Bladder stones are the hardened mineral deposit that forms in the bladder. Sometimes they don’t cause any symptoms and pass out of the body on their own, but sometimes they need medical procedures to be removed.

We have the best urologist at Doral Health and Wellness Urology Center that can help you if you start having symptoms of bladder stones, you can contact us by visiting our clinic or visiting our website at https://www.urologistbrooklyn.com.

Bladder stones and kidney stones are different. Most bladder stones form in the bladder. However, stones that form in the kidney are small enough to pass down into the bladder. When this happens, kidney stones become bladder stones.

Females can get bladder stones but they are more common in men over the age of 50, usually due to a bladder blockage or enlarged prostate gland.

Symptoms

Some bladder stones don’t cause any problems or have symptoms at all. But when they do, your symptoms can include:

• Frequent need to urinate – you might feel like you always need to urinate even if you just went to the bathroom
• Changes in urine’s color – you may notice your urine to be cloudy or dark, or you notice blood on it
• Pain – if you have bladder stones, you’ll usually feel a burning sensation when you urinate
• Difficulty urinating or interrupted urine flow – you may find it difficult to start urinating, even if you have a strong urge to urinate. Or your urine stream starts then stops then starts again
• Urinary tract infection – bladder stones usually lead to infections in the urinary tract

Causes

Bladder stones form when your urine stays in your bladder for too long and becomes too concentrated. The minerals in your urine harden and crystalizes to form stones. The most common condition that causes stones in the bladder can include:

• Enlarged prostate gland – an enlarged prostate can obstruct the urine’s flow, preventing the bladder from emptying completely can then cause to bladder stones in men
• Damaged nerves – several injuries can damage nerve that control the function of the bladder
• Inflammation – urinary tract infection can leave the bladder enlarged and lead to developing of bladder stones
• Medical devices – if you have a device attached to you, such as a catheter, you can develop stones in the bladder
• Kidney stones – small kidney stones may travel from the kidney to your bladder and grow

Prevention

Other underlying medical conditions that cause bladder stones are hard to prevent. But you can decrease your risk of having bladder stones if you:

• Tell your doctor about unusual urinary problems and symptoms that you observed.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Drinking plenty of fluid, especially water, can prevent bladder stones from developing because it helps dilute the concentration of urine in your bladder.

Treatment

Some bladder stones don’t need treatment as they can pass out of your body naturally. But sometimes, when bladder stones are already too big and have already caused pain, medical intervention is needed. Treatments for bladder stones can include:

• Cystolitholapaxy – this procedure includes breaking the bladder stones into tiny pieces using lasers or ultrasound.
• Surgery – if the stones are too big, your urologist may need to cut you open for surgery to remove your bladder stones

Be sure to check and consult with your doctor if you have problems urinating or if you start to develop symptoms. Early diagnosis can help prevent further complications to develop. At Doral Health and Wellness Urology Center, our team of urologists in East New York can help you with the diagnosis, treatment, and management of your condition. To schedule an appointment, you can visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212, or you may call us at 1-347-384-5690 and visit our website at http://www.urologistbrooklyn.com/.