Stay hydrated to keep kidney stones at bay

The incidence of kidney stone disease has been increasing throughout the world, mainly due to climatic changes and people’s improper dietary habits. Other common causes of kidney stones are inadequate water consumption and excessive intake of junk food.  

People with stone in the urinary tract experience severe pain in the flanks and are prone to colic — a pain that starts and stops abruptly. The symptoms are largely dependent on the size or the site of the stone in the urinary tract. 

The sizes may vary from 2-3 mm to 5-6 cm, and sometimes, a large part of the kidney may be affected by the stones, and the condition is called ‘staghorn calculi’. The stones in the kidney can lead to urinary tract infection and blood in the urine. If it is not detected or treated, it may end up in kidney failure.  It is very common for middle-aged people to experience a sudden onset of colicky pain with or without blood in the urine. 

Along with the tell-tale symptoms, tests like ultra-sonogram and a simple X-ray can detect a majority (60-80 per cent) of stones in the kidney and ureter. Sometimes, the X-ray may not show stones, like uric acid and cystine. Therefore, a CT scan may be required to detect them. A good CT scan can detect 99 per cent of stones in the urinary tract. 

The test can give even the exact location, size and density (Hounsfield unit) of the stone, that are the main factors governing treatment options. Once diagnosed, the kidney stone has to be treated immediately, or else, it may end up in renal damage due to the blocking of the urinary tract or lead to recurrent urinary tract infection. 

In most cases — about 70 to 80 per cent of them — smaller stones of 4-6 mm will pass out through the urinary tract with simple conservative treatments with medication. But at times, even the smaller stones will not come out and can result in severe pain and infection, requiring surgical treatment. 

Traditionally, an open surgery (pyelolithotomy or ureterolithotomy) has been considered a treatment for kidney stones that are less than 3 cm in size. With the advancement in technology in endoscopy and lithotripsy techniques, open surgery has become an obsolete treatment option. Almost all stones of any size can now be treated endoscopically. This is a boon, since stones are recurrent and repeated open surgery is not possible. 

Endoscopy allows removal of stones without damage to the kidneys.  If the person is diagnosed with stones time and again, he or she needs metabolic work to analyse the blood for levels of calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, oxalates and citrates in the body. 

However, prevention is key for this condition as well. By consuming adequate water— three or four litres per day — avoiding or reducing certain foods containing more calcium and oxalates and regular check-ups by the urologist, recurrence of the condition can be prevented.