What causes kidney stones and how to prevent it

stones calledKidney Stones: Symptoms and Causes solid salt deposits formed within the kidney. These deposits are flushed out of the body in the urine and, if large enough, can deliver a lot of trouble.

Large stone can block the urinary tract, leading to difficulties or even impossibility to go to the toilet. And as a bonus - a sharp excruciating pain in the back or lower abdomen.

Only in Russia suffer urolithiasisUrolithiasis disease. Morbidity. Dynamics. Forecast up to 800 thousand people. And it is only those who are officially diagnosed. Generally, doctors suggestKidney StonesThat with stones kidney at some point in their lives faced by every tenth inhabitant of the planet.

In men with kidney stones are diagnosed about twice as likelyKidney Stones: A Global Picture of Prevalence, Incidence, and Associated Risk FactorsThan women.

This means that for a meeting with the disease have to be ready for: not the fact that it will pass you side.

When it is necessary to immediately contact a doctor

Call an ambulance or, depending on the condition, immediately dial the physician, urologist or nephrologist for advice if:

• pain in the abdomen or the area waist so sharp and strong that you can not find a place;
• pain accompanied by nausea or vomiting;
• against the background of the pain you have growing temperatures;
• Blood appeared in the urine;
• you are generally very difficult to urinate.

These symptoms indicate a serious violation of the kidneys or the possible damage to the urinary tract, which leads to their infection. The consequences can be very serious, until the death of the kidney and the patient.

How to recognize kidney stones

Quite often asymptomatic urolithiasis. That is, education in the kidneys, but they do not manifest themselves - because of the small size. The problems begin when the salt deposits are large enough or blocking the ureter - the tube that connects the kidney and bladder. In this case, urine can not escape from the kidneys, which leads to renal colic.

Signs that suggest the presence of kidney stones, are as follows:

• obtuse or acute pain in the lumbar region, which are amplified at the slightest shaking or fiznagruzki - set when driving on public transportation;
• sometimes manifested by sharp pain during urination;
• cloudy dark urine;
• frequent urge to run to the toilet.

If you have at least a couple of these symptoms, be sure and how to see a physician as soon as possible. The doctor will send you for an ultrasound to help diagnose urolithiasis.

Where are the stones in the kidney

The appearance of the stones are usually not caused by any one but a number of reasons. Here are the mainKidney Stone Causes of them.

1. Lack of fluid

Kidney stones are formed when the urine contains more crystal-forming substances (calcium oxalate, uric acid) than the liquid may be diluted. If your body loses water and lives in conditions of light dehydration, the risk of urolithiasis earn increases.

2. wrong diet

Cause the formation of deposits may be too salty or sweet foods, and too much red meat, smoked products, canned, clams and some types of greens - spinach, schavelom, celery, asparagus, soybean, revenom.

But dairy products, despite the high content of calcium, the formation of stones is not affected. So cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, you can continue to eat without restrictions.

3. Inflammatory bowel disease

For example, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, chronic diarrhea. They disrupt the digestive process, which affects the absorption of calcium and water and increase the amount of crystal-forming substances in the urine.

4. Obesity

If you are obese, ie have body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, the risk of urolithiasis increases twice.

5. Heredity

Tendency to form kidney stones can be caused by genetic factors. Be especially attentive to yourself, if someone from your close relatives diagnosed with urolithiasis.

6. Taking certain medications

Stimulate the emergence of stones can:

• separate antibioticsIn particular ciprofloxacin and sulfonamides;
• Some drugs used to treat HIV and AIDS;
• diuretics, such as those used for high blood pressure treatment (there is a small nuance: thiazide-type diuretics, on the contrary, help to prevent the occurrence of stones).

7. The presence of other diseases

Kidney stones are often a side effect of:

• certain genetic disorders (e.g., medullary sponge kidney - congenital defect, which causes the formation of cysts in renal tissues);
• type II diabetes (diabetes makes the urine more acidic, which stimulates the formation of stones);
• gout (Uric acid accumulates in this disease in the blood);
• hyperparathyroidism (the failure of the parathyroid glands increases in blood calcium level and urinary);
• renal tubular acidosis.

How to treat kidney stones

It all starts with the diagnosis. The therapist (or urologist, nephrologist, if you just come to them) will listen to your complaints, conduct inspection. If he suspects the presence of kidney problems, then offer to go through several tests:

• a blood test: it will provide information on the amount of calcium and uric acid in it;
• to pass urine;
• undergo ultrasound, CT scan or x-ray of the abdomen.

Depending on the test results, and the size of detected stones treatment can vary.

When small (up to 0.5 centimeters) formations assigned conservative therapy. The physician will recommend that you drink 1.9-2.8 liters of fluid a day to wash the stone naturally. to reduce sorenessAs a rule, appointed non-prescription pain relievers on the basis of acetaminophen or ibuprofen. In some cases, you will need reception alpha-blockers: they relax the muscles of the ureter, facilitating the passage of stones.

If deposits are larger, they are disrupted by electromagnetic waves (a procedure called "extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy"). One session takes 40-60 minutes and is performed under light sedation or anesthesia. To get rid of the stones can take four or five sessions.

Another option - a method of intracorporeal lithotripsy. This procedure is performed only under anesthesia. During a surgical instrument is inserted it into the urinary tract, and the stones are broken laser and immediately removed.

What to do to reduce the risk of kidney stones

First of all - correct lifestyle.

• Drink plenty of fluids. medical resource WebMD experts recommendKidney Stone Causes drink at least 10 glasses of water a day. The water in one of these glasses can be replaced with orange or lemon juice: this drink helps to slow down the formation of stones.
• Limit consumption salt.
• Adjust your diet. Reduce the amount of meat, particularly red, canned food, smoked and harmful to the kidneys green (types listed above).
• Try to get rid of excess weight. Or at least not bring themselves to obesity.

And of course, it is necessary to monitor the health. To catch kidney stones in the early stages of development, at least once a year undergo preventive examination by a urologist or nephrologist and do an ultrasound.