When hearing “kidney stone,” many people probably don’t know what it is. The concept “kidney stones”, on the other hand, is more familiar, and surely everyone knows someone who has suffered from them. These stones or stones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a pearl. They are formed by the high concentration of substances that should be eliminated through urine. During their expulsion, which often happens naturally, they can remain in the urinary tract, blocking the flow of urine and causing great pain and certain complications.
The disease affects 10% of the population, and the majority of these people are between 15 and 45 years old. Men are twice as likely as women. Taking into account how relatively easy it can be to find yourself in this situation and, moreover, repeatedly, it is essential to follow the advice of professionals to avoid it. The main method of preventing kidney stones is a diet rich in vegetables and fiber. In the usual diet, sodium consumption should be reduced, since salt favors the formation of uric acid and calcium oxalate crystals.
Three quarters of the salt we consume comes from industry
Dr. Bárbara Romano, dietitian-nutritionist at Hospital Clínic Barcelona, warns how easy it is today to consume too much salt. “Three quarters of the salt we consume comes from industry,” he warns. These are pre-cooked foods, preserves, sausages or cheeses. When cooking, salt can be replaced with other seasonings, such as herbs and spices. You must also moderate the consumption of foods rich in animal proteins.
Protein foods lower the pH, increase the amount of oxalate and uric acid, and reduce the presence of citrate in the urine. For the same reason, you should avoid protein supplements. Likewise, good hydration is key. Experts recommend drinking at least two liters of water a day, which increases urine production, so that stones do not form. Dr. Romano remembers: “In summer, hydration should increase to three liters a day.”
This measure helps compensate for water loss through sweat. In addition, you must maintain an adequate weight and avoid obesity, since excess weight favors the formation of stones. There are some specific recommendations for certain types of stones. For example, in calcium oxalate lithiasis, an amount of calcium must be ensured. You should also discard foods with high oxalate content: spinach, chard, nuts, peanuts, chocolate or tea. And you should not take vitamin C and D supplements without a doctor’s prescription either.
In uric acid lithiasis, it is vital not to lose weight drastically or perform high-intensity physical exercise to degrade muscle mass. We must also forget about foods with a high purine content, such as organ meats, red meat, sausages, seafood or oily fish. Anything that contains fructose and alcohol is also not recommended. Even following these recommendations, there are patients with high risk factors. Then, you can opt for a pharmacological treatment that corrects the alterations in the composition of the urine.
Approximately 50% of patients, after five years, will have a new stone episode.
If the situation becomes complicated and repeated renal colic, bleeding in the urine, urinary infection, fever or sepsis occur, it is necessary to resort to surgery. In the most severe cases, chronic kidney failure may occur leading to dialysis and kidney transplant, although this is not common. What is common is for a person to have kidney stones several times throughout their life.
Dr. Pilar Luque, urologist at Hospital Clínic Barcelona, explains: “Approximately, 50% of patients, after five years, will have a new stone episode.” 90% of those affected will have kidney stones again after 25 years. Often, the prognosis is good and the stone can be passed without complications. If medical recommendations are followed, the risk of having a repeat episode over time decreases.
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