Kidney stones

The presence of kidney stones (nephrolithiasis Latin) is a common disease and it is such. in the U.S. occurs in about 12% of men and 5% of women younger than 70 years. The disease is three times more common in men than in women which can be explained by hormonal and metabolic differences between the sexes. Also, the disease is more common in developed countries and in people of higher social status, which is associated with the diet. In some areas of the country uečstalost occurrence of kidney stones was higher (lithogenic areas) which are associated with water quality and diet.

What causes kidney stones?

There are several theories about the pathogenesis of kidney stones. The most common reason for the occurrence of kidney stones is increased excretion in the urine of minerals (calcium, phosphorus, oxalate, cystine, uric acid) or impaired balance and promoters of the aforementioned inhibitors (magnesium, citrate, pyrophosphate and glycosaminoglycans) crystallization of minerals in the urine.The urine is a saturated solution of various salts. In situations where it becomes saturated due to increased excretion of minerals or lack of fluids in the body and situations to reduce the concentration of inhibitor crystallization occurs fomiranja crystals in the urine that can grow into a stone.

What contributes to kidney stones?

The factors that contribute to the formation of kidney stones include urinary tract infections, urinary tract diseases in which there is stasis of urine (anatomical anomalies of the kidney, ureteral stricture, urinary reflux, prostate enlargement, etc..), Endocrine and metabolic disorders (hyperparathyroidism, uric diathesis) genetic predisposition, diet and insufficient fluid intake or dehydration status (loss of fluids from the body), prolonged immobilization, a bowel disease and systemic diseases such as Crohn's disease, jejunal-ileal bypass and sarcoidosis, and taking certain medications (calcium, vitamin preparations D, sulfonamides).

Size of the stone varies from a few millimeters when you use the term sand up to several centimeters.Smaller stones usually spontaneously leave the kidney and eliminated out of the body without any medical intervention. When the stone is greater than 7 mm is likely that he stopped in the urinary tract and cause stagnation of urine, often with associated infection. Larger stones can not always get into the urethra and remain in the kidney where usually gradually growing.

What constitutes a kidney stone?

Kidney stones have a different chemical composition. In 75% of cases are composed of calcium salts (calcium oxalate, phosphate or carbonate), and rarely are composed of uric acid, cystine or struivita.

What are the symptoms of kidney stones and how it reveals?

Clinical symptoms depend on the localization scale. Kidney stones usually cause a dull lumbar pain.Joining stone mokraćovog characterized by severe pain (renal colic), which extends from the loin to groin and was accompanied by frequent urination, nausea and vomiting and sometimes blood in the urine, and urinary tract symptoms. The pain usually lasts 20 to 60 minutes, but sometimes a few hours and can be so intense that requires hospitalization.

The presence of kidney stones reveals the ultrasound and X-ray (intravenous urography).

How to treat kidney stones?

For smaller stones which are expected spontaneous elimination of therapeutic measures include increased fluid intake by mouth or through an IV, analgesics, and physical activity. In gallstone stuck in the urinary tract (usually stones larger than 9 mm) or larger stones in the kidney apply various treatment methods such as extracorporeal lithotripsy (extracorporeal shock wave breaking), ureterolitotripsija (introduction of a special instrument into the ureter or kidney and in situ breaking stone), percutaneous nefrolitotomija (introducing an instrument through the skin into the renal pelvis and in situ breaking stone) and operative treatment. Surgical treatment is rarely applied and is generally reserved for larger concre (3 cm and above).

How to prevent the recurrence of kidney stones?

A patient once had a stone has a good chance (to 70%) to get the stone back. In this sense, especially in patients with recurrent stones or stones on both sides, it is nephrology and urology examination in order to detect the possible cause of kidney stones and predisposing factors. Depending on the results of the tests and the composition of revealed determined by medical therapy and diet. Sometimes, as is the case for example with increased parathyroid gland function, it is necessary to surgically treat them.

In general, all patients with stones should drink more fluids (non-carbonated water, cranberry, lemonade, urological tea), especially during summer months when the fluid lost through sweating or evaporation. Daily amount of urine izulučene should be more than 2 liters. Do not take grapefruit juice because it promotes stone formation. In patients with stones composed of calcium oxalate in the diet to avoid spinach, cabbage, lettuce, peas, green beans, beets. When phosphate stones should avoid fish, egg yolk, milk and dairy products, and uric acid stones offal, red meat, peas, green beans, beans, almonds, peanuts and mushrooms. All patients with gallstones should avoid salt in your diet.

A person can be infected when bacteria invade the mucous membrane of the mouth, throat, anus, urethra or vagina. Ejaculation is not necessary to avoid infection. Risk factors for infection are a number of partners, a new partner, or a history of sexually transmitted diseases.

Chlamydia symptoms - Chlamydia infection can cause mild to severe symptoms. However, some sick people do not show symptoms, which allows transmission of the disease from one person to another before it is diagnosed.