How do I differentiate kidney stones from other causes of abdominal pain?

Doctor's Answers 2

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Dr Wai Leong Quan

Gastroenterologist

Hi there. One crude but simple observation you can make is to look at the colour of your urine.

If you experience a sharp pain originating from your right loin towards your right groin during urination and the urine colour turns dark brown or red, the chances of you having urinary tract stone are high.

If you are not sure, a quick visit to your GP with a dipstick urine test may reveal some helpful information. Right-sided abdominal pain may also be due to gallstone disease or gastric related problems.

If your symptoms are getting worse or happen more frequently, pay your doctor a visit.

Dr Quan

You will need a CT scan to rule out urinary or kidney stones.

Similar Questions

Why does my abdomen hurt when I urinate?

In general, lower abdominal discomfort associated with urination is suggestive of an infection of the urinary tract or bladder. Going to your GP to get a urine dipstick test may be all you need to confirm the diagnosis. Uncomplicated infection of the urinary tract can be treated in the outpatient setting most times. Occasionally, inflammation of a pelvic organ may give you abdominal discomfort when there is any increased in the intra-abdominal pressure. Activities such as urination or bowel opening may aggravate pain from such inflammation.

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Answered By

Dr Wai Leong Quan

Gastroenterologist

How can I reduce the calcium content in my blood if I have an overactive parathyroid and recurrent kidney stones?

The cause of your kidney stones could in fact be due to high calcium levels resulting from an overactive parathyroid gland, (or hyperparathyroidism). The parathyroid gland produces the hormone PTH, which increases calcium levels in your body. Normally, when calcium levels in your blood fall too low, your parathyroid glands secrete PTH to restore the balance. PTH raises calcium levels by releasing calcium from your bones and increasing the amount of calcium absorbed from your small intestine. When blood calcium levels are too high, the parathyroid glands produce less PTH.

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