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For those suffering from painful kidney stones, there’s a really good excuse to visit Disney World.
A new study suggests that riding roller coasters can shake kidney stones loose before they become a problem that requires medical attention. For years, urologists have heard from patients that bouncing, jostling and jarring activities seem to help them pass kidney stones, but there hasn’t been research to back those claims up. It took an astonishing claim from one patient who returned from Disney World to spur two enterprising urologists, armed with a 3-D printed kidney, into action.
“Imagine giving birth to a porcupine,” says David Wartinger, professor emeritus at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, describing what it’s like to pass a kidney stone.
Kidney stones form when minerals, usually calcium, accrete in the kidneys and begin to form jagged lumps. These stones will eventually move from the kidney down into the bladder and eventually out through the urethra. Stones smaller than 4 millimeters can usually pass with relative ease, but anything larger can get stuck, often requiring a visit to the emergency room. It is estimated that around 1 in 11 people around the world will suffer a kidney stone at some point.
Read more here. (Discover Magazine)
A new study suggests that riding roller coasters can shake kidney stones loose before they become a problem that requires medical attention. For years, urologists have heard from patients that bouncing, jostling and jarring activities seem to help them pass kidney stones, but there hasn’t been research to back those claims up. It took an astonishing claim from one patient who returned from Disney World to spur two enterprising urologists, armed with a 3-D printed kidney, into action.
“Imagine giving birth to a porcupine,” says David Wartinger, professor emeritus at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, describing what it’s like to pass a kidney stone.
Kidney stones form when minerals, usually calcium, accrete in the kidneys and begin to form jagged lumps. These stones will eventually move from the kidney down into the bladder and eventually out through the urethra. Stones smaller than 4 millimeters can usually pass with relative ease, but anything larger can get stuck, often requiring a visit to the emergency room. It is estimated that around 1 in 11 people around the world will suffer a kidney stone at some point.
Read more here. (Discover Magazine)
