Difference Between Kidney Stones and Gallstones
Kidney Health Care - David Mangusan Jr., PTRP
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Kidney Stones vs Gallstones: Differentiating Kidney Stones From Gallstones
Kidney stones and gallstones are totally unrelated conditions. They form in different areas of the body.
A kidney stone is a hard mass that forms when substances in the urine harden to form crystals. Most kidney stones are small that they easily pass out of the body even without medical treatment. However, if the kidney stone is too large, it may lodge into narrower part of the urinary tract, causing pain. Sometimes the kidney stone can totally block the flow of urine and can damage the kidney. Treatment may include lifestyle changes, medications, surgery and other non-invasive procedures to break or remove the stones.
Gallstones, on the other hand, forms when substances in the gallbladder harden and form a solid mass. The gallbladder is a small, pear-like shaped sac located just below the liver in the right upper abdomen. It stores bile, a fluid made by the liver that aids in the digestion of fat. Gallstones can cause serious problems if they become trapped or lodged in the bile ducts—passageways that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine. When a gallstone gets stuck in any of the ducts, it can cause pain called gallbladder attack. Signs of a gallbladder attack may include nausea, vomiting, or pain in the abdomen, back, or just under the right arm.
Treatment of gallstones may include surgery or medications to dissolve the stones. However, many people with gallstones have no symptoms. They do not interfere with gallbladder, liver, or pancreas function and may not need any special medical treatment.
Related Post: Kidney Stones
Reference:
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC). Kidney Stones in Adults. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication No. 08–2495, October 2007
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). Gallstones. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication No. 07–2897, July 2007
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Kidney stones and gallstones are totally unrelated conditions. They form in different areas of the body.
A kidney stone is a hard mass that forms when substances in the urine harden to form crystals. Most kidney stones are small that they easily pass out of the body even without medical treatment. However, if the kidney stone is too large, it may lodge into narrower part of the urinary tract, causing pain. Sometimes the kidney stone can totally block the flow of urine and can damage the kidney. Treatment may include lifestyle changes, medications, surgery and other non-invasive procedures to break or remove the stones.
Gallstones, on the other hand, forms when substances in the gallbladder harden and form a solid mass. The gallbladder is a small, pear-like shaped sac located just below the liver in the right upper abdomen. It stores bile, a fluid made by the liver that aids in the digestion of fat. Gallstones can cause serious problems if they become trapped or lodged in the bile ducts—passageways that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine. When a gallstone gets stuck in any of the ducts, it can cause pain called gallbladder attack. Signs of a gallbladder attack may include nausea, vomiting, or pain in the abdomen, back, or just under the right arm.
Treatment of gallstones may include surgery or medications to dissolve the stones. However, many people with gallstones have no symptoms. They do not interfere with gallbladder, liver, or pancreas function and may not need any special medical treatment.
Related Post: Kidney Stones
Reference:
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC). Kidney Stones in Adults. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication No. 08–2495, October 2007
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). Gallstones. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication No. 07–2897, July 2007
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