What are Bladder Stones?
Bladder stones are hard masses and clumps of minerals that form in the bladder. In most cases bladder stones develop when the urine becomes very concentrated or dehydrated. They develop when the minerals in concentrated urine crystallize and form stones. This disease often happens when you have trouble completely emptying your bladder.
Small bladder stones may pass without treatment on their own, but sometimes bladder stones need medications or surgery and special procedure to remove them. Left untreated bladder stones may lead to urinary tract infections and other complications.
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Before Bladder Stone Treatment
Symptoms
What are the symptoms of Bladder stone?
Some bladder stones pass out of the body with urine and don’t cause any symptoms. Large bladder stones can irritate the bladder and cause severe pain, bleeding, and problems urinating. Signs and symptoms include:
. Changes in urine color: You may have cloudy or dark urine, or you may see blood in your urine.
. Frequent need to urinate: You may feel like you always need to pee, even if you just went.
. Pain: With bladder stones, it’s common to feel pain or burning when urinating. You may also feel pain that comes and goes in the lower part of the abdomen (belly). Men sometimes feel pain in the penis or testicles.
. Stopping and starting: You may have a difficult time starting the flow of urine, even if you really have to go. Sometimes the urine stream stops and starts (urinary intermittency).
. Urinary tract infections: Bladder stones can lead to infections of the urinary tract (UTIs). UTI symptoms include frequent, painful urination as well as cloudy, smelly urine.
Causes
What Causes Bladder stone?
Bladder stones can develop when your bladder doesn’t empty completely. This causes urine to become concentrated urine, and then it may crystallize and form stones.
Some infections can lead to bladder stones, and sometimes an underlying condition that affects the bladder’s ability to hold, store or eliminate urine can result in bladder stone formation. Any foreign materials present in the bladder tend to cause bladder stones.
The most common conditions that cause bladder stones include:
. Prostate gland enlargement. An enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH) can cause bladder stones in men. An enlarged prostate can obstruct the flow of urine, preventing the bladder from emptying completely.
. Damaged nerves. Normally, nerves carry messages from your brain to your bladder muscles, directing your bladder muscles to tighten or release. If these nerves are damaged — from a stroke, spinal cord injury or other health problem — your bladder may not empty completely. This is known as neurogenic bladder.
Other possible causes of bladder stones include:
. Inflammation. Bladder inflammation, sometimes caused by urinary tract infections or radiation therapy to the pelvis, can lead to bladder stones.
. Medical devices. Bladder catheters — slender tubes inserted through the urethra to help urine drain from your bladder — may cause bladder stones. So can objects that accidentally migrate to your bladder, such as a contraceptive device or urinary stent. Mineral crystals, which later become stones, tend to form on the surfaces of these devices.
. Kidney stones. Stones that form in your kidneys are not the same as bladder stones. They develop in different ways. But small kidney stones may travel down the ureters into your bladder and, if not expelled, can grow into bladder stones.
Risk factors
Men, especially those over 50, are more likely to have bladder stones.
Conditions that can raise the risk of bladder stones include:
. An obstruction. Any condition that blocks the flow of urine from your bladder to the urethra — the tube that carries urine out of your body — can lead to bladder stone formation. There are a number of causes, but the most common is an enlarged prostate.
. Nerve damage. Stroke, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, a herniated disk and a number of other problems can damage nerves that control bladder function.
It’s possible to have nerve damage and a condition that causes bladder outlet obstruction. Having these together further increases the risk of stones.
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Complications
Bladder stones that don’t pass — even those that don’t cause symptoms — can lead to complications, such as:
. Chronic bladder problems. Untreated bladder stones can cause long-term urinary difficulties, such as pain or frequent urination. Bladder stones can also lodge in the opening where urine exits the bladder into the urethra and block the flow of urine.
. Urinary tract infections. Repeated bacterial infections in your urinary tract may be caused by bladder stones.
Prevention
Bladder stones are usually caused by an underlying condition that’s hard to prevent, but you can decrease your chances of bladder stones by following these tips:
. Tell your doctor about unusual urinary symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment of an enlarged prostate or another urologic condition may reduce your risk of developing bladder stones.
