Urinary stones
Disturbing factor urinary stones, meanwhile more than a million patients are treated every year because of the annoying crystals. Statistically, the number of people affected has more than doubled in the last decade, often due to an unhealthy diet and metabolic disorders.
What are urinary stones?
Urinary stones are crystals that are formed in the kidney. The components of the deposits are calcium oxalate, uric acid, magnesium, cystine or calcium phosphate. As long as there are urinary stones in the kidney, affected persons do not feel any symptoms.
The disease only becomes painful when the crystals shift into the urinary tract. Very small urinary stones leave the body naturally in the urine and are often not noticed at all. An appropriate therapy always depends on the type and size of the urinary stones.
Causes
There are a variety of causes that are responsible for urinary stone disease. In first place of the possible triggers is overweight. Particularly fatty foods such as chips, French fries and pizza (so-called fast food) contain a lot of sodium, which promotes the formation of urinary stones.But even normal-weight people can suffer from urinary stones in the course of their lives. Another possible cause is insufficient fluid intake, especially older people are at risk here. In this case, the stones are formed due to insufficient dilution of urine.
But even with optimal eating habits and sufficient fluid intake, urinary stones can form, the causes can then be metabolic disorders or congenital diseases. The thyroid gland plays a role in the formation of small crystals, patients with an overactive parathyroid gland suffer more often from stone formation.
When to see a doctor?
If blood is noticed in the urine, the urinary behavior seems strange (e.g. abnormally low amounts of urine or particularly frequent urination) or fever occurs, it is essential to involve the family doctor. Urinary stones generally require a medical examination and treatment by a trained physician. Although self-treatment is possible in some cases, the causes of stone formation can only be determined beyond doubt by an analysis of the stone. In addition, in the case of urinary stones, comprehensive aftercare is required in any case.
Therefore: consult a physician at the first signs of urinary stones. At the latest when complaints such as urinary retention or severe pain in the kidney area are added, medical advice is required. If colic occurs, it is best to call the ambulance immediately. The same applies if the fever increases rapidly or circulatory problems occur. In the event of circulatory collapse, first aid measures must be taken. High-risk patients (e.g. people who drink a lot of coffee or alcohol, patients with urinary tract infections, children, pregnant women or the elderly) should immediately visit the nearest hospital.
symptoms and course
If the urinary stone is larger, those affected sometimes feel severe pain and side effects such as Fever , blood in the urine or a urinary tract infection can occur. Such symptoms should always be taken seriously, since timely treatment can significantly alleviate the course of the disease.
If non-specific pain in the flank area or blood in the urine lead the patient to the doctor, the doctor will first ask about the medical history. It is also important to know whether there are known urinary stone diseases in the family. The nutritional circumstances are also questioned by the doctor, especially high-fat and high-calorie food can be an indicator of urinary stones.
Diagnosis
However, the doctor can only make an accurate diagnosis of urinary stones after a physical examination. First, the flanks are palpated, if the patient reacts with pain, the suspected diagnosis of urinary stones quickly manifests itself. Significant values such as uric acid, creatinine and calcium are determined as part of a laboratory test. If the examinations indicate a suspicion of urinary stones, an ultrasound examination is carried out for final clarification. With painless sonography , the doctor can see on the monitor whether urinary stones are present and what size they are.
A 24-hour urine measurement is sometimes used to check the passage of urinary crystals. Here, those affected have to collect the urine for 24 hours and then hand it in to their doctor for examination. This can then determine whether there are already small crystals in the urine, which indicate the presence of urinary stones.
Complications
As a rule, urinary stones lead to very severe and, above all, burning and stabbing pain. This pain occurs mainly when urinating and can significantly reduce the quality of life and everyday life of the person affected. This pain can also spread to other regions of the body and thus lead to pain in the flanks or kidneys. The urinary stones can also lead to bloody urine. It is not uncommon for blood in the urine to lead to a panic attack or sweating . In the case of an infection, there is also a fever. Those affected continue to suffer from nausea and often from vomiting. If left untreated, urinary stones can lead to infection.
Treatment is primarily with the help of painkillers and other medications. This can alleviate the symptoms. However, the urinary stones must be excreted, and this process can take several days. In severe cases, shock waves can be used to destroy the urinary stones directly so that they are passed through urination. With successful treatment, the quality of life of the patient is not affected by the urinary stones.
treatment and therapy
Depending on the number and size of the urinary stones, different treatment methods are used. In many cases, small crystals can be excreted in the urine; diuretics can be used to speed up the process. Adequate fluid intake of at least three to four liters a day is important with this method.
This treatment method is not suitable for patients who require dialysis, since their drinking quantity must not exceed one liter per day and it is often no longer possible to urinate.Another treatment option is what is known as chemolitholysis. The procedure is similar to the so-called lysis in stroke patients , the urinary stones are dissolved with the help of medication and then removed via the urine.
In the case of large urinary stones or drug intolerance, shock wave lithotripsy is used. In this procedure, the urinary stones are shattered from the outside using energy waves and then excreted naturally. This method is very often used when the size of the urinary stones makes natural elimination impossible.
Ureterorenoscopy is also often used for large stones. Here, an endoscope is guided into the renal pelvis, through which the stones can be suctioned out. A laser is usually used beforehand to break up the large urinary stones.
Prevention
Since urinary stones are often caused by an unhealthy diet and being overweight, one of the best ways to prevent them is to eat a low-fat diet. Drinking at least 2.5 liters of liquid daily also minimizes the risk of developing urinary stones. If you are already overweight, lots of exercise and a healthy diet will help to break it down and thus reduce the likelihood of urinary stone formation. If there is already a family history of urinary stone disease, a check-up with a urologist can be helpful in order to be able to react in good time if crystals form.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.