The kidney is an organ that plays an essential role in maintaining homeostasis in the body, such as filtering waste products from the blood and excreting them in urine, regulating blood pressure, and regulating the concentration of electrolytes in the blood. When the kidney, which plays such an important role, malfunctions, wastes are not smoothly discharged, and at the same time, the amount of protein in the urine increases, various physical symptoms such as swelling, and the risk of developing various related diseases are increased. will get bigger. Kidney stone is one of these diseases caused by abnormal kidney function. It is a disease that increases the risk of various symptoms and complications as substances in the urine are crystallized and deposited to form a stone-like shape in the kidney.
Kidney stones, which are classified into various types such as calcium stones, uric acid stones, and cystine stones according to the components of the stones discharged from the body, are mainly caused by insufficient water intake or low urine output due to dehydration symptoms. I can. When the body lacks water, calcium salts are not easily broken down by the kidneys, which can lead to calcium-induced stones. In addition, the dietary habit of consuming animal protein for a long time also causes the accumulation of uric acid, a by-product of protein metabolism, which increases the risk of kidney stones. In addition, overweight people with a large waist circumference or a high body mass index also have a high incidence of kidney stones, and it is known that high blood pressure, inflammatory bowel disease, and even those who have undergone gastric and intestinal bypass surgery have a significant impact on the occurrence of kidney stones. There is a bar. Now, let’s look at the main symptoms of kidney stones, as well as various information about treatment and prevention.
Main symptoms of kidney stones
Symptoms related to kidney stones include pain in the lower back, stomach, flanks, and back due to the expansion of kidney blood vessels and accumulation of waste products in the blood vessels, and symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, fever, and chills. In particular, pain that occurs in the lower back, flanks, and back is acute and causes very severe pain. Once the pain occurs, it can last from 20 to 60 minutes, and the pain gets better and gets worse repeatedly. It can also be accompanied by symptoms such as hematuria in the urine, turbidity with a strong odor, frequent urination, urgency that is difficult to urinate, and painful urination that occurs every time you urinate. These kidney stone symptoms can vary depending on the location, size, and whether or not there is an infection. In some cases, only one symptom appears, but in most cases, it is a combination of several symptoms.
These kidney stones are detected through tests by feeling abnormal at the onset of symptoms, but sometimes they are discovered by chance during physical examinations or tests to diagnose other diseases without feeling any symptoms. Kidney stones not only cause severe pain, but can also damage the kidneys, causing infection and bleeding, leading to several related complications. Therefore, if the initial symptoms appear, it is important to proceed with the examination procedure through a prompt visit to receive early treatment. And since kidney stones are one of the diseases with a high risk of recurrence, consistent management by improving various lifestyle habits and eating habits that aggravate symptoms is just as important as treatment.
Kidney stone treatment and prevention
1. Various test procedures and treatments
For kidney stones, blood tests and urine tests are performed to check the concentration of uric acid, minerals, and amino acids in the blood. It’s possible. In addition, through X-rays, ultrasound, CT, etc., the exact location of the stone, the flow of urine, and the deformation of the urinary system are carefully checked. And if kidney stones are found through these various tests, treatment to induce natural excretion through urine, such as administration of antispasmodics, if the size is small. However, if the stone is too large to be discharged naturally, treatment such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is used to break the stone into small pieces and allow it to be discharged. In addition, in the case of large stones that cannot be treated with shock wave, percutaneous stone removal is performed.
2. Drinking plenty of water
In order to prevent the occurrence of kidney stones, it is recommended to prevent the formation of stones by drinking plenty of fluids. When there is less water in the body, the amount of urine decreases, making the urine more concentrated and waste products more easily clumped together. It is known that if you drink enough water to dilute your urine by drinking 2~3L of water a day, the stones will not form easily, and the discharge of the stones will be smoother by increasing the amount of urine discharged.
3. Controlling intake of foods that aggravate symptoms
For the prevention and management of kidney stones, it is important to control the intake of foods that aggravate the symptoms. It is recommended to pay attention to the intake of foods high in oxalic acid, calcium, uric acid, and other substances that cause stones. In particular, as oxalic acid is known as the main cause of kidney stones, it is recommended to limit the intake of spinach and beetroot, which contain large amounts of oxalic acid, if you have symptoms or are undergoing treatment for kidney stones. In addition, nuts, meat, beer, chocolate, and cola also contain a certain amount of oxalic acid, so it is recommended to control the intake. In addition, salt is also a risk factor that causes worsening of symptoms, so it is recommended to reduce the amount of salt in cooked and processed meat, processed food, and instant food, and maintain a low-sodium diet.
Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons are known to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of kidney stones. These citrus fruits contain a large amount of citric acid, which is excellent in inhibiting the formation of stones and helping them to be discharged. However, excessive intake of citrus fruits can cause stones due to the large amount of vitamin C.
