Symptoms
The main symptom of kidney stones or renal calculi are side or back pain that does not disappear. You can also have pink urine or urine that has a bad odour, fever or pain when urinating. Experts say the incidence of renal calculi s is increasing, though they cannot pin point the reason. Men are more prone to this condition than women. Age is also a factor. The chances of renal calculi rises after a man passes the age of 40 and continues to increase until 70. For women, the risk peaks at age 50.
Each day, about 190 liters of blood flow through the kidneys. The kidneys remove blood waste, including various minerals and other substances, so that they are passed through the urine. In people with kidney stones, certain minerals in the urine combine with other wastes and begin to form a stone.
Kidney stones are not all the same. The most common type is Calcium stones made of calcium oxalate. The less common types of stones are made of uric acid or other elements, all found naturally in the body. No one knows why these substances form stones in some people and not others. The formation may be related to levels of these substances in urine or other unknown factors.
What can you do to be rid of them?
Most renal calculi are eventually eliminated from the body in urine. There are also natural home remedies to reduce kidney stones such as consuming ginger and lemon. However, some can still grow enough to start blocking the flow of urine. This causes severe pain and can also put a person at risk of infection.
If you cannot eliminate the stones naturally, various treatments need to be looked into. The most common procedure is called lithotripsy. This technique involves using shock waves to reduce the small stone into fragments, which can be easily eliminated through urine.
Prevention better than cure
If you’ve already had renal calculi, the chances of getting them again increases. However, there are ways to help prevent most types of kidney stones. First your doctor will need to know what kind of stone. If you pass a kidney stone, try to catch it with a colander. Laboratory test can help your doctor plan a strategy to prevent the formation of most kidney stones. Other tests that may include blood and urine tests can help your doctor understand why you develop kidney stone. Your medical history, occupation and eating and drinking habits may also give clues.
Drinking more water can help prevent kidney stone. Depending on the type of stone you are likely to develop, it can be instructed to avoid certain foods or drinks. For example, people tend to form calcium oxalate stone should avoid spinach, peanuts and chocolate. People prone to form uric acid stones should decrease the intake of meat. The more you watch how you eat stone forming foods, the less likely you will experience further stones.
