Renal Calculi

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Signs and Symptoms of Renal Calculi
• Risk Factors for Renal Calculi
• Prevention and Dietary Measures for Renal Calculi
• Treatment for Renal Calculi

Renal Calculi, also called Kidney Stones, are a solid mass of crystals that block the urinary tract.  These crystals are primarily formed when calcium and oxalate coalesce. These stones originate in the kidney and exit through the urine system.

Most stones may not cause any sign or symptoms until it starts moving toward the uterus. Once the size of the stone exceeds more than 0.2 inches, one may experience severe pain in the abdomen or lower back as a result of a blocked ureter. Some have even stated that the pain is worse than that of childbirth

The signs and symptoms develop when a kidney stone passes into the ureter. Beneath are some symptoms of kidney stones.

• Pain in the lower abdomen
• Sweating
• Brown, Red and Pink Urine
• Foul-smelling urine
• Cloudy Urine
• Experiencing pain during urination
• Vomiting and Nausea
• Restlessness
• Severe pain in the ribs
• Urinary Urgency
• Discharge of blood in the urine

Dehydration is one of the main factors in stone formation. A high intake of animal protein (egg, chicken, meat) also increases the risk of kidney stone formation. When more animal proteins are consumed, it creates an amino acid load leading to high excretion of uric acid and calcium in turn. Failure to excrete acids into urine leads to the acidification of the blood and this condition can also increase the risk of kidney stones. Low urinary citrate promotes the formation of kidney stones.

Calcium is not the only electrolyte that is responsible for the formation of stones, but also intakes of more vitamin D and calcium as a dietary supplement have a higher risk of developing kidney stones. For instance, high dietary sodium may increase by increasing urinary calcium excretion, thus increasing the risk of stone formation.

Prevention measures depend upon the type of stone formation. Rehydrating the body by drinking lots of fluid would help people from having calcium stones. Some are stated below:

• Moderate intake of calcium.
• Limit consumption of soft drinks and sodium.
• Increase intake of fluid and citric acid.
• Avoid intake of vitamins and minerals in large dosages.

Allopurinol

Allopurinol is one of the best treatments to reduce kidney stone recurrences. This drug can also be used with people having hyperuricemia or gout, calcium stones and hyperuricosuria.

This treatment interferes with the production of uric acid in the liver. This drug is adjusted to minimize the urinary excretion of uric acid.

To learn more about renal calculi and other kidney disorders, visit us at BYJU’S.