The ureter may develop some problems due to the treatment of kidney stones, and this can block the flow of urine from the kidney to the bladder. In order to provide relief from this problem, ureteral stents are placed into the ureter.
The stent is nothing but a small hollow tube that runs from the kidneys till the bladder. It is flexible and has curls at both ends to keep them firm in the bladder and kidney. Some stents may have a visible string that runs outside the body.
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Problems Caused By Ureteral Stents
Even though placing ureteral stents helps in preventing the blockage of urine in the kidneys, it has some problems. Many patients feel a lot of discomfort during the process, and there is no other option but to bear the pain for a few days or weeks. In this regard, let us look into some of the common problems caused by ureteral stents.
- Most people report some amount of blood in the urine. It is almost visible as the urine turns to pink-tinged color or red wine color. There is no need to worry as this is common when you have ureteral stents.
- This can also lead to a burning sensation during urination. It is often known as dysuria, and the symptoms vary from mild to extreme depending on your food and lifestyle habits. You can expect some relief when you take sufficient fluid intake and medications to treat the problem.
- Patients having ureteral stents have the urge to urinate frequently, and there will be a sense of urgency when such feelings arise in the body. In extreme cases, the frequency of urination may be many times in an hour.
- Patients may develop spasms in the bladder or ureter region when they have stents. The pain is also seen in the lower abdominal region, and it can be contained with pain killer medication.
- In some extreme cases, patients develop urinary retention during which they are not able to urinate properly. In such cases, your doctor will look into the issue and take suitable remedial measures.
- If you notice severe pain and fever for a long duration, you should take it seriously as this is not a common problem and it needs emergency medical attention.
- You should also be concerned if the dark colored urine does not reduce after consuming sufficient fluids. Apart from that, some patients may also notice thick clots in the urine.
Simple tips to relieve pain while having ureteral stents
Avoid touching the stent
In some cases, your doctor may use a stent that is visible outside. You should avoid touching this stent as this can dislodge the stent inside the ureter and cause further complications.
Such stents are often used for short term treatment, and they can be easily removed without complicated processes. However, you should avoid touching them and keep them clean and covered so that the thread inside the ureter does not get dislodged.
Use painkillers
You can get in touch with your doctor and use pain killers based on the recommendations given by your doctor. Make sure to use them in the right dosage to get the best results.
You can expect pain relief immediately after using such medication. However, the pain may come back again after a few hours. For this reason, you may have to take pain killers many times a day based on the dosage instructions given by your doctor.
Drink lots of water
When you are having a ureteral stent, it makes a lot of sense to drink sufficient fluids to help your kidney. Even though this may increase the frequency of urination, it is worth doing this as it lessens the work of the kidney and you can get quick relief from pain. This also cuts down the risk of infection as the waste materials are easily flushed out of the kidney into the bladder in quick time.
You should at least aim for drinking 2 litres of water every day as this will help the kidneys to remove any stones without causing too much pain. In the same way, it will help you to digest food easily and your body can throw waste materials without putting too much pressure on the kidneys.
Take adequate rest
If you are involved in strenuous activities, it is better to avoid them while having stents. This can put a lot of pressure on the ureter and kidneys and cause severe pain.
While it is normal to have small pain, working too much physically can lead to severe pain. Take sufficient rest and sit in a comfortable position that does not put pressure on the lower abdominal region.
Eat a healthy diet
It is important to have a healthy diet as this will help your body to get enough nutrition, and you can easily recover from kidney problems in quick time.
Make sure that your food contains a lot of fiber as this will ease the job of your kidneys in eliminating the waste materials from the body. Avoid alcohol as this can put pressure on the kidneys and also increase the chances of inflammation in the affected area. You will also suffer from painful urination symptoms when you consume excess alcohol.
Avoid sex
It is not a good idea to not indulge in sexual activities when you are having ureteral stents. This can increase the chances of infection when you have unprotected sex.
Apart from that, some people develop pain in the penis when they have sex in this situation. You can wait for a few days till your stents are removed and then continue with your sexual activities in a normal way.
When you follow these simple tips, you can easily get relief from ureteral stents pain. Keep in touch with your doctor and get suitable medication whenever needed to handle the symptoms.
Remember that it is common to experience mild discomfort while having ureteral stents and you need not worry about such symptoms. You should be concerned only when you have too much pain and when it lasts for a long duration.
