What types of kidney stones?

What does kidney stone pain look like?

How do we protect ourselves from it?

The answers are in this report.

Types of kidney stones

A person is likely to have one of the 4 main types of kidney stones.

Treatment for kidney stones usually depends on their size, location, and components.

Here are the types of kidney stones:

Calcium stones

Calcium stones, including calcium oxalate stones and calcium phosphate stones, are the most common types of kidney stones.

Calcium oxalate stones are more common than calcium phosphate stones, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website.

Calcium in food does not increase the chances of developing calcium oxalate stones.

Normally, the extra calcium that your bones and muscles don't use goes into your kidneys and is excreted in your urine.

When this does not happen, calcium remains in the kidneys and joins with other waste products to form kidney stones.

Uric acid stones

Uric acid stones may form when urine contains too much acid.

Eating a lot of fish, shellfish, and meat, especially organ meats such as liver and spleen, may increase uric acid in the urine.

Struvite stones

Struvite stones may form after a urinary tract infection.

It can develop suddenly and become large quickly.

Cystine stones

Cystine stones are caused by a disorder called cystinuria that runs in families.

Cysteinuria causes the amino acid cysteine ​​to leak through the kidneys and into the urine.

The pain of kidney stones is worse than the pain of childbirth

In a report published by the French newspaper "le figaro", author Cecile Thieber says that according to Dr. Lucille Figueres, a nephrologist at Nantes University Hospital, "renal colic causes more suffering in patients already than in childbirth."

But sooner or later, about 10% of the population will end up having this pain at least once in their lifetime.

And the writer indicated that, according to the statements of the urologist at the Hospital "La Concepcion" in Marseille, Professor Roman Boissier, "renal colic is the third reason for consultation in the emergency department. You have to imagine that there is always at least one person with renal colic in each emergency department. The problem can occur at any age, but on average, patients are 45 years old and nearly two-thirds of them are men."

Renal colic is caused by stones blocking the urinary tract

The author pointed out that renal colic occurs when an obstacle - often stones - blocks the urinary tract in the direction of the kidneys.

“During this time, the kidneys continue to filter urine, so fluid will build up, leading to increased pressure in the kidneys and in the ureter, which is the tube that connects the kidneys to the bladder, and this pressure will lead to very severe pain, without any warning signs,” Dr. Figueres explains. Besides, it can happen at any time, even in the middle of the night.” Most of the time, the pain is severe.

 What does renal colic look like?

For his part, Professor Boissier describes this pain as “a bit like a very intense spasm that starts on one side in the lower back and travels around the flank and down towards the thigh,” while Dr. Figueres adds that it “may also cause nausea and vomiting or vague discomfort associated with it.” in pain."

It specifies that "there is no position that can be taken to alleviate this suffering."

"The problem can also manifest itself in the frequent desire or need to urinate (in this case, it is also necessary to drink less water so that the kidneys are not overloaded), and it is also manifested by the presence of blood in the urine," Figris continues.

Kidney stones

"In most cases, the gravel ends up going down on its own," says Prof. Boissier. "We do nothing but observe."

Meanwhile, if the stones persist after 4 to 6 weeks, surgical treatment will be suggested.

In addition to pregnancy, there are two cases in which an episode of renal colic is an emergency. "When a patient has a fever, it may mean that the urine is stuck in the urinary tract and in the kidneys causing inflammation, and this can quickly progress to sepsis, So it's an emergency."

Furthermore, the urologist adds that "if a patient has only one functioning kidney, it is necessary to act quickly to prevent acute renal failure."

How do we protect ourselves from kidney stones?

“The increase in protein and salt leads to an increase in calcium in the urine, which promotes stone formation,” the author quotes Dr. Figueres as saying.

In addition, our consumption of meat has increased by about 5 times compared to what it was at the beginning of the last century, as eating large amounts of animal protein increases the concentration of oxalate in the urine, as is the case when eating other foods such as spinach and chocolate.

In addition, the writer stresses that the amount of salt we eat has increased, while the consumption of fruits and vegetables - which have a protective effect against gallstones - tends to decrease, noting that one should not refrain from consuming dairy products, as Figueres says, “Excess calcium can It leads to the formation of stones, as is the case for its deficiency, in addition to causing osteoporosis,” so it is necessary to eat dairy products in normal and moderate quantities.

Drinking water protects against kidney stones

The writer notes that drinking water in sufficient quantities is also necessary;

"Kidney stones are a bit like grains of sand at the bottom of a bowl," Dr. Figueres explains. "If we add water, we'll dilute them even more. So the chance of oxalate and calcium coming together is slim." Water is the key (about two liters of water considering the water in the food) to avoid them reappearing.

According to Figueres, "About half of patients who develop renal colic will have it again. It is therefore necessary to change your eating habits."

Figueres warns that "there is no effective natural remedy," but some foods should be avoided because they may contain oxalate.

Vitamin C and kidney stones

Vitamin C in supplements promotes stone formation (where vitamin C breaks down into oxalate), while citrus fruits (rich in vitamin C and also citric acid) protect against stone formation, Figueres said.

However, the appearance of these stones is not always associated with an unhealthy lifestyle. "There are families who have a genetic predisposition to this disease, and we are not all equally susceptible when it comes to the risk of developing kidney stones. Even when following the same diet, Some people may develop kidney stones, while others do not."

Stones caused by diseases

The writer points out that stones may also form as a result of diseases, such as those that promote the excretion of calcium in the urine, which Dr. Figueres commented on, saying: "This is the case with primary hyperparathyroidism."

Furthermore, another type of gallstone (uric acid) is associated with weight gain and type 2 diabetes, both of which are also on the rise due to our dietary habits. Fortunately, there are effective treatments that prevent a recurrence of the disease.