Southern California Urology Institute Releases Kidney Care Checklist
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 14, 2016 -- On the heels of a recent study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association suggesting that the passing of kidney stones may be aided by riding a roller coaster; Dr. Gary Bellman, founder of the Southern California Urology Institute in Los Angeles is reminding patients of all ages, that when it comes to long term kidney health, early detection is still the best defense against pain or subsequent complications associated with kidney stones.
“While riding a roller coaster as a way to treat kidney stones is certainly an amusing headline, the best way to ensure long term kidney health and function, is through early detection and appropriate treatment of kidney stones and tumors,” said Board Certified, and internationally recognized urological expert, Dr. Gary Bellman.
“Unfortunately, too many people assume that their kidneys are healthy because kidney stones and even kidney tumors don’t always present with obvious symptoms. Yet approximately 10% of the population will develop a kidney stone during their lifetime, and they certainly continue to disrupt the lives of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children of all ages each year. Because symptoms of kidney stones or kidney tumors are often silent—such as vague flank pain— it’s important that people of all ages have regular screenings done to identify any developing stones or tumors. This way, they can be treated as quickly and effectively as possible. In many cases, smaller stones may be treated before they reach the stage where they become painful,” Dr. Bellman added.
The Southern California Urology Institute recommends as part of its Kidney Care Checklist that all men, women, and children experiencing vague flank pain, who have a family or personal history of kidney stones, or who have found any evidence of blood in their urine to undergo a basic kidney ultrasound every six months. But Bellman is quick to point out that if a kidney stone or tumor is identified through an ultrasound, technology and techniques are evolving rapidly, and treatment is becoming more effective, less painful, and less disruptive than ever.
“The techniques and technology used to treat kidney stones has advanced significantly over the past year, so much that even in instances where large kidney stones are present, the risk of complications or infections has been drastically reduced. For example, Percutaneous Stone Extractions no longer always require the use of an external tube, which leads to a faster recovery. In other cases, where smaller kidney stones are present, minimally invasive treatments such as Extra Corporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL) continues to prove remarkably effective in breaking up the stones into tiny pieces, so that men, women and even children can easily pass the stone, without pain,” Dr. Bellman said.
In addition, ongoing advances in Ureteroscopy techniques, which involve the use of tiny camera, and a laser, has made treatment of medium to large sized kidney stone treatment more successful than ever, according to Bellman.
“The treatment of common kidney and urological conditions, such as kidney stones is truly evolving on a daily basis. We continue to make tremendous strides in treating this potentially dangerous and painful condition, with new techniques that are far less invasive than in the past. This is certainly good news for those who have experienced the pain that is associated with undiagnosed kidney stones. However, we encourage all patients to be proactive when it comes to taking care of their kidneys, through having regular urine tests, and kidney ultrasounds when warranted, in order to detect kidney stones, or kidney tumors as early as possible.”
Kidney ultrasounds, along with ESWL, Uteroscopy, and Percutaneous Stone Extractions, are available through the Southern California Urology Institute in Los Angeles.
Named one of the Top Urologists in Los Angeles, Dr. Gary Bellman, M.D., F.R.C.S, founder of the Southern California Urology Institute, is a Board-Certified Urologist with more than 20 years of experience in surgical procedures, with a specialty in Advanced Robotic Surgery, a minimally invasive surgery employed for delicate urologic surgery. Dr. Bellman has also served as a Clinical Instructor at UCLA for many years.
Visit http://www.SoCalUrologyInstitute.com or call 818-912-1899
Dr. Gary Bellman, Southern California Urology Institute, http://www.SocalUrologyInstitute.com, +1 (818) 912-1899 Ext: 1, [email protected]
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