Kidney Stones!
Kidney stones are a common and often painful condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Although they can be small, these hardened mineral deposits can cause significant pain and complications if left untreated.
Understanding what kidney stones are, why they form, and how they affect the body can help you recognize symptoms early and take steps to lower your risk of developing stones.
What Are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones are formed from minerals, like calcium, sodium, oxalates, and other substances found in your urine. When there are too many of these particles in your urine and not enough fluid to flush them out, they can stick together and form crystals or solid stones. It can take months or even years for kidney stones to form.
These hard masses can range in size from tiny grains, similar to sand, to larger stones that look like small pebbles or golf balls. Depending on the size of the kidney stone, you might not even realize that you have one.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, certain risk factors increase the likelihood of developing kidney stones. Some of the most common include:
1. Dehydration
Not drinking enough water is one of the leading causes of kidney stones. When dehydrated, the body does not produce much urine, which allows minerals to crystallize more easily.
2. Diet
A diet high in sodium, sugar (sucrose and fructose), or meat and other protein-rich foods can raise the risk of forming stones. A high sodium intake can increase calcium levels in the urine.
3. Family or Personal History
If someone in your family has had kidney stones, your risk may be higher. In addition, people who have had one stone are also more likely to develop another.
4. Urinary Tract Blockage
Urine flow that becomes blocked or slows down allows minerals, such as calcium and uric acid, to crystallize.
5. Medications and Supplements
Some medications, such as diuretics, calcium-based antacids, and certain anti-seizure medications, may contribute to stone formation. What’s more, high doses of vitamin C and calcium supplements are also risk factors.
Certain medical conditions can further raise the risk of developing kidney stones, such as:
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• Cystic fibrosis
• Diabetes
• Gout
• High blood pressure
• High calcium levels in your urine (hypercalciuria)
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Kidney cysts
• Obesity
• Osteoporosis
• Parathyroid disease
Frequent urinary tract infections can also increase the risk of developing kidney stones.
What Are the Symptoms of Kidney Stones?
Some kidney stones are so small that they cause no symptoms and pass in the urine. But when a larger stone moves through the urinary tract or blocks urine flow, symptoms can be felt and become quite painful.
The most common symptom of kidney stones is pain in your side, back, or lower abdomen. It can also feel as if the pain is spreading to your groin. The pain itself may feel dull, sharp, or severe, and come in waves. This type of pain is called “colicky pain” because it comes and goes in waves and can get worse.
Other symptoms caused by kidney stones include:
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• Blood in the urine (pink, red, or brown urine)
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Pain or burning during urination
• Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
• Nausea and vomiting
If a kidney stone causes an infection, you may have other symptoms, such as fever and chills. This situation calls for immediate medical attention.
How Are Kidney Stones Diagnosed and Treated?
Because kidney stones are common, healthcare providers often suspect this condition based on the symptoms you describe. To diagnose the problem, your doctor may order a urine test, imaging tests (X-rays, CT scans, or ultrasound), or blood tests. Once diagnosed, treatment for kidney stones depends on several factors, including the stone’s size, location in the urinary tract, and severity of symptoms.
Treatment is also based on the type of stone you have, because not all stones are the same. The stones are classified based on the minerals they contain, such as:
1. Calcium Stones
These are the most common types of stone. They usually consist of calcium phosphate, a naturally occurring mineral that helps keep bones and teeth healthy and strong. The stones may also contain calcium oxalates. Oxalates are naturally occurring compounds found in plants, nuts, chocolate, and vegetables, and are also produced by the human body as waste. Foods high in oxalate can contribute to the development of kidney stones.
2. Uric Acid Stones
These stones form when urine is too acidic. They are more common in people who eat large amounts of red meat, organ meats, and shellfish. People with gout are also at greater risk of developing this type of stone.
3. Struvite Stones
Struvite stones are often linked to urinary tract infections. They can grow quickly and become quite large.
4. Cystine Stones
These stones occur in people with an inherited genetic disorder called cystinuria, which causes the kidneys to release too much of the amino acid, cystine, into the urine. This can lead to the formation of kidney stones.
When it comes to treatment, some stones pass naturally and require little medical intervention, while others require medications or procedures to remove or break them apart.
Foods to Avoid to Limit Kidney Stones
Your doctor or a registered kidney dietician may provide a special diet plan to help reduce the risk of the stones returning. The recommendations may also prevent kidney stones from occurring in the first place. The recommendations include:
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• Drink two to three quarts of fluid a day. This can include water, coffee, and lemonade, which have been shown to have beneficial effects. Carbonated drinks like soda contain high levels of fructose and phosphoric acid. Fluids will help produce less concentrated urine and ensure a good urine volume of at least 2.5L/day
• Limit foods high in oxalates. If you have calcium oxalate stones, avoid spinach, many berries, chocolate, wheat bran, nuts, peanuts, beets, tea, and rhubarb.
• Eat foods that are a good source of dietary calcium. It may not seem like it, but foods high in calcium can help prevent kidney stones. The The National Kidney Foundation recommends eating three servings of dairy a day with meals. However, avoid extra calcium supplements or antacids with calcium.
• Limit animal protein. Avoid consuming large amounts of:
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• beef, chicken, and pork
• eggs
• fish and shellfish
• milk, cheese, and other dairy products
Animal protein can increase uric acid levels, leading to more acidic urine and promoting stone formation.
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• Limit foods high in sodium and sugar. Foods and drinks high in sugar raise calcium and oxalate levels in urine, while high-sodium foods increase calcium in the urine. Excess sugar and sodium raise the risk of developing stones.
While kidney stones are common, they are also preventable. Healthcare providers say that understanding the causes and risk factors for developing the stones can help you take steps to protect your kidney health.
If you are experiencing symptoms such as severe flank pain, blood in the urine, or difficulty urinating, you should seek medical care immediately for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Source Links:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15604-kidney-stones
https://www.kidney.org/kidney-topics/kidney-stone-diet-plan-and-prevention
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kidney-stones/eating-diet-nutrition
https://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/kidney-stones-food-causes
