stones can disrupt the functioning of your kidneys and cause intense pain. Kidney stone pain is often considered one of the worst pains experienced by patients who go through it. Untreated kidney stones can cause several complications, including kidney failure, which can be fatal. So, it is crucial that you learn how to identify the early signs of kidney stones and get the right treatment from the kidney stone specialists in Noida.

How Are Kidney Stones Formed?

Kidney stones are formed when there is an excess of minerals in your urine. Generally, urine is able to dissolve the minerals and stop them from crystallising. However, when the extent of the minerals, specifically, calcium, oxalate, and uric acid, exceeds certain levels, the urine’s ability to dilute the minerals goes away. That’s when the kidney stones form by sedimentation and crystallisation over time. It is important to note that kidney stones take time to form and are asymptomatic until they reach a certain size, where they start disrupting your kidney’s functioning, or they are traveling down your urinary tract.

What Are Common Causes & Risk Factors of Kidney Stones?

The common causes and risk factors of kidney stones are as follows:

• A family history of kidney stones
• Dietary factors, such as a high-sodium diet and not drinking enough water
• Sedentary lifestyle and suffering from obesity
• Regular alcohol consumption
• Recurrent urinary tract infections or sexually transmitted infections
• Undiagnosed gastric and digestive problems can increase your risk of kidney stones
• Patients who undergo bariatric surgery are often at a higher risk of getting kidney stones
• Genetic predisposition, which increases the risk of cystine stones

Signs & Symptoms of Kidney Stones

Kidney stones often show many symptoms when they start blocking the urinary tract. Even though pain is the most important and common symptom of a kidney stone, there are other symptoms you must know about. A complete understanding of common symptoms can help you visit a kidney stone specialist at the earliest and start your treatment.

• Back & Flank Pain: This is the most common symptom of a kidney stone. The back and flank pain often indicates that the stones are currently in your kidneys, blocking the normal functioning of the organ. Kidney stone pain is sharp and intense, with some patients remarking that the pain is worse than childbirth. Kidney stone pain can start in your lower back or flank and move to the pelvic region as the stones move through your urinary tract.
• Pain While Urinating: This is the second most common symptom of kidney stones. The pain may be experienced as a burning sensation while urinating and can be very painful for the patient. While there are many reasons you may have pain while urinating, if you have this symptom alongside back and flank pain, you should get medical help.
• Blood in Urine (Hematuria): This is an advanced symptom of kidney stones and one you must take very seriously. This symptom often indicates advanced kidney stones that require thorough treatment.
• Frequent Urination: An increase in urinary frequency can often be caused by kidney stones. It is important to note this as an important symptom if you already have the other mentioned symptoms. Independently, urinary frequency increase in men can also be caused by prostate enlargement.
• Nausea: Symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and fever are commonly associated with kidney stones since kidney stones often cause urinary tract infections. These symptoms can impact your overall health and require medical attention to be treated. It is important to note that pain and nausea, along with fever, are already early signs of kidney stones. So, you must monitor these symptoms and get medical attention accordingly.

When Should You Visit a Kidney Stone Specialist in Noida?

You should visit a kidney stone specialist in Noida as soon as possible if:

• You have persistent back and flank pain that worsens over time
• You get symptoms like nausea, chills, and fever alongside pain
• You experience increased urinary frequency and a burning sensation while urinating
• Difficulty urinating or emptying your bladder completely
• Seeing blood in urine (urine that’s dark, cloudy, and smells really bad)

These symptoms should not be ignored and warrant a medical visit to a kidney stone specialist in Noida. It is important to note that kidney stone diagnosis at early stages can help patients prevent pain and avail themselves of non-surgical treatments.

How Are Kidney Stones Diagnosed by Specialists in Noida?

Kidney stone diagnosis follows a three-step process. Blood work, urinalysis, and imaging tests. These three tests provide a complete picture of a patient’s health. 

• Blood Tests: If specialists suspect kidney stones, one of the first tests they recommend is a blood test to check for the levels of calcium, oxalate, and uric acid in your body. Blood tests help doctors get an indication of mineral levels in your body, but these tests cannot independently diagnose kidney stones.
• Urinalysis: Urinalysis is performed to study the level of calcium, uric acid, and oxalate in your urine. If your body is passing too much calcium or other minerals, it can indicate that your risk of kidney stones is very high. The urinalysis can sometimes also include an analysis of any stones that have been passed. The stone analysis is the most complete kidney stone diagnosis method.
• Imaging Tests: Both an ultrasound and a CT scan are used to adequately find the presence of kidney stones inside your body. Once visually confirmed, specialists can determine the size of kidney stones accordingly. With the size determined, specialists can recommend the right treatment option for kidney stones.

The method of diagnosis may also include a physical examination by the specialists, where they examine the abdomen, back, and flank region of the patient. This is done to check for inflammation and tenderness in the body.

