The kidneys support all of the other organs in the body and play a major part in the excretory system so their healthy functioning is vitally important.
Also known as renal calculi, renal stones or nephrolithiasis, kidney stones are composed of hard, solid waste materials that build up in the kidneys and form crystals.
If you’ve had a kidney stone, you’re very likely to develop another one within 5 to 10 years.
Why are Kidneys so important?
Kidneys act as filters, removing waste and extra fluid from the blood to produce urine, and they also maintain the balance of electrolytes, minerals, and water in the body.
Additionally, kidneys produce hormones to control blood pressure, stimulate red blood cell creation, and activate vitamin D for strong bones. They are crucial for overall body health, with their proper function preventing the build-up of toxins and maintaining essential bodily processes.
Key Functions of the Kidneys
- Waste and Toxin Removal: Kidneys filter waste products like urea, creatinine, and uric acid from the blood, removing them from the body in urine.
- Fluid and Electrolyte Balance: They regulate the body’s water, salt, and mineral balance, including sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus, ensuring that nerves, muscles, and other tissues function normally.
- Blood Pressure Regulation: Kidneys produce hormones, like renin, that help control blood pressure and adjust blood volume.
- Red Blood Cell Production: They release erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates bone marrow to produce new red blood cells.
- Bone Health: Kidneys activate vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones.
What are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones are hard objects made of minerals and salts in urine. They form inside the kidneys. You may hear healthcare professionals refer to kidney stones as renal calculi, nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis.
Having a Kidney stone and Passing kidney stones can be very painful. Prompt treatment usually helps prevent any lasting damage. Sometimes, the only treatment needed to pass a kidney stone is taking pain medicine and drinking lots of water.
Can a kidney stone cause Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)?
Kidney stones can block the flow of urine and cause infection, kidney damage or even kidney failure.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a long-term condition where the kidneys do not work as well as they should. CKD is very common. It affects around one in ten people in the UK. The vast majority of people with CKD do not have any symptoms.
Kidney stone patients are at increased risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD), increased risk for cardiovascular events, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
This risk is higher for women and younger individuals. Mechanisms include chronic obstruction, infection, and kidney damage from procedures, particularly for those with rare inherited stone-forming diseases.
GFR and eGFR
GFR stands for glomerular filtration rate. (Kidney Care UK) Glomeruli are the network of tiny blood vessels inside the kidneys that separate out waste products and excess fluid from your blood.
- Glomerulus: This is the singular form, referring to one specific filtering unit.
- Glomeruli: This is the plural form, used when referring to the many filtering units within the kidney.
GFR shows how well your kidneys filter your blood, by indicating how much blood passes through the glomeruli every minute.
Getting an accurate measurement of your GFR is difficult, so your blood test results normally give an estimated filtration rate, or eGFR. It’s calculated based on your age, sex and your creatinine blood level. Sometimes the calculation formula includes your weight and height, too. Your eGFR may be listed as a measurement of ml/min or as a percentage. So, an eGFR of 50ml/min means your kidneys are functioning at about 50%.
eGFR is also used as an indication of what stage of CKD you have.
Higher is better.
At 3a, your eGFR is 45-59ml/min. At 3b, your eGFR is 30-44ml/min. Kidney damage is now mild to moderate and your kidneys are beginning to struggle with filtering waste and extra fluid out of your blood.
What is Acute Kidney Injury?
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a sudden drop in kidney function, which means that your kidneys do not work as well as they should. This can range from a small loss of function to complete failure.
AKI normally happens as a complication of another condition.
AKI can be caused by:
- An illness or infection
- Areaction to medication
- Low blood pressure
- Dehydration
- Kdney stones.
It does not mean that you have hurt your kidneys in the same way you can hurt other parts of your body (for example, by falling over or getting hit).
AKI is usually temporary and often gets better without causing any long-term problems. However, it is important that is detected early and treated promptly.
AKI is not the same as chronic kidney disease (CKD) which does not get better, but can be slowed or managed with treatment.
When Kidney Function is Impaired
- Build-up of Waste: If kidneys can’t filter properly, waste and fluid build up in the body, leading to serious health problems.
- Symptoms: Signs of impaired kidney function can include severe pain, fatigue, nausea, swelling in the feet and ankles, and problems with mental sharpness.
- Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): This is a condition where kidney damage progresses slowly, often caused by high blood pressure or diabetes.
- Kidney Failure: In severe cases, kidneys fail, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life.
When kidney failure starts – It becomes an emergency!!
To prevent a decline in kidney function, an operation to place a tube which allows the urine to move from the kidney to the bladder is inserted (a stent).
A ureteric stent is a thin, hollow flexible plastic tube approximately 12 inches in length, which is inserted through your bladder using a telescope. It is curled at both ends to keep the stent in place inside the kidney and inside your bladder Allowing the urine produced by your kidney to
pass easily into your bladder.
