Kidney stones: how to avoid stones and relieve renal colic

Our organismwhich is capable of forming solid elements such as bones, also It can produce stones (the well-known kidney stones), sometimes in fluid-conducting pathways, which even prevent its exitas can occur in the bile ducts or kidney ducts.

The pain of renal colic is very strong. It appears in the renal area and radiates to the bladder. When it already seems that it is going to pass, it appears again, even stronger, sometimes accompanied by a feeling of nausea, vomiting, chills and great discomfort that does not allow to stay still.

Starts suddenly, spontaneously, or after a shock of the body (jumping, driving, cold, etc).

Increase or decrease intensity every three minutes. Thus has come the notice that a kidney stone is trying to come out through the ureter.

sometimes it can happen hematuria (blood in the urine) and then you have to be more careful. They can also occur fever, reflex rigidity, cold sweat and rectal tenesmus.

colic It can last up to 15 days.

Why do kidney stones form?

Urine is normally saturated with calcium oxalates, uric acid, and folates.. These compounds, depending on the pH and protective factors, can crystallize and lead to calculations.

The possible factors that can generate these calculations are divided into two large groups: those that produce a increased crystalloid concentration and those related to physical changes in urine and kidneysuch as reduced urinary flow.

In the first case they have to do with the excessive excretion of different substances Present in urine and relatively insoluble. Let’s see them:

Calcium. When you suffer from hyperparathyroidism or hyperthyroidism, either due to an excessive consumption of milk and alkaline products, due to an abundant intake of vitamin D, due to aluminum salts, destructive bone disease or, above all, due to prolonged immobilization.oxalates. After operations on intestinal ileus, due to abundant ingestion of oxalates (present mainly in spinach), due to ethylene glycol poisoning, excess vitamin C or vitamin B6 deficiencyUric acid. In case of gout, due to excessive ingestion of meat, fish and eggs, and due to antineoplastic drugs.cystine. Due to hereditary cystiuria.

Other possible factors that can cause the development of kidney stones are determined physical changes in urine and kidneyas:

Increased urinary concentration. It may be due to dehydration, urine stasis, obstruction, or the irruption of foreign bodies.Urinary pH changes. If it is low, due to uric acid. If it is high, due to oxalates.infections. Especially from proteus, which give struvite crystals.Stone-forming nuclei. Cells, bacteria, blood clots, etc.deformations kidneys. Sponge or horseshoe kidney, obstructions or alterations of the renal calyces.

Prohibited foods for kidney stones

The formation of calculi in the urine has been known since ancient times., although in other times those that formed in the bladder were more frequent. Already in the hippocratic oath it is said that “as a doctor I will not perform the operation of the stone”, which was carried out to remove stones from the bladder and that produced more harm than good.

It is currently considered that Kidney stone formation is increasing as a consequence primarily of the Western diet. In the United States, it is estimated that 6% of the population develop kidney stones (more men than women and especially between the ages of 30 and 45). In our country the figures are similar.

traditional chinese medicine He considers that the formation of stones in the kidneys and urinary tract is explained by the abuse of fried foods and fatty meat, together with an excessively sedentary lifestyle. Most of the dietary factors that may increase urinary calcium levels They are very present in the diets of developed societies. It is essential to know them.

Animal proteins. Stones are associated with a diet that is very low in fiber and abundant in refined carbohydrates, animal protein, alcohol, fat, salt, calcium, and vitamin D(that increases calcium absorption). The predominance of acid-forming foods, especially animal proteins and refined carbohydrates, means that calcium is not absorbed correctly to form bone, but rather it is eliminated through the urine and contributes to the formation of kidney stones.Dairy. Abundant consumption of dairy products, together with antacids such as those mentioned, favors milk alkalinization syndrome, which increases the production of stones.Calories, just enough. Insensitivity to insulin, directly related to being overweight, diabetes, and lack of exercise, is also a factor in stone production.

Diet to prevent kidney stones

Water consumption is important to prevent kidney stones, since increasing urinary flow stimulates the mobilization of minerals concentrates and possible stones. It is advised to insure at least three liters of water per day, assuming that fruit and vegetables are 90% water. It is not convenient either drinking excess water without it being eliminated conveniently can generate moisture in the body. Over time, the combination of moisture with indoor heat can lead to stones.