Kidney Stone Size Guide

Based on the size of the kidney stones, kidney stone specialists in Noida recommend different treatment options. Larger stones require advanced surgical treatment, while smaller stones can even be treated with lifestyle and dietary changes.

Why Choose a Kidney Stone Specialist in Noida?

Kidney stones are a complex medical condition that requires specialised medical treatment. As a result, patients must choose a specialist to get the right treatment. A kidney stone specialist in Noida can help patients get the right treatment without putting the patient's health at risk. But what medical specialty is practiced by kidney stone specialists? Kidney stone specialist is not a branch of medicine, so kidney stone specialists are often urologists or nephrologists. Here’s a breakdown of what it takes to be a kidney stone specialist.

Who is a Kidney Stone Specialist?

A kidney stone specialist can be either a nephrologist or a urologist. This is mainly because kidney stones fall under the purview of both nephrology and urology. When you choose to get your treatment from a reliable healthcare institution for kidney stones, hospitals like the MASSH MANAS Super Speciality Hospital offer a medical team comprising both. But why a nephrologist and urologist? This is because:

• Nephrology is the study of the kidney and is most directly related to kidney stones
• Urology is the study of the urinary system of human beings, and since the kidney stones make their way down the urinary tract, urologists are also often consulted

Now onto a different question, when do you visit a kidney stone surgeon?

When Do You Visit a Kidney Stone Surgeon?

You should visit a kidney stone surgeon only after getting a complete diagnosis of kidney stones. This is because surgeons do not specialise in the diagnostic process. So, after a diagnosis, when should you contact a kidney stone surgeon? You should connect with a surgeon if you have kidney stones that are larger than 6 mm in size. This is because stones larger than 6 mm require surgical intervention. Stones less than 6 mm in size do not require surgical intervention generally.

Treatment Options for Kidney Stones

The treatment recommended is often linked with the stone size and overall patient health. Here are the most common treatment options for kidney stones in Noida, available at the MASSH MANAS Super Speciality Hospital.

a.) Conservative Treatment

For smaller stones, increased hydration and dietary changes are often enough to get the stones to pass naturally out of your body. This is the easiest treatment option for kidney stones and is often the safest since it doesn’t involve using any medication or surgery.

b.)Medications

Medications are recommended for the treatment of kidney stones that are moderate in size. Certain medications, like NSAIDs, potassium citrate, and alpha blockers, are used to ease the pain from kidney stones, relax the ureters for the kidney stones to pass, and dissolve kidney stones as much as possible.

c.) Surgical Intervention

There are numerous surgical options for kidney stone treatment. Larger stones that cannot safely travel down your ureter are best removed via surgery. This protects your kidneys and ureters from scarring and damage caused by the movement of large kidney stones in your body.

• Ureteroscopy (URS): A ureteroscopy is one of the least invasive kidney stone removal surgeries. It involves inserting a laparoscopic surgical instrument, which is a long scope with a camera at its head called a ureteroscope, into your body through the urethra. This surgery doesn’t involve making any incisions. The ureteroscope is sent up the urinary tract to your kidneys to find and remove kidney stones from the body. This surgery is very useful for medium-sized kidney stones.
• Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS): RIRS functions somewhat similarly to a URS surgery, but it involves the use of high-powered surgical lasers, which are used to disintegrate large kidney stones and remove them from your body safely. RIRS is also a non-incisive surgery, like URS, and uses a ureteroscope for surgical field visualisation. RIRS is one of the most successful surgeries for moderate to large kidney stones.
• Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL): A PCNL surgery is one of the best minimally invasive surgeries for kidney stone removal. This surgery involves making a small incision in the flank of the patient’s body to directly access the kidneys. Surgical tools are inserted through the incisions to operate and remove the kidney stones. The incisions are stitched up to complete the surgery. This is one of the best surgeries for large and advanced kidney stones, as it minimises the risk of ureter damage.
• Mini PCNL: A mini PCNL is the same PCNL surgery, just with smaller incisions for a quicker recovery. This surgery is recommended for patients who are not fit for a regular PCNL. The mini PCNL is safer and has a lower operating time. However, it is an advanced surgery and often requires the efforts of highly skilled surgeons with a very specialised surgical infrastructure. The likes of which are available at the MASSH MANAS Super Speciality Hospital in Noida.
• Endoscopic Combined Intrarenal Surgery (ECIRS): An ECIRS is recommended for patients with large and advanced kidney stones. This surgery is the most advanced kidney stone removal surgery as it involves two distinct surgeries performed simultaneously to remove kidney stones safely. An ECIRS combines the use of an RIRS and a PCNL surgery to remove kidney stones from the body.

Why Choose MASSH MANAS Super Speciality Hospital?

