Kidney Stones Can Put Kidney Function at Risk
8/3/2021
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (August 3, 2021) – If you feel a sharp pain in your back, side, lower abdomen, or groin, or have blood in your urine, you may have a kidney stone – a condition that is common and on the rise. If left untreated, kidney stones can cause serious complications in addition to severe pain. Melissa Stemen, a family nurse practitioner with Lutheran Health Physicians, encourages patients to seek timely treatment in order to prevent permanent damage.
Kidney stones are hard, pebble-like pieces of material that form in one or both of your kidneys when high levels of certain minerals are in your urine. Varying in size and shape, they can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a pea and, rarely, as big as golf balls. A small kidney stone may pass through your urinary tract on its own, causing little or no pain or other symptoms. A larger kidney stone may get stuck and block the flow of urine. If kidney stones are not treated, they can cause blood in the urine, severe pain, urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney infections and loss of kidney function.
“Kidney stones can be extremely painful. The pain can occur suddenly or gradually anywhere along the urinary tract from the back, flank, lower abdomen or groin generally on either the right or left side. We have effective methods to control the pain and help with the passage of kidney stones,” said Melissa Stemen, NP-C, family practice. “If you’re experiencing this kind of pain, don’t delay care. We can help.”
The National Kidney Foundation reports that over half a million people go to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems every year. It is estimated that one in ten people will have a kidney stone at some time in their lives. Those with a family history of kidney stones are more likely to develop them. You are also more likely to develop kidney stones again if you’ve had them in the past, have high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity or if you don’t drink enough liquids.
“We use several methods to diagnose kidney stones including the patient’s medical history, patient’s report of symptoms, physical exam, and tests such as blood work, urine testing, CT and xray,” said Stemen. “Treatment of kidney stones depends on the size, location and potential complicating factors. Patients may be able to prevent kidney stones by drinking enough water, changing their diet and/or taking medications.”
Four dietary tips from the National Kidney Foundation can help you prevent painful kidney stones.
- Drink plenty of fluids when exercising and sweating. Sweat water loss leads to less urine production, allowing stone-causing minerals to settle and bond in the kidneys and urinary tract.
- Eat and drink calcium and oxalate-rich foods together during a meal to make it more likely they will bind to one another in the stomach and intestines before the kidneys begin processing. High levels of oxalate are found in peanuts, rhubarb, spinach, beets, chocolate and sweet potatoes.
- Maintain your calcium intake but cut back on sodium. A diet low in calcium increases your risk of developing kidney stones.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables and less animal-based protein to help decrease urine acidity which can reduce the chance for stone formation.
If you suspect you may have a kidney stone, contact your primary care provider. If you need a Lutheran Health Physicians primary care provider, call (833) 546-4968 for provider referral. You can also find available primary care provider appointments online.
SOURCES
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases:
National Kidney Foundation:
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