Renal colic is an acute pain attack that occurs as a result of a sudden disturbance of urine outflow from the kidney duct causing an increase in pressure in the renal pelvis, as well as a violation of hemodynamics in the kidney. The obstruction of the urinary duct is most often caused by a stiffening in it of a calculus, a clot of pus, mucus or blood, and also can arise due to the squeezing of the tumor, its inflection.
Such a state can develop for no apparent reason against the background of general well-being, both during movement and at rest, during day or night. As a result, there is a serious impairment of kidney function, which can lead to severe complications that threaten life (for example, bacteriemic shock, pericardial phlegmon, etc.). Therefore, if symptoms of acute renal colic occur, emergency medical attention is required.
What are the symptoms of an attack of renal colic?
As already mentioned, renal colic often occurs suddenly against a background of complete well-being, without any precursors. The leading symptom of renal colic is intense pain, characterized by the majority of patients as bursting, cramping, sharp, sharp. As a rule, pain sensations are of a paroxysmal nature with alternating periods of intensification and subsidence, but sometimes they are of a permanent nature. The pains do not depend on the position of the patient's body, they are felt equally strongly in any posture.
The pains are usually localized in the lumbar region on one side (respectively, the blocked kidney), in rare cases - simultaneously from both sides. Their impact depends on where the ureter occluded. So, if the obstruction is observed near the pelvis, the pain sensations spread in the lower back, they can give in the hypochondrium. When the occluding concrement is located on the border of the upper and middle third of the excretory duct of the kidney, the pains are irradiated to the lower abdomen and navel region, and at its lower location to the inguinal region, the genital area.
Other symptoms of renal colic, depending on the causes and localization, may include such manifestations:
- nausea;
- vomiting , after which there is no relief;
- false desires for defecation;
- flatulence;
- loose stools;
- false urge to urinate;
- change of color of urine;
- absence of urine;
- increased body temperature;
- slowing heart rate;
- a slight increase in blood pressure;
- the appearance of blood in the urine;
- anxiety;
- motor excitement.
The duration of an attack of renal colic can be counted as several minutes, and several hours and even days. Strong, unbearable pains sometimes cause the development of a shock state, which is expressed by such signs:
- blanching of the skin;
- the appearance of cold sweat;
- significant reduction in blood pressure;
- impairment of pulse;
- fainting condition.
Diagnosis of renal colic
Renal colic should be differentiated from such diseases as acute cholecystitis, appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, ovarian apoplexy, ectopic pregnancy, perforated stomach ulcer, etc. To clarify
- general urine analysis;
- Ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder;
- radiography of the abdominal cavity;
- chromocystoscopy;
- computer or magnetic resonance imaging of the kidneys
- excretory urography;
- cardiac electrocardiogram;
- blood chemistry.
With timely diagnosis and adequate medical care, the prognosis for this syndrome is favorable.