Stents are inserted to relieve blockage from kidney stones, infection, or tumors, and are inserted under general anesthesia using a cystoscope passed through the urethra into the bladder. While in place, patients experience symptoms such as blood in urine, a frequent urge to urinate, and discomfort or pain in the back or side.
Their Purpose is to save the Kidney Function by:
- Relieve obstruction: The primary purpose is to drain urine from the kidney to the bladder when the ureter is blocked by stones, infection, or cancer.
- Prevent permanent damage: By allowing urine to drain, the stent prevents urine backup and potential permanent kidney damage from prolonged blockage or infection.
- Facilitate treatment: A stent can be inserted before treatments like lithotripsy (shockwave treatment) for kidney stones to help the stone pass or before or after surgery on the ureter.
Insertion
- Procedure:A urologist inserts the stent using a thin, flexible telescope (cystoscope) which is passed through the urethra into the bladder and then directed into the ureter.
- Positioning:The stent has both ends coiled: the top end coils in the kidney, and the bottom end coils in the bladder to prevent it from moving or dislodging.
Symptoms and Side Effects
- Common side effects: Patients may experience blood in the urine, a strong urge to urinate, frequent urination, bladder spasms, and flank or groin pain.
- Severe side effects: Thick, clotty urine, signs of a severe infection, or worsening pain.
Stent Management
- Duration: Stents are typically removed after a short period, but can stay in place for up to six months.
- Removal: Stent removal can often be done under local anesthesia by passing a small telescope through the urethra and bladder to pull the stent out.
Causes of Kidney Stones
Kidney stones have various causes. These include diet, extra body weight, some health conditions, and some supplements and medicines. Kidney stones can affect any of the organs that make urine or remove it from the body — from the kidneys to the bladder. Often, stones form when the urine has less water in it. This lets minerals form crystals and stick together.
Kidney stones often have no definite, single cause. But many factors may raise your risk.
Kidney stones develop when the urine contains more crystal-forming substances than the fluid in the urine can dilute. These substances include calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate and uric acid. At the same time, the urine may lack substances that prevent crystals from sticking together. That creates an ideal setting for kidney stones to form.
Types of kidney stones
Knowing the type of kidney stone you have helps your healthcare professional figure out its cause and the right treatment for you. This information also can give clues on how to prevent more kidney stones. If you can, try to save your kidney stone if you pass one. Then bring it to your healthcare professional, who can check on what type of kidney stone it is.
Types of kidney stones include:
Calcium stones.
Most kidney stones are calcium stones. They’re made of the chemical compound calcium oxalate. Oxalate is a substance made daily by the liver or absorbed from diet. Some fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and chocolate, have high amounts of oxalate. Dietary factors, high doses of vitamin D and conditions that affect metabolism can make calcium or oxalate more concentrated in urine. Calcium stones also can be made of calcium phosphate.
Uric acid stones.
Uric acid stones can form in people who lose too much fluid because of ongoing diarrhoea or people who have trouble absorbing nutrients from food; those who eat a high-protein diet or lots of organ meats or shellfish; and those with diabetes mellitus or metabolic syndrome. Some genetic factors also may raise the risk of uric acid stones.
Struvite stones.
Struvite stones form in response to a urinary tract infection. These stones can grow quickly and become quite large, sometimes with few symptoms or little warning.
Cystine stones.
These stones form in people with a rare genetic condition called cystinuria that causes the kidneys to leak too much of a protein building block called cystine.
What are the signs and symptoms of Kidney Stones?
A kidney stone usually doesn’t cause symptoms until it moves around within the kidney or passes into one of the ureters. The ureters are the tubes that connect the kidneys and bladder.
If a kidney stone gets stuck in one of the ureters, it will block the flow of urine and cause the kidney to swell and the ureter to spasm.
That can be very painful and cause decline in Kidney Function.
At that point, you may have these symptoms:
- Serious, sharp pain in the side and back, below the ribs.
- Pain that spreads to the lower stomach area and groin.
- Pain that comes in waves and varies in how intense it feels.
- Pain or a burning feeling while urinating.
Other symptoms may include:
- Pink, red or brown urine.
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine.
- A constant need to urinate, urinating more often than usual or urinating in small amounts.
- Upset stomach and vomiting.
- Fever and chills if an infection is present.
Pain caused by a kidney stone may change as the stone moves through your urinary tract. For instance, the pain may shift to a different part of the body or become more intense.
When to seek medical help
Contact your GP or go to your nearest walk in centre right away if you have:
- Pain so bad that you can’t sit still or find a comfortable position.
- Pain along with upset stomach and vomiting.
