Today’s diets continue to catch up with us.
Fast food, lots of meat, and plenty of salt are to blame for kidney stones – calcified nuggets that form when the urine becomes concentrated and force its way through your urinary tract. The pain has been compared to childbirth.
Tiny – some smaller than a head of a pin – but painful. Gut-clenching, gut-wrenching. After all, the narrow passage is intended only for fluid and not even the smallest speck of stone.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare board-certified urologist Dr. Sonia Chopra said the pain of kidney stones:
- Comes on suddenly
- Is so severe you cannot get comfortable standing, sitting, or lying down
- Often starts in the back
- May cause blood in the urine
And all of this means it’s time to call the doctor.
If you are having pain that you think might be caused by a kidney stone, go to the doctor, said Chopra. If it’s after hours and you are very uncomfortable, go to the emergency room. Scanning technology allows the doctor to see where the stone is and its size.
A kidney stone is a crystallization of different materials in urine, elements that are difficult for the body to pass, she explained.
“Some stones can pass on their own. Sometimes stones require surgery. Stones that are associated with fever, kidney failure, and severe vomiting and pain need to be removed,” said Chopra.
The doctor blames:
- Today’s diet of fast food, which includes lots of meat and high salt content
- Dehydration
- Energy drinks, which deliver a wallop of caffeine.
“Highly caffeinated energy drinks are a great source of kidney stones. Caffeine breaks down into oxalate. The most common type of kidney stone is oxalate,” said Chopra. High intake of soda, coffee, or tea also comes back to caffeine.
Once considered an “old guy” problem; women are now just as likely to suffer kidney stones. And, they can strike at any age, though they are less common in kids. Starting at age 20, it’s pretty common. If you’ve had one, you are more likely to have another.
It’s changing as diets have gotten a lot worse.
If you pass a kidney stone, bring it with you to the doctor to be analyzed. You may be able to prevent the next one if your doctor can pinpoint the cause.
