Ever felt a sudden, sharp pain on the sides of your lower back? Had the urge to pee often even when there’s little to no urine passing? If your answer is yes, there are high chances you have a kidney stone. Kidney stones are small, hard deposits inside the kidneys that keep growing until you pass them out. While it causes pain like no other, understanding the symptoms & causes by consulting a Multispecialty Hospital in Chennai can help you beat this common condition. Let’s dive deeper.
How are kidney stones formed?
Urine has minerals, salts, and other wastes dissolved in it. When you’re dehydrated, the urine becomes highly concentrated with these chemicals. Eventually, they turn into irregularly shaped stones that can be the size of a pea or a big pebble.
While small stones pass through on their own, big ones block the urine flow, causing the kidneys to swell. If untreated for an extended period, it could lead to infections, damage, or even kidney failure. While medications and surgery can alleviate the blockage, a kidney transplant may be needed in extreme cases. So it’s best to seek medical attention from the Best Kidney Transplant Hospital in India.
What are the main causes of kidney stones?
A combination of lifestyle, diet, obesity, and genetic factors cause kidney stones. They include
- Dehydration – Working in hot conditions, not drinking enough water, and sweating excessively can cause kidney stones.
- Diet – Consuming excessive animal protein, sugar, and salt lead to the formation of uric acid stones. Likewise, having more nuts, spinach, tea, and chocolate causes calcium oxalate stones.
- Family history – Some people develop kidney stones due to genetic reasons. And the formation of the first increases the chances of developing another.
- Medical conditions and medications – Conditions such as hyperparathyroidism, gout, repeated UTIs, & inflammatory bowel disease and certain medicines lead to kidney stones.
What are the symptoms of kidney stones?
According to the NCBI, the National Center for Biotechnology Information, over 12% of the Indian population suffers from kidney stones. These stones cause discomfort and pain only when they move inside the kidney or pass into the ureter. As for the symptoms, they depend on the size and location of the stones. They include
- Sudden, intense pain in the back and side that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin
- Having the urge to urinate frequently or urgently
- Pain or burning sensation while urinating
- Blood in the urine that’s pink, red, or brown
- Cloudy or strong-smelling pee
- Nausea and vomiting
As the stone moves through the urinary tract, the pain may vary in intensity or shift to different locations. So, if you suspect kidney stones, immediately contact a Multispecialty Hospital in Chennai and save yourself some pain.
Tips to prevent kidney stones
- Ensure to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water every day.
- Consume a diet rich in fibre, fruits, and vegetables.
- Avoid foods that increase the chances of kidney stone formation, including fast food, spinach, soy foods, chocolate, processed meat, and most nuts.
- Limit salt intake