Do I Have a Kidney Stone? (with Ryan Steinberg, MD)
Sharp pain in your side. A burning sensation while urinating. Nausea or vomiting. If you’re suffering from symptoms like these, you might be asking yourself: do I have a kidney stone?
As you’ll discover in this episode, it can be a bit more complicated than that. Kidney stones are sometimes referred to as ‘the great mimicker’, since their signs and symptoms are remarkably similar to those of urinary tract infections, appendicitis, ovarian or testicular conditions, gastritis, and more.
Today, we bring in Urologist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Urology at the University of Iowa Health Care, Dr. Ryan Steinberg to help us understand what the heck kidney stones are, how to identify them, and when to seek treatment.
Ryan sheds some light on whether or not you can keep your pet stones after they are removed, what it actually looks like to obliterate kidney stones with lasers, and some of the surprisingly simple measures you can take to prevent kidney stones from forming in the first place. You’ll even get a behind-the-scenes account of what it was like to be Jeremy’s roommate in his med school days, which you won't want to miss!
To learn more about how to know for sure if it’s a kidney stone that ails you, tune in today!
Topics discussed in this episode:
- First and foremost, what is a kidney stone?
- How common kidney stones actually are
- An understanding of when kidney stones cause symptoms
- What causes kidney stones (and why you should drink more water!)
- Common signs that you might have a kidney stone
- The mechanics behind why kidney stones are so painful
- Why an accompanying fever can be bad news
- Passing the stone naturally vs. medical intervention
- Demystifying laser kidney stone surgery
- Dietary recommendations for kidney stone prevention
- Popular herbal remedies to cop or drop
- Why and how to do a 24-hour urine collection sample
- Why Ryan suggests being proactive about your health
- OR playlists, stories from Ryan and Jeremy’s days as roommates, and more!
Connect with Ryan by visiting his webpage at the University of Iowa Health Care here, or follow him on Twitter for more bad puns and dad jokes!
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Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com
Email: yourdoctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com
Call the DOCLINE on 312-380-5005 and leave us a message. We will listen and maybe even respond/play it on the show!
(Disclaimer: we will not answer specific medical questions or offer medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional with any and all personal health questions.)
Connect with us:
@JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter)
@JuliaBrueneMD (IG)
