Kidney Stones, Is It Really Because of Holding Urination?

Kidney Stones, Is It Really Because of Holding Urination? - Kidney stones or nephrolithiasis is when a collection of complex salts and minerals resembling stones forms in the kidneys. In addition, stones can also form in other parts of the urinary system, such as the urinary tract and bladder.

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The size of the kidney stones themselves varies. Some are very small, but some can grow to several inches. Some kidney stones can be so large that they fill the entire kidney.

Kidney Stones, Is It Really Because of Holding Urination?

Image source: Gleneagles Hospital

The National Health Service states that kidney stones are a fairly common disease; 1 in 10 people in the world experience them. This disease can occur in one or both kidneys and causes the sufferer discomfort, pain, kidney infection, and even kidney failure.

So, to avoid this, see the explanation of kidney stones, starting from the types, symptoms, causes, and how to treat them thoroughly below! What's more, you are the most vulnerable at 30-60 years old.

Types of Kidney Stones

Before discussing more deeply, friends need to know that there are various types of kidney stones, namely:

Calcium

Stones Calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stones in people. Usually, these kidney stones are in the form of calcium oxalate. There is also a form of calcium phosphate, but fewer cases.

As much as 80% of cases of kidney stones are formed from calcium oxalate buildup. Oxalate itself is obtained from the liver or food. Nuts, chocolate, specific fruits, and vegetables are high in oxalates.

In addition, insufficient fluid intake, high doses of vitamin D, bowel surgery, and some metabolic disorders can increase the concentration of calcium or oxalate in the urine.

Struvite

These kidney stones form in response to a longstanding urinary tract infection. Struvite stones can form and become large over a short period. As a rule, it affects women more often than men.

Uric Acid Stones

As the name implies, this type of kidney stone occurs because the uric acid in the blood is too high. This is due to a lack of fluids in the body, high protein foods, family history, being overweight, or suffering from diabetes.

Cystine

Stones These stones are the least common type of kidney stones. It forms in people with a hereditary disease called cystinuria (cystinuria). This disease causes the kidneys to excrete too much of specific amino acids.

Symptoms of Kidney Stones

You will not feel any symptoms if the kidney stones are small. Sometimes, it can be expelled naturally while passing urine quickly and painlessly.

However, if a kidney stone starts to get large, moves downwards, and gets stuck in the ureter or urinary tract, there is a risk of blocking urine flow. At that time, you may experience various symptoms.

Reporting to the Mayo Clinic, the following are symptoms of kidney stones that are commonly felt:

sharp pain in the side, back, and under the ribs
Painful pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin
The pain appears in waves and fluctuates in intensity
A burning sensation or pain when urinating

In addition, there are other symptoms you may experience, among others:

Urine that is pink, red, or brown
Urine is cloudy and has a foul odor
Increased urination intensity A small
amount of urine excreted
Nausea and vomiting
Fever and chills if there is an infection

Causes of Kidney Stones

If there is insufficient water intake in the body, it can trigger kidney stones. This is due to excess crystal-forming substances that fluids can dilute in the urine. This insufficient urine volume causes various substances to stick together or combine to resemble stones.

The following are various substances that are at risk of forming kidney stones:

Calcium
Oxalate
Uric Acid
Phosphate
Cystine
Xanthine

How to Treat Kidney Stones

Treatment of kidney stones depends on the type and severity of the symptoms. Quoting from various trusted health sources, here are some ways to treat kidney stones:

Allow Kidney Stones to Exit Alone

Small kidney stones can sometimes pass by themselves through the urinary tract. Sometimes this is also painless. While waiting for kidney stones to come out, it is recommended to drink more water according to the recommended dose to increase urine volume.

The presence of a large volume of urine can make kidney stones pushed out when urinating. However, if there is discomfort, you may need pain relievers.

Treatment

As explained above, there are various types of kidney stones. Therefore, the treatment of kidney stones will adjust to the cause of their formation and the type of kidney stones you are experiencing. For example, for stones caused by uric acid, the doctor will give drugs that can lower uric acid levels. Likewise, for other types of kidney stones.

Your doctor may also suggest using drugs such as tamsulosin (Flomax®) and nifedipine (Adamant® or Procardia®) which have been shown to increase the potential for kidney stones to pass. Tamsulosin and nifedipine can relax the ureters, making it easier for stones to pass. If there is pain, then you may also need pain relievers.

Surgery

Carrying out this surgical procedure will be recommended by doctors if kidney stones cannot pass through the urinary tract by themselves, the pain is unbearable waiting for kidney stones to come out, or the stones have affected kidney function.

Several surgical procedures commonly performed to remove stones in the kidney or ureter are shock wave lithotripsy (SWL), ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, and open surgery.

In addition, one of the most important things is to improve lifestyle, which is a risk for kidney stone formation, including:

Pay attention to balanced food intake
Consume a lot of water, at least 8 glasses per day or 2 liters per day
Maintain body weight so as not to be overweight or obese
Exercise regularly so that the body's metabolism remains balanced
Maintain cleanliness of the genital area so that urinary tract infections do not occur, which can cause kidney stones
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