With our refrigerators having more food-like products than actual food nowadays, health
problems are becoming increasingly more common.
We constantly ignore our organs pleading for mercy.
Our ever ignorant lifestyle can have a damaging effect on kidneys and can cause kidney stones,
medically termed as Renal Calculi.
These solid crystal masses can develop anywhere through the urinary tract.
In this video, we will be discussing their types, symptoms and diagnosis.
We will also cover the risk factors involved, the correct treatment one should opt for and
preventive measures.
So sit back and fasten your seat belts.
You are in for a ride, I promise.
What are the types of Kidney Stones?
Don’t imagine all kidney stones as crystal blue ones coming out from your body.
Kidney stones can vary on the basis of their composition and are classified under certain
types.
Different types of stones contain different components.
Such as,
Calcium Kidney stones often contain calcium oxalate.
They can also be made up of calcium phosphate or maleate.
Foods such as your favourite fries and chocolate contain high amounts of oxalate.
So you know what to avoid.
Yup, your mom was correct in warning you about it.
Not to worry though, we aren’t only banning your fast food favourites.
Even beets, spinach and peanuts are oxalate-rich.
Uric Acid People going through chemotherapy or gout
have increased risk of kidney stones.
These ones made of uric acid.
In general, such stones are more common in men than in women.
I can hear someone saying, “So the heart isn’t the only stone men have.”
Purines are colourless substances present in animal protein.
High intake of these purines can increase the pH of urine.
As a result of acidic conditions, these stones grow more favourably.
Struvite Women with urinary tract infections usually
have such type of stones.
Since the size of such stones is large, it can even lead to obstruction of the urinary
tract.
Cystine This is a rare type because the genetic disorder
causing it is rare itself.
Cystinuria is a disorder that occurs in both men and women.
This type of stone is formed when a naturally occurring body acid, Cystine starts leaking
from the kidneys into the urine.
Looking at the types and their composition makes it clear that food can impact our kidney
health significantly.
Want some healthy options?
To learn about “13 Foods That Make Your Kidneys Healthy”, watch our video link down
below.
Now that we know the types of kidney stones, let’s have a look at the risk factors involved.
Risk Factors
Kidney stones are more common in people ages 20 to 50 but they are increasingly common
in premature infants with kidney issues.
Production of less than 1 litre of urine in a day indicates a high risk of developing
kidney stones.
Statistically, men are more prone to kidney stones than women.
Having a history of kidney stones can increase your risk of developing one in the future.
Family history also plays a similar role.
So get ready to play the blame game.
Dehydration, obesity and gastric bypass surgery can also act as contributing risk factors.
Symptoms You Should Be Paying Attention To
Severe pain, medically known as Renal Colic occurs when a kidney stone starts moving down
the uterus.
Such severe pain can make people restless and can spread to the groin area for men.
So stop ignoring those pains.
They might be your body’s signal for telling you to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Blood in the urine along with foul smell is also a distinctive feature of kidney stones.
This can be accompanied by common symptoms such as vomiting, nausea and chills.
If the stone is too small, it can even go undetected and pass in urine without any pain.
Everyone wishes that to happen, but it’s not that simple.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of kidney stones is done by studying the complete medical history of the patient.
A physical examination is followed by blood tests for calcium and uric acid levels.
In order to test kidney functioning, creatinine clearance and blood urea nitrogen tests are
performed too.
Passed urine can be checked for the presence of any pathogens, white blood cells or puss
cells.
For prescribing correct treatment, kidney stones passing through urine is assessed for
its composition.
You see?
Such an in-depth study isn’t going to happen if you keep sitting on your couch.
So get up off your butt!
Apart from these tests, an intravenous pyelogram and abdominal CT scan can also be taken.
With patients showing disrupted kidney functioning, the contrast dye is used to help in the better
detection of stones.
The Treatment
Treatment is specific to the type of stone a patient is having.
Yeah, so please stop generalizing treatments and sharing prescriptions.
High intake of water is taken orally or is given in the form of intravenous fluids.
It can help in stone samples being excreted out of the urine.
These samples are then tested to determine apt treatment.
Once it is done, any infection is treated with antibiotics.
Pain relief may require narcotic medications and a prescription will probably be given
for treating existing stones.
Thiazide diuretics can prevent more stones from forming.
To help treat urine’s acidity, sodium bicarbonate is used.
Large stones are broken into smaller ones using Lithotripsy.
This technique uses strong sound waves to break stones.
Once broken down, smaller stones can easily pass down the ureters.
If the above methods aren’t feasible, don’t worry, we aren’t giving up on you.
Next step is Tunnel surgery.
Such surgical procedures are generally used when a stone has grown too much.
A small incision is given in the back and stone is removed physically.
In certain cases, stones can get stuck in the bladder.
Yeah, like, stuck right there.
In such cases, surgery isn’t advised.
Therefore, Ureteroscopy is used for the treatment.
Ureteroscope is a medical device which is basically a small wire with a camera attached.
Such a saviour!
A doctor inserts it in the urethra and passes it into the bladder.
The stone is snagged using a small cage and is finally removed.
Yayyy!
You aren’t a stone carrier anymore.
Congratulations!
But how should I keep myself safe, you might wonder?
Preventive Measures
The most effective preventive method universally advised is sufficient water intake.
Large amounts of water should be consumed by an individual to pass the recommended 2.6
quarts of urine per day.
Since plain water intake is difficult to increase after a certain point, alternatives can be
used too.
Lemon-lime soda or fruit juices can make the prevention an easy feat to achieve.
Citrate juices can even help in preventing low-citrate forming stones.
But remember, oxalate intake should be limited.
Lesser salt and animal protein consumption can significantly lower the risk of developing
oxalate stones.
So if you think you might have a kidney stone, do your best to consult a doctor.
Ignorance isn’t bliss when it comes to your body.
Do you think one should opt for surgical removal of kidney stones, or wait for it to dissolve
on its own?
Let us know what you think in the comment section below.