. Drink plenty of fluids. Drinking more fluids, especially water, may help prevent bladder stones because fluids dilute the concentration of minerals in your bladder. How much water you should drink depends on your age, size, health and level of activity. Ask your doctor what’s an appropriate amount of fluid for you.
Diagnosis
If you need to check up, the provider will examine you and ask about your symptoms.
Diagnosing bladder stones may involve:
. A physical exam: The doctor will likely feel your lower abdomen to see if your bladder is enlarged (distended) or may perform a rectal exam to determine whether your prostate is enlarged. You’ll also discuss any urinary signs or symptoms that you’re having.
. A urine test: A sample of your urine may be collected and examined for microscopic amounts of blood, bacteria and crystallized minerals. A urine test also looks for a urinary tract infection, which can cause or be the result of bladder stones.
. CT scan: CT uses X-rays and computers to quickly scan and provide clear images of the inside of your body. CT can detect even very small stones. It’s one of the most-sensitive tests for identifying all types of bladder stones.
. Ultrasound: This test bounces sound waves off organs and other structures in your body to create images that help detect bladder stones.
. X-ray: An X-ray of your kidneys, ureters and bladder helps your doctor determine whether you have bladder stones. Some types of stones can’t be seen on conventional X-rays, however.
. Cystoscopy: During this procedure, your provider uses a small scope to look inside your bladder and check for stones. The scope is thin and flexible, with a camera on the end.
During Bladder Stone Treatment
Treatment
What is the treatment for bladder stones?
Typically, bladder stones need to be removed from the bladder by an urologist. Very rarely, they can be dissolved but this depends on the type of stone you have and can also take a long time.
Treatment for bladder stones includes:
. Cystolitholapaxy: During a cystolitholapaxy, providers use a scope to visualize the stones in the bladder and then break bladder stones into tiny pieces using lasers or ultrasound (high-frequency sound waves). The pieces are then removed from the bladder.
. Surgery: If the stones are especially large, you may need open surgery to remove them. Your provider makes an incision in your abdomen and takes out the stones.
Alternative medicine
There’s no evidence that herbal remedies can break up bladder stones. These stones are extremely hard and usually require a laser, ultrasound or other procedure for removal. Always check with your doctor before taking any alternative medicine therapy to be sure it’s safe and that it won’t cause any problems with other medications you’re taking.
After Bladder Stone Treatment
What should a patient expect after a cystolitholapaxy?
A catheter may be inserted into the urethra or bladder to drain urine from the body after the operation. It usually remains in place for 24 to 48 hours, but the amount of time may vary. You may feel discomfort while passing urine for two or three days after returning home. There may be a small amount of blood in the urine. It’s OK to take medicine to relieve pain or discomfort.
It may take about a week to recover from a cystolitholapaxy. Plan to take one to two weeks off work, and more time if your job requires physical activity or heavy lifting.
Drink plenty of water while you’re recovering. Try to drink about eight glasses of water or liquids per day.
Contact your doctor if you:
. Develop a fever.
. Have severe pain while urinating.
. Have heavy bleeding.
. Can’t pass urine.
The outlook
What is the outlook for people who have bladder stones?
Some small bladder stones may pass out of the body without treatment. But for the majority that don’t pass on their own, providers can remove them with minimally invasive procedures or surgery. With proper treatment, bladder stones don’t cause long-term health problems.
Untreated bladder stones can lead to pain, difficulty urinating, bleeding and infection. Talk to your provider if you have a health condition (such as BPH) that can lead to bladder stones. If you don’t treat the cause, bladder stones may form again.
When should I see my healthcare provider about bladder stones?
If you have any signs of bladder stones, talk to your provider. Stones continue to grow when they remain in the bladder. That’s why it’s important to get treated as soon as you notice symptoms.
Without treatment, bladder stones can lead to health problems like frequent urinary tract infections. Repeated UTIs can damage the urinary tract.
If you have signs of bladder stones, be open and honest with your healthcare provider. Effective treatments are available if the stones are too big to pass. It’s important to get treated as early as possible and address any health conditions that may be causing bladder stones. Early treatment can relieve symptoms, help you avoid long-term damage and keep bladder stones from developing again.