Kidney stones can cause some of the most intense pain in the world. Between 10% and 15% of the population can suffer from it, and it is more common in men.
According to the McGill Pain Scale, the most painful condition is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a chronic pain condition that causes intense pain in the limbs (arms, hands, legs...). This scale scores pain from 0 to 50, and CRPS reaches a score of 46.
We can observe that kidney colic comes right after, with a score of 42. In this case, the patient cannot find a position to relieve the continuous pain. In this situation, doctors do not recommend drinking water as it would increase kidney pressure due to the inability to urinate caused by the blockage of the urinary tract by the stone.
Some of the most frequent symptoms of kidney colic are nausea and vomiting, blood in the urine, an urgent need to urinate, and fever.
If you have already had kidney colic, you should know that it is a recurrent condition and there is a 50% chance of having another episode within five years of the last one. There are solutions to prevent it; depending on the type of stone you have had, there are supplements that can help you. Do not forget to drink water regularly and maintain a balanced diet.
