A kidney stone is a crystalline mass that occurs in the urinary tract. As the name suggest, it originates in the kidney but may into and become lodged elsewhere in the tract. The term bladder stone is used to describe a stone that forms in the bladder. The proper medical term for a kidney stone is a renal calculus (plural ~ calculi). Kidney stones affect both men and women and can even occur in children. In women it occurs more often after the age of 50 years but may arise at any time in life. Kidney stones are said to be one of the most painful disorders of the urinary tract.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections that occur in women. It is also the most common urinary problem that women experience. The urinary tract comprises the urethra, bladder, ureters and kidneys. Urine is produced in the kidney, passed down into the ureter where it is stored in the bladder. From here it is passed out through the urethra into the environment during voiding. Most of the time the infection is isolated to the urethra and bladder but should it spread upwards to the kidneys then the consequences can be much more severe.
Urinary pain is the pain that is felt when urinating. It can be very mild and little more than a minor irritation or it can be severe and excruciating to the point that a person fears urinating. The most common cause of painful urination is a urinary tract infection (UTI) which is more frequently seen in women than men. Sometimes urinary pain is not related to the urinary tract but is instead due to some pathology within the pelvis and perineum with pain elicited with the increased pressured during urination.
Hematuria is the term for the presence of blood in the urine. Normally there is only a trace amount of blood in urine although there is a high quantity of the pigment deposits and other components present from broken down blood cells. In hematuria, blood is detected in the urine and this can be microscopic where it is not evident by the naked eye, or macroscopic / gross when it can be clearly seen. Even in gross hematuria, the urine may not be red and bloody but there is an abnormal hue to the urine due to the presence of blood. The urine may look very dark yellow, mustard or brown, orange, pink or even red. However, it is important to note that these abnormal colors of urine are not always due to blood.
Urinary problems are common in women but many a time, due to shyness or embarrassment, a woman will rather bear with the problem than seek medical help until the condition becomes really intolerable. Another reason for avoiding the doctor is the fear that there is no other remedy for problems like incontinence except surgery, while in reality there are various methods of tackling the problem such as lifestyle changes, behavioral treatment, Kegel exercises, and medication.
