Most people living with a kidney stone will accept that the stones and their process of passing are extremely painful. Many patients even relate kidney stone pain to childbirth. The intense pain caused by those tiny calcium deposits can interrupt your everyday tasks.
The pain frequently becomes worse at night which also disrupts your sleep. However, a proper sleeping position can help with pain relief and even speed up the passage of kidney stones. Wondering how to sleep with a kidney stone? In this blog, we will list the best tips & tricks to sleep with a kidney stone. Additionally, we’ll discuss the best position to sleep with a kidney stone.
How to Sleep with a Kidney Stone?
If you're having trouble sleeping because of a kidney stone, try some of these tips and tricks.
1. Take non-prescription pain relievers
You can take non-prescription painkillers like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen. Acetaminophen is the safest choice if you have kidney stents. Typically, doctors place stents for the smooth flow of urine from your kidney to your bladder. Acetaminophen eases kidney stone pain. However, be careful with ibuprofen as it can worsen the symptoms related to kidney conditions. So, always consult with the doctors before taking any painkillers.
2. Try prescription alpha-blockers
Painful cramps and bladder irritation can significantly lead to kidney stent pain. This can affect your sleep. Prescription alpha-blockers can help relax the ureter muscles and relieve pain. Tamsulosin and alfuzosin are examples of alpha-blockers. When your ureter muscles relax, you experience fewer cramps and painful spasms. Moreover, alpha-blockers can help with urinary urgency which can also impact your sleep.
3. Drink plenty of water
You should drink 3-4 liters of water to get rid of urine through the kidneys. However, avoid drinking any type of fluids when going to sleep at night. This can make you visit the bathroom several times, thus, disturbing your sleep. So, better to have a lot of water during the daytime. This may significantly lower the urinary urgency that you might experience while sleeping at night.
4. Eat more fiber
Consuming more fiber-rich food can prevent constipation. Usually, if you have a kidney stent, constipation can cause discomfort. It can make you exert more pressure while pooping. This can cause bleeding and affect your sleep. Fibrous foods like avocados, broccoli, raspberries, and beans can help ease bowel movement. In addition, they can also manage your blood pressure and blood sugar levels which can also interrupt your sleep.
5. Avoid strenuous exercises before bed
Exercising regularly promotes sound sleep. One study has shown that regular exercise reduces stress, enhances sleep quality, and improves sleep-related conditions. However, strenuous exercises before bed can prevent you from falling asleep at night. So, to avoid such a situation, do not practice high-intensity exercises in the evening. The high-intensity exercises typically include rope jumping, running, and fast cycling. If you want to perform strenuous activities, give a gap of about 1 or 2 hours between your exercise and bedtime.
What is the Best Position to Pass a Kidney Stone?
Sleeping position with kidney stones may vary depending on the location of the stone. So, when you have a kidney stone, the goal is to clear it as soon as possible to relieve pain. According to research, the best position to sleep with kidney stones is on the side that hurts. In other words, if the stone is in your left ureter, you should lay on your left side. However, if it is in your right ureter, you should lay on your right side. Doctors discovered that lying on the affected kidney side can help increase blood flow. This, in turn, helps move the stone away from the ureter and thus, prevents pain.
How to Pass A Kidney Stone?
Drinking plenty of water is the best way to aid in the passage of a kidney stone. The extra fluid stimulates urination, which aids in the movement of the stone. A person can also take precautions to prevent new stones from forming and existing ones from getting larger. These steps are as follows:
Restrict protein consumption.
Reduce calcium consumption.
Consume less salt.
Have more citrus fruits.
Citrus fruits contain citric acid, which aids in the prevention of kidney stone formation. Moreover, dietitians and doctors can also recommend dietary habits for kidney stone management. Those include:
Limit your salt intake.
Eat lean meat.
Have low-fat foods.
Avoid fatty and fried foods.
Consume enough carbs.
Learn in detail: How to Pass a Kidney Stone in 24 Hours: Step-by-Step Guide
Recovery from the Kidney Stone
The time required to recover from a kidney stone is determined by how it passes. The pain should be relieved quickly if the stone moves naturally or after taking the medicine. If doctors perform lithotripsy, the patient can return home the same day. Recovery time is usually short. It typically depends on the kind of anesthesia the practitioner uses during the procedure.
In case of surgery, most people can restart their daily activities within one day after the procedure. On the other hand, people with a kidney stone stent should avoid high-intensity activities. They should practice these exercises until a medical professional advises them. This, in general, happens one week after the treatment.
When to consult the doctor? Consult with the doctor if you experience:
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Summing Up
We hope our blog on how to sleep with a kidney stone comprehensively helps you get some appropriate ideas. If a person is experiencing serious pain in the lower abdomen or genitals, they must seek immediate medical attention. Kidney stones can be treated with fluid treatment and pain relievers. Stones, on the other hand, can become lodged in the urinary tract and cause damage to the urinary tissues. This obstruction usually necessitates immediate treatment or another medical procedure to break up the stone. So, give a specific solution for improved sleep with kidney stone problems. You can also consult kidney specialists for kidney stones issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I lay if I have kidney stones?
You should lie on the side of pain if you have kidney stones. It boosts blood flow and forces the stone to come out of the ureter.
How does kidney stone pain feel?
It feels like a sharp cramp-like pain that you may experience in the sides, back, abdomen, groin, or front of either thigh.
What exactly causes kidney stones?
Kidney stones form when there is too much waste and not enough fluid. Common main causes include a lack of water and calcium and a diet high in salt or sugar.
Do certain foods contribute to kidney stones?
Red meats, sodium-rich foods, alcoholic beverages, fast foods, and high-oxalate foods can contribute to kidney stones.
Will kidney stones kill you?
Kidney stones can’t kill you. However, if you leave them untreated, they can develop life-threatening complications.
What flares up kidney stone pain?
When a kidney stone gets stuck in your ureter, it may stop urine flow and significantly lead to swelling of the kidney. It can cause ureter spasms, leading to sharp pain in the back, side, and below your ribs.
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