Pain similar to that of childbirth. Those who have suffered from renal colic do not forget this easily. And, unfortunately, it is not a matter of a few people. Kidney stones are, in fact, quite common: about 15 men and 10 women out of 100 suffer from them. They are much more frequent in individuals aged between 30 and 60 and rarely appear before 20. Similar to small stones, they form in the kidneys when substances in the urine become too concentrated, precipitating and forming solid material.
A problem if they are ‘big’
At best they are eliminated in the urine without pain, but if large – they can even reach the size of a golf ball – they can get stuck along the urinary tract and give rise to acute and persistent pain. The most common forms of stones are those of calcium (they represent 75% of the total), those of struvite or infectious, formed by crystals of phosphate, ammonium and magnesium, and those of uric acid. The former are formed starting from oxalic acid present in large quantities in various foods; the latter often arise as a result of a bacterial infection; the thirds are formed mainly due to the acidity of the urine which promotes the formation of crystals. The best prevention is to drink plenty of water.
Le fake news
The ISS claims that tap water causes stones to come out as a hoax, even if it is rich in calcium and magnesium. In fact, we read on the website: “It is good to remember that the formation of stones, mostly consisting of calcium oxalate, in many cases depends on an individual or family predisposition. The risk is higher if there are other people in the family In case of predisposition it is essential to drink abundantly and frequently throughout the day without fearing that the calcium carbonate, present in tap water, may favor the formation of stones “.
The anti-stone diet: pay attention to meat, salt and soft drinks
by Fiammetta Cupellaro
The diet
Rather, if you suffer from calcium-based stones it is good to reduce the intake of calcium oxalate in the diet, avoiding foods that are rich in it such as chocolate, almonds, berries. If, on the other hand, the problem is related to uric acid, it is good to limit the consumption of meat and fish. If, despite all the precautions, renal colic arrives, all that remains is to arm yourself with a painkiller and hydrate yourself a lot to try to expel the stones; if their size is too large, different techniques can be used to try to break them up and facilitate their passage. Information to keep in mind, since their diffusion is expected to increase, also due to climate change and rising average temperatures.