Signs to recognize and give first aid to patients with acute renal colic

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Tran Quoc Vinh - Emergency Doctor - Department of Resuscitation - Emergency - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital. Doctor Tran Quoc Vinh has more than 6 years of working experience (starting in 2011) in the field of Emergency Medicine.

Renal colic is an acute pain syndrome in the back of the abdomen; 75-80% of renal colic pain is related to stones. When the stone enters the ureter, it blocks the flow of urine, especially when the stone moves, it will cause renal colic. This is very acute, severe pain that often requires emergency treatment.

Symptoms of renal colic vary depending on the size of the stone or its location in the urinary tract.
If the stone is small, it may only cause mild abdominal pain and move along the urinary tract, not causing much discomfort to the patient. Large stones can cause severe pain. In particular, it can get stuck and cause urinary tract obstruction. Some common sites of obstruction are the kidneys, bladder, or ureters – the tubes that carry urine between the kidneys and bladder. The pain usually occurs in the flanks and hips, then spreads to the lower abdomen and groin. The pain lasts for about 30-40 minutes, then stops and comes the next pain. Other common symptoms are:
Difficulty urinating, pain while urinating Blood in urine, pink urine Urine smelly, very unpleasant Vomiting, nausea Painful urination, frequent urination or no urination In some cases In some cases, signs of infection such as fever, cold, and sweating may appear. In addition, if you have the following signs, you need to see a doctor immediately:
Fever above 38 degrees Celsius Uncontrollable vomiting Inability to urinate.

Most stones can move out in the urine, up to 80% of the stones pass out in the urine.
If the stone is too big, usually > 7mm, causing obstruction and pain, the following methods can be applied to treat:

This is an invasive surgical procedure. The doctor inserts a thin tube with a light and camera into the urinary tract to locate the stone and thereby remove it.

Extracorporeal lithotripsy is a non-invasive treatment. Use a low sound aimed at the kidney, breaking the stone into small pieces. These small pieces of stone will then pass out in the urine.

During this procedure, general anesthesia is required. The doctor will use a lighted tube, enter the kidney through a small cut, and remove the stone.

Sometimes, the doctor will also put a thin tube into the ureter to relieve the blockage and promote stone passage.

Some stones are too big to pass out, so open surgery is needed. Usually, doctors try to break up or break up stones so they can pass out in the urine before considering open surgery.
In addition, the doctor can also use pain relievers or drugs to reduce the accumulation of stones: These drugs include:
Corticosteroids, Non-steroids Antispasmodics: Buscopan, Averin citrate,.. Antibiotics. Antioxidants Calcium channel blockers Selective alpha-1 inhibitors It is best, if renal colic occurs, do not self-medicate but need to go to a medical facility for timely examination.