What Is Renal Colic?

Acute renal colic affects roughly 1.2 million people each year and accounts for 1% of all hospital admissions. The pain comes on suddenly, without warning, and can feel as excruciating as going into labor, breaking a bone or getting shot! The word "renal" is used by health care practitioners to describe anything related to the kidneys.

The word "colicky" means that the pain is spasmodic in nature. The most common cause of renal colic is having kidney stones. Some other contributing factors to are azotemia or solitary functional kidneys, diabetes, stuvite staghorn calculi or other hereditary conditions. Spinal injuries or urological disorders are associated with renal failure. Frequent infections can lead to cell damage or a loss of function in extremely severe cases.

Renal colic pain is characterized by sudden, spasmodic contractions coming from the kidney-bladder region, which is in the upper lateral mid-back, extending toward the groin. Unlike intestinal or biliary colic that occurs in waves, this type of colic results in a constant, and often excruciating pain.

The pain comes as a result of the dilation, stretching and spasms associated with blockage to the urethra. The blockage is usually caused by kidney or urinary stones. Since urine production or release is almost always inhibited, there is extra pain associated with that as well.

For 50% of the patients, symptoms of colic also include nausea and vomiting.

The presence of extra red blood cells ("hematuria") is found in 85% of all patients who suffer from this type of colic and usually appears within 24 hours of an obstruction. Kidney deterioration can begin in as little as 5-14 days, so if the stone has not passed on its own within a few weeks, then surgery is advised.

Sometimes renal colic can be hereditary in nature. A history of urinary tract infections, kidney stones, hematuria, cystinuria, diabetes, hyperoxaluria, nephritis, hypercalciuria, hyperuricosuria, hyperoxaluria, hypocitraturia, Hypervitaminosis D, or staghorn calculi is common in patients.

There are certain things one can do to prevent renal colic if signs of colic predisposed genetics run in the family. Having urine samples examined by a professional can easily detect any abnormalities. Remedies for colic may include dietary changes or in some cases, medication.

Treatment of renal colic ranges, depending on the size of the obstruction. In the worst cases, it's removed by surgery and the patient goes home within 24 hours. Doctor-prescribed medications vary as well.

Narcotic analgesics, such as Morphine or Demerol, may work on the nervous system to soothe the patient, but may cause side effects like depression, sedation, constipation, addiction or nausea. Naloxone or Nubain may also be used.

The nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drug Ketlorolac (or Toradol) works at the site of the pain, rather than the central nervous system, providing immediate and effective colic relief, with fewer side effects.

Antiemetics like Reglan can ease colic nausea and vomiting with a sedating effect. Desmopressin, a strong anti-diuretic medication, provides colic pain relief within thirty minutes of administration for 50% of 126 patients.