Internal Medicine

Kidney stones causes

Generally speaking, kidney stones develop when certain substances are in too high concentration occur in the urine so that they can no longer be completely dissolved and crystallize as a result. Substances with which this often happens are Calcium, phosphate, uric acid, Oxalate and uric acid.

Kidney stones can cause discomfort in both the kidneys and the ureter or even the urinary bladder. There are different types of kidney stones, the development of which is based on different factors.

The reasons for the emergence of Kidney stones are very diverse; Depending on the cause, different types of kidney stones then develop. The most common triggers include either

Dehydration,
Alcohol,
certain nutritional factors (vitamins C and D)
some metabolic diseases,
Infections,
anatomical irregularities,
Lack of exercise,
Stress,
chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis,
some drugs,
gout (Hyperuricemia) or
Deviations in pH in kidney tissue (tubular acidosis).

Read detailed information on: Kidney stones

nutrition

You can influence the likelihood of kidney stones not only through your water balance, but also through your eating habits. A very protein-rich diet (a lot of meat and dairy products) means a high intake of a substance called Purinethat is in the body too uric acid is dismantled. If it exceeds a certain concentration, arise Uric acid stones and the patients suffer from one Gicht-symptoms.

In some foods like rhubarb, spinach or green and black tea one finds a high content of Oxalic acidwhat a genesis of Oxalic Acid Calcium Crystals can favor.

Dehydration

Dehydration can Kidney stones cause the water content of the urine is thereby compensatedly lowered by the body in order to be able to retain more water. In relative terms, this increases the concentration of other substances that can then form the stones.

vitamin C

The professional opinions on the role of vitamin C in the development of kidney stones are ultimately not in agreement.There are voices that speak in favor of an increased risk of developing kidney stones from vitamin C, as well as those who find the importance of vitamin C negligible. In the Standard diagnostics of kidney stones, vitamin C also plays a role not matter. There is therefore also no recommendation of dietary measures in relation to vitamin C in the presence of kidney stones.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D leads to one Increase in calcium in the blood serum. As a result, if the dose of vitamin D is too high, a Hypercalcemia, i.e. an excess of calcium. This excess calcium can promote the formation of kidney stones called calcium oxalate stones. A vitamin D content that is too high is most likely to result from the ingestion of Vitamin D supplements conditions. In the case of existing kidney stones, the intake of vitamin D supplements should be clarified with a doctor beforehand.

alcohol

Regular and especially excessive consumption of alcohol favors the development of kidney stones. In particular, the formation of uric acid stones is promoted by alcohol.
Uric acid stones are caused by what is known as hyperuricemia. This is too high a level of uric acid in the blood. Hyperuricemia is caused by various factors. Alcohol is one of them.
In alcoholism, less uric acid is excreted through the kidneys. This is how uric acid builds up and can lead to the formation of uric acid stones. Alcoholism also encourages people to drink less good liquids like water and unsweetened tea. As a result of dehydration, more kidney stones also develop.

The development of some tumor diseases is also promoted by regular alcohol consumption. Tumor diseases in turn lead to an increased disintegration of cells in the body. As a result, uric acid also accumulates, which can lead to the formation of kidney stones. Alcohol should therefore only be consumed in small amounts in all respects and, if consumed regularly, is associated with health consequences.

Read more on the topic Kidney pain after alcohol.

Metabolic diseases

Metabolic disorders that can lead to kidney stones include one of the following Hyperoxaluria, Hyperfunction of the parathyroid gland (Hyperparathyroidism) or thyroid (Hyperthyroidism).

In all of these diseases there is an excess of a certain one Electrolyteswhich ultimately favors the formation of stones.

Infections

Infections lead to kidney stones mainly because many bacteria are able to change the pH of their environment. Anatomical features such as scarring in the area of the kidney, the so-called horseshoe kidney or additional ureters increase the risk of kidney stones as they obstruct the flow of urine.

About 10 to 20% of kidney stones are so-called Struvite stones. These are kidney stones that result from bacterial urinary tract infections. They are mostly urease-forming germs. The urease means that the urine contains less acid and thus becomes more basic. This in turn means that certain substances can no longer dissolve well in the urine and turn into stones. Often it is infections caused by the pathogen Proteus. Less often can Klebsiella, Pseudomonas or Staphylococci be causative.

Medication

A variety of medications and drugs can cause kidney stones to develop. A very common drug that can lead to the formation of kidney stones is that Allopurinol. This is taken by people who are under a gout Suffer.
Allopurinol can lead to the formation of so-called Xanthine stones lead in the kidney. Allopurinol inhibits an enzyme that processes the metabolite xanthine. This causes xanthine to accumulate in the kidney and stones can form.

Other drugs can also cause kidney stones to develop. For example, there are drugs that are used to Crystal formation run in the urine. These crystals do not dissolve in the urine and this is how kidney stones form.
This group includes, among others Acyclovir and Indinavir. Both drugs are antiviral. Acyclovir is used in the treatment of herpes, whereas indinavir plays a major role in HIV therapy.

Also Antibiotics how Aminopenicillins, Fluoroquinolones, Sulfonamides and Ceftriaxone can contribute to the development of kidney stones. In addition to the drugs already mentioned, there are many other active ingredients that also promote the development of kidney stones.
However, these drugs do this by changing the composition of the urine. As a result, some substances can no longer dissolve properly in the urine, for example, and stones form.
These drugs include Vitamin D supplements, calcium, magnesium and aluminum supplements and the diuretic Furosemide. Also the drugs acetazolamide, which is used in glaucoma is used, and Topiramateused to treat various types of convulsions can lead to the development of kidney stones.

Also Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) can be associated with an increased risk of kidney stones.

Stress and lack of exercise

If you don't move enough over a long period of time, the body breaks down more calcium from the bones and it can Calcium stones arise.

stress however, in itself is not a cause of kidney stones. Stress is more likely to occur as a symptom or condition in patients suffering from ailments caused by kidney stones. The strongest, colicky pains are typical, which typically lead to a restless, unsteady state in the person concerned. Stress can be a too Be the factor that worsens some diseaseswhich can lead to kidney stones. A good example of this is the chronic illness Crohn's diseaseat which stress is a major factor in the development of an episode. However, no direct connection can be derived from this.

The assumption that stress leads to the formation of kidney stones has not been proven.