According to studies, kidney stones are 3-5 times more common in men than in women. Every year, 1 or 2 people out of a thousand suffer from acute renal colic due to kidney stones. Among the most important reasons for this; familial factors, not consuming enough fluids, nutritional problems, overweight and kidney and urinary tract disorders, many factors such as these increase the risk of stone formation. If left untreated, kidney stones can lead to kidney loss. Timely diagnosis and treatment of kidney stones prevents the formation of many different diseases.
Kidney stones are located on both sides of the human spine. The kidney is responsible for removing waste products from the blood. Waste products in the body are excreted from the body through urine. While the blood is being cleaned, the torus consisting of minerals and salts in the blood causes stones in the kidneys over time.
What are the symptoms of kidney stones?
Kidney stones usually manifest themselves with the first pains. In order for kidney stone pain to occur, that stone must block the urinary tract. Kidney stones usually give symptoms when they enter the ureter, that is, the urinary tract. We can list the symptoms as follows;
- The person may have nausea and vomiting due to nausea.
- The person may feel pain while urinating when urinating.
- If the urine color is cloudy and dark, the kidney stone may have caused an infection.
- Kidney stones may cause high fever.
- It may cause sudden chills and shivering.
- There may be an increase in the number of urination, but the person cannot empty the urine completely.
Akidney stone is a condition that blocks the urinary tract and causes the symptoms mentioned above. When kidney stones block the urinary tract, if left untreated in the future, the kidneys may lose their function and if this condition occurs in both kidneys, kidney failure may occur.
What are the Causes of Kidney Stones?
There are many different wastes in the urine. If these wastes become excessive in a small amount of liquid, these wastes crystallize and this leads to the formation of kidney stones. Usually these wastes are excreted in the urine and no stones form. Many factors such as diet, metabolic diseases, low fluid consumption and certain medications can cause kidney stones . Apart from these factors, we can list the factors that cause kidney stone formation as follows;
- Family health history
- Dieting for a long time
- Consuming little liquid
- Obesity
- Different kidney disorders
- Gastric surgery for weight loss
- High salt and sugar intake
- Some vitamin supplements
- Exercising irregularly
- Urinary tract diseases
How to pass a kidney stone?
The size of the kidney stone is very important for its reduction. If the size of the kidney stone is over 5 mm, intervention may be required. However, if the kidney stone is below 5 mm, there is a possibility that it will fall spontaneously. For this, drinking plenty of water and moving can help the stones to fall. Stones over 5mm require an operation. In order to prevent the formation of kidney stones, the person should pay attention to his/her diet and general lifestyle. Diet and general life style have a significant effect on the formation of kidney stones. Kidney stones can be reduced as follows;
- Consuming plenty of water
- Walking an active lifestyle
- Consume foods containing vitamin B6 (grapes, pomegranate, celery, watermelon, etc.)
- In case of very severe pain, a specialist urologist should be consulted.
Kidney stone formation in men is more common than in women, so it is necessary to follow the recommendations. Genetics plays an active role in this. Since weight causes kidney stone formation, it is important to regulate the diet and switch to a healthy diet. In the detection of kidney stones, some painkillers can be administered to patients to reduce pain and prevent discomfort. In some cases, doctors may also recommend certain medications to help the stone fall. When there is excess uric acid in the body, medication may also be recommended to reduce the acidity of the urine.