Its causes
What exactly causes kidney stones in a person? An expert who spoke about kidney stones at an international symposium said that calcium phosphate and calcium oxalate stones are their "origin". . . misunderstood ”and its“ rather unsatisfactory management ”.
But at the same symposium, another speaker said that the formation of kidney stones is a process that involves many factors. These factors include mineral, anatomical, functional, endocrine and metabolic disorders (such as overactive parathyroid glands) and those of a bacteriological nature.
And there is significant evidence that genetic factors are the cause. For example, some experts have told patients with cystine-type kidney stones that “this is not a disease in the usual sense of the term. It is a permanent condition because you inherited something from your mother and father, without blaming it.
Living conditions also affect the formation of kidney stones. They are much more common in hot, humid areas than in temperate areas. In the southwestern United States, for example, the proportion of people with kidney stones in the population is almost twice as large as in the northern regions of the country. Sedentary work also seems to favor the formation of kidney stones.
The same applies to a "higher" standard of living. Kidney stones are much more common in the white population of South Africa than in the African Bantu. Much of this difference can be due to different eating habits. In fact, it is becoming increasingly clear that diet has a major influence on the formation of kidney stones. First, a link has been shown between kidney stones and eating spicy foods, such as Worcestershire sauce (which contains volatile oils and strong spices). Curry is also involved. For example, Fijians who eat a bland diet are virtually free of kidney stones, while Indians who live on the same island but eat curry at will have a high incidence of kidney stones.
Eating carbohydrate-rich foods and beverages, such as those rich in sugar, has also been shown to affect the formation of kidney stones. The same applies to the consumption of many dairy products.
What can you do
Just considering the causes suggests what you can and cannot do to prevent recurrence of kidney stones. Of course, you can not do anything about the genetic factor itself, but you can compensate for it.
It seems that people who live in hot, humid climates and do not drink enough water to balance heavy sweating are more likely to get kidney stones than people who live in temperate climates. One of the simplest and most effective precautions is to drink plenty of water. In fact, if you have a kidney stone attack, the first thing you should do is drink plenty of water. This together with rest and the use of painkillers often provides relief. In extreme cases, when a ureter is blocked by a stone, surgery may be necessary.
If your job is sedentary, you should train more. For this reason, bedridden patients are also advised to move in bed and not lie down.
If you have a tendency to develop calcium-like kidney stones, you should consume dairy products, such as milk and cheese, in moderation. And since it is known that eating too many spices causes kidney stones, use these spices in moderation.
Among other things, specialists use oral magnesium oxide therapy with or without vitamin B6 supplements to prevent the formation of calcium oxalate stones, the most common type. Reports in medical journals show that doctors for several years have managed to prevent stone recurrence with both methods for several years. Of course, all of these treatments must be performed under the guidance of a physician who is fully familiar with this type of therapy. The same goes for preventing the recurrence of certain kidney stones through the use of phosphate salts and antibiotics.
However, the simplest, most common, and strongest warning is to drink plenty of water. Doctors have achieved remarkable results by letting their patients drink half a liter of water every four hours and even stopping their sleep for it. In fact, this is especially important because kidney stones seem to form mostly at night. Using these solutions can prevent a second attack.