- Pain along with fever and chills.
- Blood in your urine.
- Trouble passing urine.
Diagnosis
There are steps that healthcare professionals will take to find out if you have kidney stones.
Following a physical examination. You will also need tests such as:
- Urine testing. Your healthcare professional may ask you to collect samples of your urine over 24 hours. The 24-hour urine collection test may show that your body is releasing too many stone-forming minerals or too few substances that prevent stones. Follow your healthcare professional’s instructions closely. Collecting the urine appropriately is key to make changes in your treatment plan to prevent new stones from forming.
- Blood tests. Blood tests may reveal too much calcium or uric acid in your blood. Blood test results help track the health of your kidneys. These results also may lead your healthcare professional to check for other health conditions.
- Imaging. Imaging tests such as CT scans may show kidney stones in your urinary tract. An advanced scan known as a high-speed or dual energy CT scan may help find tiny uric acid stones. Simple X-rays of the stomach area, also called the abdomen, are used less often. That’s because this kind of imaging test can miss small kidney stones.Ultrasound is another imaging option to diagnose kidney stones.
Diagnosis also can include testing to find the cause and chemical makeup of kidney stones.
- Analysis of passed stones. You may be asked to urinate through a strainer to catch any stones that you pass. Then a lab checks the chemical makeup of your kidney stones. Your healthcare professional uses this information to find out what’s causing your kidney stones and to form a plan to prevent more kidney stones.
- Genetic testing. Some rare conditions that pass from parent to child make kidney stones more likely. For instance, having cystinuria raises the risk of cystine stones. Primary hyperoxaluria raises the risk of calcium oxalate stones. If your healthcare professional thinks you might have such a condition, your healthcare professional may recommend genetic testing to find out for sure.
How to prevent kidney stones
DRINK WATER!
- Drink water throughout the day. This is the most important lifestyle change you can make. If you’ve had kidney stones before, your healthcare professional may tell you to drink enough fluids to pass about 2 litres of urine a day or more. Measure how much urine you pass to make sure that you’re drinking enough water.
- If you live in a hot, dry climate or you exercise often, you may need to drink even more water to produce enough urine. If your urine is light and clear, you’re likely drinking enough water.
Other ways to prevent them
- Increase your citric acid intake Citric acid is an organic acid found in many fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus fruits. Lemons and limes are especially rich in this plant compound
- Don’t take high doses of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) – supplements give a higher risk of getting kidney stones.A high intake of supplemental vitamin C may increase the excretion of oxalate in the urine, as some vitamin C can be converted into oxalate within the body
- Get enough calcium It’s a common misunderstanding that you need to decrease your calcium intake to reduce your risk of forming calcium-containing stones. However, this is not the case. In fact, a diet high in calcium has been associated with a decreased risk of forming kidney stones
- Cut back on salt A diet high in salt is linked to an increased risk of kidney stones in some people. A high intake of sodium, a component of table salt, may increase calcium excretion through urine, which is one of the main risk factors for kidney stones.
- Increase your magnesium intake Magnesium is an important mineral that many people don’t consume in sufficient amounts. It’s involved in hundreds of metabolic reactions within your body, including energy production and muscle movements. There is also some evidence that magnesium may help prevent calcium oxalate kidney stone formation. Exactly how this works is not fully understood, but it has been suggested that magnesium may reduce oxalate absorption in the gut.
- Eat less animal protein A diet high in animal protein sources, such as meat, fish, and dairy, is associated with a higher risk of kidney stones. A high intake of animal protein may increase calcium excretion and decrease levels of citrate.
- Apple Cider Vinegar -Some studies suggest that consuming a small amount of apple cider vinegar daily can prevent kidney stone formation. Green tea and beans may also help prevent kidney stones.
Treatment
It depends on size, location and the type of stone you have. Surgery is required to remove larger stones.
The most important thing to do is to increase water!!!
Can Kidney Stones Be Dissolved?
It depends on the type of kidney stone you have.
If you don’t know what kind of kidney stone you have, a 24-hour urine test will give you a pretty good idea. An analysis of the stone itself is the only way to confirm the type of kidney stone you had.
Calcium oxalate kidney stones cannot be dissolved. Once a calcium oxalate kidney stone has formed, you have to pass it, or have it removed by a urologist. Similar to calcium oxalate kidney stones, there is no way to dissolve calcium phosphate kidney stones.
Can you Dissolve Uric Acid Kidney Stones?
It depends on the size and and urine pH.
Uric acid kidney stones can be dissolved by a medication called potassium citrate. The goal of this therapy is to reduce urine acid levels (increase your urine pH). For most people, a urine pH of at least 6.0 is the goal to dissolve uric acid kidney stones.
