What are the symptoms of urethral stones?

Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
Updated on September 14, 2024
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The symptoms of urethral stones are primarily related to the size and location of the stone. Smaller urethral stones generally do not cause discomfort and can be expelled from the body through urination. However, some urethral stones may cause pain within the urethra or even lead to the presence of blood in the urine. If the stone is large and lodges in the posterior urethra, it can cause complete obstruction of the urethra, leading to significant difficulty in urination, or even result in urinary retention. Therefore, the clinical manifestations of urethral stones vary depending on the size and location of the stone. If the stone is large and causes acute urinary infection or obstruction, leading to urinary retention, prompt surgical treatment is necessary.

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Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
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Urinary stone symptoms in men

The main symptoms of a male suffering from urethral stones are directly related to the size of the stones. If the stones are small, they often pass through urination, flushing out of the urethra without causing any discomfort. However, if the stones are large, they can get stuck in the urethra, causing a blockage during urination and significant pain. Some patients may experience hematuria due to the stones damaging the mucous membrane of the urethra. If the stones are large enough to cause impaction, especially complete obstruction of the urethra, this can lead to urinary retention and significant difficulty in urinating, necessitating prompt visit to the hospital's urology department for lithotripsy treatment.

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Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
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How to alleviate urethral stone pain?

Urethral calculi refer to the condition where stones get stuck in the urethra causing pain symptoms, and in severe cases, completely block the urethra leading to urinary retention. For this condition, common pain medications are ineffective, and it is necessary to promptly visit the hospital's urology department for a surgical procedure to remove the stones, restore the smooth flow of urination, and minimize damage to the urethra by the stones. Typically, a ureteroscope or cystoscope can be used for holmium laser lithotripsy, or the stones can first be pushed back into the bladder and then fragmented inside the bladder, flushing the crushed stones out of the body. Only after the stones are expelled, the pain symptoms can be fundamentally relieved.

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Written by Sun Chun
Urology
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How to check for urethral stones

Urethral stone examinations are primarily divided into the following areas: Firstly, the physical examination provided by the clinical doctor which checks for urethral stones can be categorized into anterior and posterior urethral stones. For anterior urethral stones, one can feel a hard nodule inside the urethra with their hand. Combined with specific symptoms, such as sudden stabbing pain during urination or a sudden inability to urinate, and if there is a history of urinary system stones, then urethral stones might be considered. As for posterior urethral stones, they cannot be felt externally; if they are lodged at the prostate, a doctor might insert a finger into the rectum to touch the area around the prostate. If a hard nodule is felt upon pressing, then a posterior urethral stone might be considered. Secondly, a more accurate clinical exam is the plain film radiography of the urinary system, commonly known as X-rays. Generally, most stones contain calcium, and in such cases, the X-ray can reveal a hard nodule in either the posterior or anterior urethra, which can be diagnosed as urethral stones. Thirdly, the urinary system's CT scans can sometimes detect radiolucent stones, such as uric acid stones. It can also identify conditions like kidney hydronephrosis in the bladder and stones in other parts of the urinary system. If all examinations, including auxiliary checks, suggest the presence of urethral stones, treatment depends on the situation. If the anterior urethral stone is not large, stone retrieval may be performed. Posterior urethral stones are generally treated like bladder stones; after pushing them into the bladder using a cystoscope, the stones are broken down either by lithotripsy or laser.

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Written by Wang Shuai
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What is good to eat for urethral stones?

Patients with urethral stones generally exhibit obvious symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, painful urination, hematuria, and even urinary retention. These symptoms represent a urological emergency that requires immediate attention. In such cases, it is best to fast and not eat any food. The patient needs to visit the hospital's urology department for ultrasound, CT scans, and other tests to determine the exact size and location of the urethral stones. If the stones are small, drinking more water and urinating frequently can help to expel the stones from the body. If the stones in the urethra are large and cause urinary retention, it is necessary to promptly perform surgery to break up and remove the stones. There are no specific dietary requirements in this regard.

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Written by Wang Shuai
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What is the best treatment for urethral stones?

For the treatment of urethral stones, we first need to use ultrasonography or CT scans to determine the exact location and size of the stones within the urethra for treatment. If the stone is relatively small, such as about five millimeters, this condition can be treated by drinking more water and urinating frequently, relying on the flushing action of the urine to expel the stone from the body promptly. If the stone is larger, and has caused obstruction in the urethra, it is necessary to see the specific location of the stone. If it is causing obstruction in the posterior urethra, a cystoscope can be used to push the stone back into the bladder before performing lithotripsy. If the obstruction is in the anterior urethra, a small amount of liquid paraffin oil can be injected into the urethra to squeeze the stone out, or treatment can be conducted through holmium laser lithotripsy or open surgical stone removal.