Kidneys are two bean-shaped parts of your body. Their primary function is to sieve through your blood. Therefore, they eliminate waste, keep checking the balance of bodily fluids and maintain a balance of electrolytes. This process happens at various times in a day. Kidney stones, also known as renal calculi, occur in the kidneys. They exist in four different types: calcium, uric acid, struvite, and cystine stones. Kidney stones are generally solid accumulations of salts and minerals frequently consisting of uric acid. These stones occur in various sizes. Some are extremely small while others can increase in size, so much so that they can be as large as the kidney itself! Some of its symptoms include extreme pain, fever, nausea as well as blood in the urine. Therefore, there are signs to look out for and show to a doctor immediately to treat the stones.
Reasons:
Reasons for kidney stones may differ from person to person. However, it is essential to highlight some of the key reasons they may occur:
- Water deficiency. Water is an essential part of your everyday routine. It is required to make sufficient urine to weaken the things that can become kidney stones. Due to lack of water, your urine may look a darker color than it should. Ideally, the color should be either light yellow or transparent.
- History. History plays a vital role while deciphering why kidney stones may have emerged. This could be because of family history with kidney stones, or if you have had kidney stones before, then that increases the chances of them recurring.
- Careful food picking! What we eat gives us a boost of energy and plays an essential role in the way many of our organs function. This is why it is crucial to pick the right foods to eat, so that kidney stones do not occur. Examples of these include chocolate, tea, and beets. They have oxalate in them and can add to your kidney stones. Eating foods high in salt, sugar, and protein can also increase the risks of different types of kidney stones. This is specifically true for excessive sodium diets. It increases the quantity of calcium the kidneys have to sieve through, which increases the chances of kidney stones.
- Pre-existing diseases. Diseases such as type 2 diabetes or diarrhea may increase the chances of kidney stones. This is because type 2 diabetes can increase the acid present in the urine, contributing to kidney stones. Moreover, diarrhea, specifically chronic diarrhea, causes individuals to lose much of their fluid and cause dehydration. This can be an enabling factor for kidney stones to occur, specifically uric acid stones.
- Obesity. The chances of someone getting a kidney stone increases to two times the average chance if they are obese. According to researchers, obesity is strongly linked to the development of kidney stones. The higher the body mass index (BMI), the greater the risk of kidney stones.
- Medicine. Some medications may also contribute to the risk of kidney stones. Examples of these include vitamin c supplements as well as calcium. Therefore, it is vital to take these supplements under a doctor’s prescription after a thorough checkup.
Hence, if you feel you would like to get a checkup done for kidney stones or kidney-related diseases, we have for you the best Nephrologist in Lahore and Nephrologist in Karachi. You can pick them as per your location and convenience!