The average time to dissolve uric acid kidney stones is 3 months.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Its acidic nature can help break down stones, making them easier to pass. However, diluting apple cider vinegar in water is essential, and consuming it in moderation to prevent adverse effects on tooth enamel and stomach lining. Additionally, individuals with acid reflux or gastrointestinal issues should consult a healthcare professional before using apple cider vinegar as a remedy for kidney stones.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice, rich in citrate, is hailed for its ability to dissolve kidney stones. Citrate inhibits the formation of crystals, thereby reducing the risk of stone recurrence. Regular consumption of lemon juice or adding a splash of fresh lemon juice to your water can enhance its effectiveness in combating kidney stones. However, individuals with citrus allergies or sensitive stomachs should exercise caution and consult a healthcare professional before incorporating lemon juice into their regimen.
Kidney stones that are too large to pass on their own may need more-extensive treatment. Large stones cause bleeding, kidney damage and ongoing urinary tract infections.
Urological Treatments include:
Using sound waves to break up stones
This is a treatment called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or ESWL. It depends on the size and location of your stones. ESWL uses sound waves to create strong vibrations called shock waves that break the stones into tiny pieces that can be passed in urine, which can cause pain, blood in the urine and bruising on the back or stomach area, as well as bleeding around the kidney and around other nearby organs. It can cause discomfort as the stone fragments pass through the urinary tract.
Surgery
A surgery called percutaneous nephrolithotomy involves removing a kidney stone using small telescopes and tools inserted through a small cut in the back or side. This is done under general anesthetic. You’ll likely recover in the hospital for 1 to 3 days afterward. Your healthcare professional may recommend this surgery if ESWL doesn’t help you enough.
Using a scope to remove stones.
To remove a smaller stone in your ureter or kidney, your surgeon may use a thin lighted tube called a ureteroscope. This instrument is equipped with a camera. The surgeon places the uteroscope through the urethra and bladder to the ureter. Once the stone is found, special tools snare the stone and break it into pieces that will pass in the urine. Then the surgeon may place a small tube called a stent in the ureter to relieve swelling and support healing.
Alternative treatments
Accupuncture – Meridian Lines
According to Chinese medicine, winter corresponds to the Kidney and Bladder organs, which correspond to the ears, bones, low back, knees, hair on the head, to storing, and to fear as well as courage.
The Kidneys are considered the “root of life” and store our source Qi, our most dense core strength and will-power. They are said to govern reproduction, growth and development and control water and fluids.
One example is that the kidneys help anchor down the pure air we breathe in through the lungs, so respiratory issues must also be also treated through the kidneys.
The kidney channel starts on the bottom of the foot and travels up the inside of the ankle, up the inside of the leg, and up both sides of the midline of the abdomen and chest ending under the collar bones. Each channel has what’s called a source point that is said to directly affect that organ.
On the kidney channel this is kidney 3 called Tai Xi, which translates to ‘supreme stream.’ It is located on the inside of the ankle in the depression between the high point of the ankle bone and the achilles tendon. This point is used for low back pain, tinnitus (ringing of the ears), sore throat, cough and wheezing, insomnia, impotence, frequent urination, and more. If you rub this area with gentle pressure you will be nourishing your kidney Qi, strengthening your body’s vitality and increasing your longevity.
Reflexology
Reflexology involves applying pressure to specific points on the soles of the feet. Some smaller studies suggest it may help reduce anxiety, ease fatigue, and lower blood pressure.
There are no large-scale clinical studies that demonstrate the health benefits of reflexology.
Advocates of foot reflexology believe that specific points on the feet mirror the organs and bodily systems and that stimulating them promotes good health and helps keep the body balanced. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) reflexology is one type of this practice.
There is no scientific evidence to explain how reflexology works. Some theories are that stress blocks energy flow, which then leads to illness. By restoring vital energy flow, reflexology maintains balance and health.
Low Oxilate Diet
Oxalates are organic compounds found naturally in plants, including spinach, beets, sweet potatoes, nuts, chocolate, and certain legumes and grains. While most people process oxalates without issue, excessive intake can lead to kidney stone formation in sensitive individuals and may interfere with mineral absorption. You can find high oxalate ingredients like spinach, rhubarb, and almonds on ingredient lists, and understanding their presence can help in managing a diet focused on reducing oxalate intake. Here is a more comprehensive List. Clinical Nutrition Research.
To “flush” oxalates, you must increase your fluid intake, especially water, to dilute your urine and help flush out oxalates from your kidneys. You should also pair high-oxalate foods with calcium-rich foods to bind the oxalate in your digestive system, potentially reducing absorption. Finally, limiting your intake of foods high in oxalates, along with excessive salt, animal protein, and sugar, can help lower overall oxalate levels in your body.
Learn about the other organs of the Excretory system on my Youtube Channel.
