‘Drink enough water to prevent kidney stones'

The capital and other Telangana districts including Karimnagar, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Medak and Ranga Reddy districts have high incidence of kidney stone cases compared to other parts. In fact, among doctors, the region has earned the sobriquet ‘stone belt' due to high incidence of kidney stone cases.

Physicians argue that this unique pattern is due to the typical tropical climatic conditions prevalent in the region. And despite high incidence, awareness levels on treatment and preventive steps are less among public. “Public have to take simple measures to easily manage and avoid such a condition. Spreading awareness is important,” feels associate professor, Nephrology Department, NIMS, Dr. R. Ram.

Kidney stones are formed when urine contains too much of substances like calcium and oxalates. These substances combine to form crystals in kidneys. The small crystals, over a period of time, will form kidney stones, leading to complications like blocking the flow of urine from kidneys.

The common symptoms of kidney stones include sudden severe pain in the groin and abdomen area, change in the urine colour and even blood in urine. “Kidney stone patients should have strict control of diet. Public will have to make sure that they take adequate amount of water daily,” Dr. Ram Suggests.

Roughly, per day, physicians suggest, public should take more than one litre of water to keep the body hydrated and kidney stones at bay. Doctors also assert that food items, having high concentration of oxalates, must be avoided because they mix with calcium to form crystals.

Foods like spinach, cabbage and tomato are rich in oxalates and they should be avoided by patients. General public should make sure that the urine colour is always white, advises senior Nephrologist, Dr. Pradeeep Deshpande.

On most occasions, small kidney stones will pass through urine. “Stones of less than one cm usually pass through urine.

For bigger size stones, simple procedures like shock waves to break the stones are employed and for even bigger stones, endoscopy is performed.

The bottom line is public should drink water adequately,” suggests Dr. Ram.