26/07/2024
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*"What is a kidney stone ?*
A kidney stone ( Urolithiasis Nephrolithiasis or Renal calculi.)
is a hard deposit of salts and minerals that gets formed within the kidney.
Kidney stones are formed due to the crystallization of minerals and salts from the urine.
Kidney stones are hard and can create problems in the urinary tract.
*Causes of Kidney Stone:-*
Crystals get formed when the urine is concentrated. The chemicals contained in the urine such as urate, oxalate, calcium, phosphate, and xanthine join and become a solid mass that gets larger
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*Symptoms -*
*1) Pain -* (Location / occurrence/ Character)
Some stones stay in the kidney and do not cause any pain.
But patients suffering from kidney stones often feel a sharp and severe pain starts and stops suddenly, Which is the main symptom .
Severe sharp pain on the sides of the abdomen (flank area) or in the kidney region in the back below the ribs (medically called loin’s area) is termed renal colic. And this pain moves to the groin area (groin pain), testicles (testicle pain) or pe**le tip in men, and l***a (vaginal region ) in women.
Sometimes the stone can block the flow of urine out of the kidneys, causing pain and severe intolerance.
2) There is a *frequent need to urinate* accompanied by *burning.*
3) There might be *blood in the urine.*
Other symptoms can include:
*1 Abnormal urine color and smell* - Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy , Blood in the urine causes pink or red in color
*2 Chills*
*3. Fever*
*4. Nausea and vomiting*
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*Type of Kidney Stone*
Not all kidney stones are made up of the same crystals. The different types of kidney stones include -
1 Calcium phosphate stones,
2 Calcium oxalate stones,
3 Uric acid stones,
4 Struvite stones and
5 Cystine stones
*1 Calcium Oxalate stones -*
Most commonly formed stones
Calcium stones are the most common. They’re often made of calcium oxalate, though they can consist of calcium phosphate or maleate,
Consumption of high Oxalate will lead to formation of calcium oxalate stones.
Eating fewer oxalate-rich foods can reduce your risk of developing this type of stone. High-oxalate foods include: potato chips, nuts, chocolate spinach and animal meat.
*2.Calcium phosphate stones -*
Formed due to abnormal urinary tract function and higher consumption of sodium, packaged foods beef, shellfish, and pork.
*3. Uric acid stones -*
This type of kidney stone is the second most common.
Common when a person eats large quantities of animal protein or consumes inadequate quantities of water.
They can mostly occur in people with gout, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome and people who have undergone chemotherapy.
This type of stone develops when urine is too acidic. A diet rich in purines can increase urine’s acidic level. Purine is a colorless substance in animal proteins, such as fish, shellfish, and meats.
*4. Struvite stones -*
Mostly noticed in women.
This type of stone is found mostly in people with urinary tract infections (UTIs).
These stones can be large and cause urinary obstruction.
Struvite kidney stones grow rapidly and can lead to severe infection of the urinary tract.
As struvite stones result from a kidney infection. Treating an underlying infection can prevent the development of struvite stones.
*5. Cystine stones -*
About 1 in 7,000 people worldwide get cystine kidney stones.
Cystine kidney stones are mostly noticed in young age in both men and women who have the genetic disorder - cystinuria.
The kidneys are unable to absorb the Cystine , ( amino acid / protein ) which gets leaked through urine.
The most effective treatment for cysteine stones is to consume more water daily.
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*Investigation ( Lab. Tests )*
1 Blood tests to check calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, and electrolyte levels.
2 Kidney function tests
3 Urinalysis to check for crystals red blood cells and pus cells in urine
4 Abdominal CT scan
5 Abdominal x-rays- KUG
6 USG Kidney ultrasound sonography
7 Retrograde pyelogram
To locate and access the stone and it's type as well as size and further to determine the damage it has caused to kidneys and urinary tract.
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*Homoeopathy Treatment for kidney stone*
The treatment for a kidney stone depends on:
The size of the stone
The type of the stones
The location of the stone
And important of all the characters and intensity of pain and associated complaints .
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*Prevention of Kidney Stone*
1. Plenty of water intake which can produce enough urine.
Dehydration can lead to concentrated and dark urine which may favour the stone formation.
Therefore, adults must be adequately hydrated with about 2 to 3 liters of fluid, preferably water each day.
2.Limit sodium (salt) Instead of reducing the consumption of calcium-rich food, it is better to reduce your salt intake.
3. Reduce the consumption of foods that are high in oxalates such as pork, chicken, and beef.
4. Don't wait too long for urination. Attain the urge/ call as early as possible.
5. Obesity and Diabetes - Regular exercising leads to well maintained body weight and well maintained metabolism. Timely checked blood sugar and further management as per doctor's advice will help in prevention of kidney stones.
6. Certain medications /risk factors for developing kidney stones, may be avoided or substituted as per doctor's advice.
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