Actor Alexandre Nero had to step away from the recordings of the soap opera Travessia recently after suffering a kidney crisis. Through social networks, the interpreter of the character Stenio said that he had “the worst pain he has ever felt in his life”. Kidney stones, or kidney stones, are a common problem, with around 150,000 cases a year in Brazil.
The incidence of cases increases by about 30% during the summer compared to other times of the year, according to the Brazilian Society of Urology (SBU). Increased perspiration in the heat, without adequate hydration to suppress it, is the main cause.
Nephrologist Pedro Mendes, from Hospital Brasília (Dasa), warns that removing the stones is not enough. Patients should seek a nephrologist to investigate the cause and perform specific treatment to prevent further episodes.
“Calculus is the tip of the iceberg. Removing is not treating. It is important to carry out laboratory investigation”, points out Mendes.
Symptoms
In most cases, kidney stones are not serious, but they can cause intense pain, bordering on unbearable, as reported by Nero. They start at the back and radiate down the abdomen towards the groin. Other common symptoms are:
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Blood in the urine;
- Suspension or decrease in urinary flow;
- Need to urinate more often;
- Urinary infections.
How to prevent
Drinking water regularly is the main measure to prevent the formation of kidney stones. “The more liquid is ingested, the more the patient dilutes the substances in the urine and the more he pees, making it difficult for the stones to form”, explains Mendes.
The problem can also be prevented by consuming citrus fruits rich in citrate, a substance that maintains the PH of the urine at an adequate level to prevent the formation of stones.
Causes
Kidney stones can be caused by endocrine or hematological diseases, but the most common are kidney problems, when the kidney itself excretes some excess substances in the urine, such as calcium.
“Imagine putting sugar in water. In a moment it will no longer be diluted and it starts to precipitate. In the case of the kidney, the next step is the formation of the calculus”, explains Mendes.
The nephrologist explains that the condition can be serious when the stones stop midway, obstructing the passage and causing an infection together. There are also cases of patients who have struvite stones (infection stones), caused by bacteria and which calcify the entire kidney. “It is a very specific case. The patient may even lose the kidney, requiring removal”, says Mendes.
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