There are four specific reasons why the MASSH MANAS Super Speciality Hospital stands out as the best medical institution for kidney stone treatment in Noida. The four reasons are:

• Top Kidney Stone Specialists in Noida: The MASSH MANAS Super Speciality Hospital is home to the top kidney stone specialists in Noida. The medical team at our hospital is highly trained and experienced in managing all types of kidney stone complications and treatments. This helps improve patient outcomes and prevents complications in the first place.
• End-to-end Personalised Medical Care: Our care ethos at the MASSH MANAS Super Speciality Hospital revolves around providing specialised and personalised care to patients that focuses on participatory, preventive, and precise medical care. These factors ensure patients at our hospital get the care they need as per their overall health and medical goals. We do not push patients for treatments they don’t need, and that creates a relationship of trust between the patients and the healthcare team.
• Advanced Surgical Treatments: The MASSH MANAS Super Speciality Hospital specialises in highly advanced minimally invasive surgical treatments for kidney stone removal. We hold a perfect surgical record for our patients thanks to the world-class surgical infrastructure, as well as the experience and efforts of highly skilled and experienced kidney stone specialists in Noida.
• Post-treatment Care: We don’t just believe in specialised treatment; we also offer long-term post-treatment care that helps patients get back to their lives easily. Our focus lies on helping patients build a better relationship with their health and build healthy habits that can sustain a better quality of life.

FAQs About Kidney Stone Specialists in Noida

1. What are the early signs of kidney stones?

The early signs of kidney stones generally start with sharp flank or lower back pain. Common kidney stone symptoms apart from pain include pain while urinating, increased urinary urgency and frequency, and blood in urine. If you notice blood in your urine repeatedly, be sure to get immediate medical attention, as it is a serious medical symptom.

2. Can kidney stones pass naturally without surgery?

Yes, kidney stones can pass naturally without surgery. This is all the more true for kidney stones that are smaller than 4 mm in size. These stones can pass through your urinary tract without the need for medications, and can be done by increasing your daily water intake. For stones slightly larger than 4 mm, medications like potassium citrate are used to dissolve the stones slightly to make it easier to pass through your urinary tract, without surgery.

3. How long does it take to pass a kidney stone?

Kidney stones can take somewhere between one and four weeks to pass through your urinary tract. The time it takes for the stone to travel depends a lot on the stone's size and location. Kidney stones that are formed inside the kidneys take longer to travel than kidney stones that are formed inside the ureters.

4. What causes kidney stones to form?

Kidney stones form when there are excess minerals in your urine. The minerals, namely calcium, oxalate, or uric acid, have a tendency to bind and crystallise when they sediment in the same place over time. This leads to the formation of kidney stones. Two factors play a major role here: the first is a high level of the minerals mentioned in your body, and the second is chronic dehydration.

5. Are kidney stones more common in men or women?

Kidney stones are more common in men than in women. The increased risk is often tied to dietary and lifestyle factors. Regular consumption of alcohol, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, and stress play an important role in the higher risk of kidney stones among men.

6. What tests are used to diagnose kidney stones?

Kidney stones are diagnosed using blood tests, urinalysis, and imaging tests. The blood tests used for diagnosis are generally ones used to detect the level of calcium, oxalate, or uric acid in your body. The urinalysis is used to understand the level of the mentioned minerals in your urine. The imaging tests are used to visualise the kidney stones in your body.

7. Can dehydration increase the risk of kidney stones?

Dehydration significantly increases the risk of kidney stones in patients. In fact, chronic dehydration is often cited as the number one cause of kidney stones.

8. What foods should be avoided if you have kidney stones?

If you have kidney stones, you should avoid oxalate-rich foods like spinach, nuts, chocolate, and beets. Additionally, you should also keep your sodium-intake in check. Lastly, animal proteins, specifically red meat, should be consumed in moderation or avoided altogether to keep your risk in check.

9. Can kidney stones come back after treatment?

Kidney stones can recur after treatment if patients do not follow the right dietary and lifestyle restrictions. Kidney stone prevention measures must be followed to restrict the risk of kidney stone recurrence.

10. What lifestyle changes help prevent kidney stones?

Lifestyle changes that help prevent kidney stones are specifically lowering your alcohol intake, exercising regularly, following a balanced diet, keeping your body weight in check, and following a good sleep schedule, alongside quitting habits like smoking. These habits can reduce your risk of kidney stones and help you live a healthier life overall.

Medically Reviewed By

MASSH-MANAS Urology Team

Our team of highly experienced urologists specializes in advanced urology and minimally invasive kidney stone surgeries. The clinical focus includes the diagnosis and management of complex kidney stones using advanced techniques such as RIRS, ECIRS, and PCNL, along with preventive kidney stone care through lifestyle guidance and metabolic evaluation.

Medical Disclaimer

This blog is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified kidney stone specialist or urologist for proper evaluation and personalized treatment recommendations.