Kidney Stones & Urgent Care: What To Know
Kidney stones are one of the most painful conditions a person can experience. As you begin to experience the pain of kidney stones, you may have no idea what is happening. It's normal to feel some sense of trepidation when your abdomen is in pain, and it might send you to urgent care.
If you are going to urgent care to deal with kidney stones, these are some of the things you need to know.
Some People Are at Higher Risk for Kidney Stones
If you are unsure if you have kidney stones or another painful condition you need to see a doctor for, it helps to know what might be most likely. A doctor can also tell you if you are at higher risk for kidney stones.
Those at the highest risk for kidney stones include adult men. If you've had kidney stones before or know that you eat a lot of protein, you might have an idea of what the symptoms indicate.
There Are Different Kinds of Kidney Stones
Kidney stones also come in different forms. For example, calcium stones are among the most common. Other stones contain struvite and uric acid. Each type of stone may be just as painful as another.
Early Kidney Stones
You might come into urgent care when you feel the symptoms of a very early kidney stone. The pain does not feel as intense as when the stone is larger, so you might think the issue is something like a urinary tract infection or abdominal pain. In fact, the stone could pass without you even noticing.
Severe Kidney Stones
The symptoms may include painful urination, intense pain radiating through your groin, sharp abdominal pain, and bloody urine. You might even have a fever or intense chills, leading you to wonder if you have some type of flu.
With larger kidney stones, you might see that the symptoms start small and grow bigger. You might be undecided about whether to come to urgent care or an emergency room. It's important to get treatment right away, and an urgent care center may be the first stop available to help you.
Urgent Care Can Help
If you experience symptoms and your regular doctor is not available, you should see an urgent care doctor right away. If you do not have a significant emergency but are in pain, urgent care may be able to help or refer you to somebody who can.
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