Renal colic is the acute loin pain radiating to the groin with haematuria.
Nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis is the formation of urinary calculi at any level of urinary tract.
Renal calculi are the aggregate of crystals containing a small amount of proteins, and glycoproteins. Dietary, genetic and environmental factors are responsible for it.
Majority of the stones are calcium oxalate and phosphate stones. Uric acid stones are also there. Some drugs may also form stones-(eg; ephidrin)
The size may vary from sand like particles to large round stones in bladder and staghorn calculi that fill the whole renal pelvis and branches into calyces.
Predisposing factors
Dietary factors
High environmental temperature, low fluid intake
High-protein diet, low calcium and high sodium
High sodium excretion
Acquired causes
Hypercalcemia (high calcium level in blood)
Inherited causes
Cystinuria, familial hypercalciuria
Symptoms-
Sudden attack of pain-which starts from the flank to groin and also it extent to testes or labium (in females). Pain increases suddenly and reaches to the maximum within minutes.
The patient is highly restless; continuously walk around, sweating vomiting and pallor.
Frequency, dysuria, haematuria may occur.
The severe pain may subside by about two hours, but mild pain persists for days.
TYPES OF URINARY CALCULI
There are mainly four types of urinary calculi.
Calcium stones.
They are the most common of all urinary calculi and may be the pure stones of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate or a mixture of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate.
Mixed (struvite) stones.
They are made up of magnesium -ammonium-calcium phosphate. It is often called as struvite or triple phosphate stones.
Uric acid stones:
Uric acid stones are radiolucent and are frequently found in cases with hyperuricemia and hyperuricosuria such as primary gout or secondary gout, chemotherapy.
Cystine stones:
They are associated with Cystinuria due to a genetically determined defect in the transport of cystine and other amino acid across the cell membrane of the renal tubules and small intestinal mucosa.
Other calculi:
Due to inherited abnormality of enzyme metabolism
Investigations-
x ray abdomen.
Ultrasound abdomen
IVU
Spiral CT the most accurate assessment, and help to diagnosis opaque stone like uric acid stone.
Urine- routine examination
Treatment-
Drink plenty of fluids. At least three to four glasses of water should be taken per day.
Homeopathic medicines definitely have a role in the treatment of renal colic and for the expulsion of renal calculus.
Acute episodes of renal colic can be controlled by medicines like Lycopodium, Nux vom, Cantharis, etc. the selection of medicine in acute pain depends upon the side of affection, nature of pain, and with accompanying symptoms like nausea vomiting, urging to urinate or defecate, etc.
To expel the calculus homeopathic medicines are chosen according to the site of affection, chronicity of the complaint, previous history of the patient, nature of the stones, etc. once the calculus is expelled unlike other systems of medicine, there will be no formation of calculus again and again.
Calculus up to the size of 8mm can be expelled by homeopathic medicines.
