How to Treat Kidney Cysts
Kidney cyst is a disorder that occurs in the kidney caused by the appearance of a fluid-filled sac (cyst) that grows in the kidney tissue. Kidney cysts can occur in one or both kidneys. Generally, kidney cysts are benign, harmless, and rarely cause symptoms. However, if kidney cysts cause symptoms, how to treat kidney cysts? Check out the explanation here.
Kidney Cyst Symptoms
Usually kidney cysts do not cause symptoms. Symptoms can be felt when the cyst grows large enough and presses on other organs. Symptoms of kidney cysts include:
- The lower back or waist feels pain like pressing. The pain will also get worse when the cyst bursts
- Urinating more often
- Urine that is dark in color or contains blood
- Heartburn hurts
- Swelling in the stomach
- Fever
Causes of Kidney Cysts
The cause of the formation of cysts in the kidneys is still not known with certainty. However, it is suspected that age also influences the appearance of kidney cysts. There is a surface layer of the kidney that begins to weaken and forms a pocket. The pouch then fills with fluid, detaches and becomes a cyst.
Kidney cysts are more common in people who are over 50 years old and people with diabetes. In addition, kidney cysts are more common in men than in women.
When to See a Doctor for Kidney Cyst
Although kidney cysts usually do not cause symptoms, if you feel conditions that are suspected to be symptoms of kidney cysts, immediately consult a doctor. This aims to monitor the development of cysts on the kidneys, look for other possibilities that are dangerous and prevent complications.
Kidney cysts are usually only discovered when the patient undergoes a medical check-up. If there is a kidney cyst, the patient needs to undergo regular check-ups with a kidney doctor to monitor the size of the cyst, whether the size is smaller, fixed, or growing.
Kidney Cyst Diagnosis
Through examination with a kidney ultrasound scan method, kidney cysts can be seen. However, to get a more detailed picture of the kidneys, the doctor will perform a CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
Through a scan, the doctor can provide information about the number and size of cysts in the patient's kidney. In addition, doctors can also determine the severity of kidney cysts by seeing whether the cyst wall is calcified or not.
In addition to undergoing a scan, patients can also undergo additional tests to determine kidney function. This kidney function test is done by taking samples of the patient's urine and blood for examination in the laboratory.
Based on the results of these examinations, the doctor will determine whether the patient needs to undergo kidney cyst treatment or not.
How to Cure Kidney Cyst
How to treat kidney cysts can be adjusted to the severity of the cyst. If there is only one small kidney cyst and does not cause symptoms, the doctor will not provide special treatment. This is because the cyst may disappear on its own or persist and cause no problems.
However, to monitor the condition of the cyst on a regular basis, the doctor will schedule a patient control schedule for 6 to 12 months to perform a scan. In addition to the scan, the doctor will also monitor kidney function. If kidney cysts cause complaints, the following are some of the treatment options performed by the doctor:
1. Sclerotherapy
If kidney cysts cause symptoms, the patient will be recommended by a doctor to undergo sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy is a procedure to remove the cyst fluid using a long thin needle. After the fluid contained in the cyst is removed, then the cyst cavity will be filled with alcohol so that the cyst does not form again.
During treatment, patients undergoing sclerotherapy will be given local anesthesia and can go home the same day.
2. Surgery
If the size of the cyst in the patient's kidney is large and causes symptoms, the kidney doctor will recommend surgical removal of the cyst. This surgical procedure is performed by a urologist by making an incision in the skin to remove the fluid present in the cyst. Next, the wall of the kidney where there is a cyst will be cut or burned.
Also read articles about: How to Prevent Kidney Disease
Complications of Kidney Cyst
There are several complications that can occur due to kidney cysts, including:
1. Kidney cyst infection
If the kidney cyst becomes infected, the patient will experience pain and fever.
2. Kidney cyst rupture
Rupture of a kidney cyst can cause severe pain in the waist or back, which is between the ribs and the pelvis.
3. Urinary disturbances
If kidney cysts block the urinary tract, the patient will have difficulty urinating and the kidneys may swell (hydronephrosis).
That's an explanation of kidney cysts, hopefully the explanation on how to treat kidney cysts and things related to kidney cysts above can be useful.