In addition, it is convenient to adapt the diet, since some foods help prevent the formation of stones or stones in the kidney:

More fruits and vegetables. Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of stones. In general, people who follow vegetarian diets have less risk of suffering from them.More magnesium and vitamin B6. Magnesium and vitamin B6 have been shown to prevent the formation of kidney stones.More vitamin K. Vitamin K, present in the green leaves, is involved in the synthesis of a urinary glycoprotein that prevents the formation of calcium oxalate crystals. Patients with this type of stones should not, therefore, suppress the consumption of vegetables, even if they are rich in oxalates.

Nephritic colic: natural treatment against pain

Most of the time the person finds out that they have a kidney stone because of the pain colic, which strongly warns that a stone, which can have been stagnant in the kidney for months or years, moves from place to place and begins a downward migration.

Ultrasounds and x-rays can help define the type of stone in question (only those of calcium are radiopaque). They also help assess kidney stability (if it is being enlarged or not), as well as rule out hydronephrosis (kidney flooding due to obstruction).

It is also important to control fever to rule out that additional infections do not occur and to monitor that blood does not appear in the urine.

Treatment at the time of colic aims to help resolve the crisis and relieve painalthough there are those who affirm that this pain has its purpose and helps to eliminate the stone.

The recommended measures depend on whether there is hydronephrosis or not. In the latter case, the advice is as follows:

Diet therapy. It is advisable to drink a lot of water with low mineralization and a diet abundant in fruits and salads but: poor in purines if the stone is uric acid (without offal, anchovies, sardines and meat in general),poor in oxalic acid if it is from oxalates (avoid coffee, tea, chocolate, spinach, chard and peppers), and poor in phosphorus dietary if it is phosphates (reduce the consumption of brains, fish and nuts). calcium stones they are difficult to control by diet, because this mineral is present in almost all foods (although excesses and mixtures should be eliminated).Hydrotherapy. In the renal colic phase, the most effective remedy, as a spasmolytic and analgesic, consists of taking a hot water bath (up to 42 ºC but without burning) of half a log, covering the lower back, for half an hour, one to three times a day. Dilates the ureters and promotes elimination of kidney stone. It may also be useful chamomile enema at 38 or 39 ºC. It also serves a hot water bottle in the lower back.Phytotherapy. Medicinal plants are highly recommended in kidney diseases. During the crisis of colic they can be used formulas with anti-inflammatory action plantssuch as devil’s claw (two 500 mg capsules three times a day), cat’s tail or marshmallow (both infused). antispasmodic and sedative plantssuch as feverfew, chamomile, hawthorn, passionflower or valerian. On the other hand, plants such as madder or aloe, with anthraquinone compounds (gut irritants)in very small doses bind calcium in the urine and prevent stone formation.The biznaga is also a vasodilator of the ureter. An effective formula consists of cooking a teaspoon of biznaga seeds in a liter of water with about 15 drops of tincture of lespedeza.

Homeopathy. Apart from personalized treatment according to the problem and the patient’s personality, some homeopathic remedies that are usually recommended in cases of renal colic are: Belladonna CH4 if it is accompanied by sensations of heat on the face, Colocynthis CH15 if the sensations are diarrhea or belly pain. with rectal discomfort, Barberís CH4 when the pain is tight and aggravated by movement, and Sarsaparilla CH4 if urination is painful, the urine is fetid and worsens with cold.acupressure. It is pressed into the bony cavity between the medial malleolus of the ankle and the Achilles tendon. Or the sixth thoracic vertebra is massaged, in order to stimulate renal activity. In reflex therapy, the mid-plantar area is massaged.

If there is hydrophrenosis…

In case an ultrasound reveals that there is hydronephrosis it is necessary to go quickly to the urologist, so that he can prescribe a possible treatment with lshock wave itotripsy.

It is important not to delay it, because there is a risk of functional cancellation of the affected kidney in a few days.

In the meantime, the patient is advised not to drink too much water.as the hydrostatic pressure of hydronephrosis would be accentuated, nor use diuretics and medicinal plants that exert this same action.

are advised half log baths with hot water that cover the lower back (for half an hour, two or three times a day), a hot water bottle in this area permanently, and anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic phytotherapy.

Lithotripsy is a medical procedure that uses shock waves to break up stones that form in the kidney, bladder, and ureters. The most common is extracorporeal lithotripsy.

The patient should stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen, coumarins and any other medication that interferes with coagulation of the blood and, if it is a woman, it must not be pregnant.

Fasting, you lie on an examination table on top of a cushion filled with water. A light tapping sensation may be felt at first. The waves break stones into pieces…