One of the most important points to have a healthy body and protect internal organs is to consume enough water daily. If there is not enough water in the body, internal organs may be damaged and stones and crystals may form in the kidneys. If water consumption during the day is not sufficient, the density of stone precursor substances excreted with urine increases and the urine becomes acidic. For this reason, kidney stone formation begins.
What is kidney stone?
Kidney stones develop within the kidney channels and may not be due to clear causes. Hard structures formed by the combination of some minerals are called kidney stones. It is three times more common in men than in women. If a kidney stone occurs once in a body, it is likely to occur again. Stones can form again even if they are completely destroyed.
Kidney stone formation is possible in people of all ages. However, this condition is more common in people in their thirties. If left untreated, kidney channels become blocked due to stones. This blockage causes increased pressure in the kidney and manifests itself as severe pain. Additionally, organ functions are impaired. Individuals who are diagnosed with kidney stones should see a doctor without delay, even if the pain is not very severe, and start the treatment that the doctor deems appropriate.
Kidney stone formation may occur due to various reasons. Although it is not stated that it develops due to an exact reason, kidney stone formation may also occur due to genetic reasons. It is considered that people with a family history of kidney stones are more likely to experience this condition. Additionally, not consuming enough water or malnutrition seems to trigger the formation of kidney stones. Apart from reasons such as obesity and previous kidney stone formation, kidney stone formation is also possible for the following reasons:
- Occurrence of recurrent urinary tract infections
- Presence of gout disease
- Chronic intestinal problems
- Congenital kidney anomalies
- Having another kidney-related disease
- Not moving enough and insufficient physical activities
The most common known symptoms of kidney stone formation are:
- Severe lower back pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- blood in urine
- Severe abdominal pains
- Severe chest pains
How is kidney stone treated?
Kidney stone treatment may also vary depending on the type of kidney stone. Kidney stone disease is divided into types as follows:
Calcium stones: Approximately 75% of kidney stone cases occur from this type.
Uric acid stones: Generally seen in people on high-protein diets.
Infection stones: Generally caused by infections in the urinary tract. It grows very quickly and therefore causes serious kidney problems and damage.
Cystine stones: It is a rare type of kidney stone. It is generally caused by problems with metabolism.
Some tests must be performed to diagnose kidney stones. X-ray, urine analysis, computed tomography, ureteroscopy and ultrasonography are some of these tests. Diagnosis is made using various laboratory tests and medical imaging techniques. If kidney stones are clearly detected, treatment is started.
The type and size of the stones formed also affect the choice of treatment. Because the methods applied in treatment are determined according to these characteristics. Some methods used in kidney stone treatment can also be used to clean gallbladder stones. While some kidney stones can be removed with some medications, surgery may also be required depending on the nature of the stone.
While in previous years there was no option other than surgery for large stones, today treatment with medications can also be preferred in the case of larger stones. Kidney stone treatment is one of the treatments that are beneficial as medicine progresses along with the development of technology. In order to prevent recurrence of stones after treatment, it is necessary to apply the preventive methods recommended by the doctor.