DEBUNKING SEVERAL MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT KIDNEY STONES

The fact that kidney stones have become quite a common medical condition is not a surprising thing since millions of people across the globe are suffering from it regardless of their gender, race, and occupation. Besides, it is reported that about one in 10 Americans, for example, will have a kidney stone at some point in their lives. Their painful reputation, combined with their growing prevalence, it simply means that people are interested in doing everything they can to avoid them. As a result, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions circulating around kidney stones for which not only can they lead to a serious attention, but also they can potentially harm the patient in the long run.

 

1. MYTHS: "Everyone must drink 3-4 liters of water in a day because this will help them to flush out the kidneys which prevent their stones from developing".

- FACT: Many sources of information which are mostly stemmed from non-medical expertise dogmatically emphasize and assert that humans consume 3-4 liters of water daily to stay well hydrated and thrive. Unfortunately, there is no a single evidence to be found pertaining to this dogma. Many people, (especially among the elders) who drink a lot of water tend to develop urgency, frequency, and often urinary leakage. This can be dangerous because it can lead to falls and their consequences, including fractures and head injury.

Water requirements, in addition, are based upon ambient temperature and activity level. If you are sedentary or someone who is not doing much physical activities in a cool environment, your water requirements are significantly less than when you are in the hot conditions. Heeding your thirst is one of the best ways of maintaining good hydration status. In other words, drinking when you feel thirsty and not the otherwise.

 

2. MYTHS: "Larger stones are always more painful than the small ones".

- FACT: Size is only one factor in how painful and potentially dangerous a kidney stone can be. In fact, the location of the stones is the other element to consider. A smaller stone in the wrong place, for instance, can create a blockage that is incredibly painful and requires a trip to the emergency room. Again, depending on the location of the stone, some individuals may feel pain in their back or lower abdomen, or they may experience renal colic; excruciating and intermittent pain which occurs normally in the area between the ribs and hip on one side of the flank or back, as it spreads across the abdomen and often extends to the genital area where the pain tends to come in waves, gradually increasing to a peak intensity, and then fading about 20 to 60 minutes.

 

3. MYTHS: "Kidney stones always necessitate an immediate medical attention".

- FACT: Kidney stones often require an urgent medical treatment, yet, this is not always the case. Some individuals including those with a family history or who are associated medical conditions such as ulcerative colitis, for instance, are more likely to have chronic or repeating kidney stones. Besides, these people can actually develop strategies for safely managing pain and passing stones at home.

Individuals experiencing flank pain or the ones who notice blood in their urine can see a family physician or urologist for a urinalysis, ensuring that they are suffering from kidney stones and later on develop a treatment plan with their doctor. However, there are several symptoms that do warrant an emergency treatment. As an example, individuals should head to the ER if they are experiencing persistently severe pain, nausea, vomiting, and a fever which could indicate an infection.

 

4. MYTH: "Iced tea causes kidney stones and cranberry juice prevents them".

- FACT: There are quite a number of people who are convinced to believe that certain beverages increase the chances of developing kidney stones. As they argue that coffee, milk, soda, iced tea are all on the list of usual suspects, however, the reality is such triggers vary for everyone. Acidic drinks or the ones which contain high calcium or caffeine may be triggers for some, but they certainly are not for everyone.

Individuals suffering from kidney stones should have a conversation with their doctor and undergo some tests before cutting out foods or beverages entirely. When it comes to preventing kidney stones, lemon juice is actually better than cranberry juice. However, some previous studies also show that how much you drink has a greater impact than what you drink. Needless to say, you need to aim drinking at least 100 ounces of fluids in a day – whatever those fluids may be – to keep the kidneys flushed out and the concentration of stone-forming salts lower.

 

5. MYTH: "Milk causes kidney stones, but drinking beer can help pass the kidney stone".

- FACT: Milk is one of the best sources of calcium and kidney stones in contrast are formed of calcium oxalate. Unfortunately, many people relate to the fact that drinking milk can cause kidney stones which is totally a wrong idea. Because kidney stones are actually caused due to lack of calcium, adding at least one glass of milk or yogurt to your daily diet is always advisable to help you reduce the chances of kidney stones. Along with that, you may also consume magnesium to help prevent the chances of developing them.

On the other hand, drinking beer can trigger urination, but it has no direct connection with kidney stones. Many think that urination can help pass down small kidney stones, but any alcoholic beverage is not so recommended for the kidney. This is because drinking beer might lead to a dehydrating effect which escalates the risk of the patient’s condition during kidney stone period. After all, some particular beers contain high oxalate and therefore, you should avoid them.