Diagnosis Of Kidney Stones
Many kidney stones are discovered by chance during examinations for other conditions. Urine and blood tests can help with finding out the cause of the stone. Further tests may include:
- ultrasound
- CT scans
- x-rays, including an intravenous pyelogram , where dye is injected into the bloodstream before the x-rays are taken.
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What Color Is Urine When Your Kidneys Are Failing
When kidneys are failing, the increased concentration and accumulation of substances in urine lead to a darker color which may be brown, red or purple. The color change is due to abnormal protein or sugar, high levels of red and white blood cells, and high numbers of tube-shaped particles called cellular casts.
What Other Kidney Issues Are Associated With Alcohol/drinking
Kidneys are vital to the overall healthy functioning of the human body and serve as filtration devices for any harmful or toxic substance that enters your bloodstream. When someone drinks in excess, the kidneys have to work harder to filter the bodys blood and can cause immense stress on the kidneys. The dehydrating effect of alcohol can negatively impact your bodys cell and organ functions. Additionally, alcohol in the body can impact the hormones that contribute to healthy kidney function in your body.3
Regular heavy drinking has been known to double the risk of developing chronic kidney disease. Those who smoke cigarettes in addition to drinking heavily are about five times more likely to develop kidney disease than those who only drink excessively.3
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The Risks Of Injecting Drugs
Injecting drugs increases an individuals risk of contracting HIV, a virus that compromises the immune system. HIV-associated nephropathy is a kidney disease often seen in intravenous drug users afflicted by HIV 2.
In some cases, this condition can progress to end-stage kidney failure. The prevalence of HIVAN ranges from 3.5% to 12%, depending on the study, and it typically occurs in advanced stages of HIV 11.
Rooibos Tea And Kidneys
Rooibos is a cinch for kidneys to deal with its low in tannins, and is caffeine and oxalate free !
In one review of red and green rooibos, no negative effects were noted in a study where animals were given rooibos as the sole drinking fluid, and no negative effects on kidneys and creatinine were noted. In the human trial, no adverse effects or out-of-range clinical pathology reports were observed .
Of course, speak to your doctor if you have any health concerns but in general, the research seems to suggest that rooibos is safe for your kidneys.
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What Is The Survival Rate Of Bladder Cancer
According to estimates from the American Cancer Society, the numbers related to bladder cancer cases in America, in 2018, will be:
- About 81,190 new diagnosed cases of bladder cancer, of which 76% will be diagnosed in men and 24% of them in women
- About 17,240 deaths from bladder cancer, of which 72% will occur in men and 28% in women.
Bladder cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancers in men, while women tend to have a much rarer incidence of developing the disease. Statistics indicate that 1 in 27 men will develop this type of cancer during their life, while only 1 in 89 women will be diagnosed with it. In terms of age of diagnosis, the average is 73. 9 out of 10 people that are diagnosed are over the age of 55.
White people are more likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer that African American or Hispanic Americans.
The overall survival rate for bladder cancer is:
- The 5-year relative survival rate is about 77% for people diagnosed and treated over 5 years ago
- The 10-year relative survival rate is about 70% for people diagnosed and treated over 10 years ago
- The 15-year relative survival rate is about 65% for people diagnosed and treated over 15 years ago.
Taking the staging of the disease into consideration, the survival rates are encouraging for cancers that are discovered as early as possible. Data collected by the National Cancer Institute from patients diagnosed with bladder cancer between 1988 and 2001 reveal the following:
Frequent Or Urgent Urination
A person with bladder cancer may feel the need to urinate frequently or urgently. The frequency of normal urination depends on several factors, particularly the amount of daily water intake. Most healthy adults urinate between four to eight times a day. More frequent urination may indicate a disease of the bladder, including cancer. The need to urinate suddenly and immediately can be another sign and can cause leaking or involuntary urinating.
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What Is A Kidney Stone
A kidney stone is a hard object that is made from chemicals in the urine. There are four types of kidney stones: calcium oxalate, uric acid, struvite, and cystine. A kidney stone may be treated with shockwave lithotripsy, uteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithomy or nephrolithotripsy. Common symptoms include severe pain in lower back, blood in your urine, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills, or urine that smells bad or looks cloudy.
Urine has various wastes dissolved in it. When there is too much waste in too little liquid, crystals begin to form. The crystals attract other elements and join together to form a solid that will get larger unless it is passed out of the body with the urine. Usually, these chemicals are eliminated in the urine by the bodys master chemist: the kidney. In most people, having enough liquid washes them out or other chemicals in urine stop a stone from forming. The stone-forming chemicals are calcium, oxalate, urate, cystine, xanthine, and phosphate.
After it is formed, the stone may stay in the kidney or travel down the urinary tract into the ureter. Sometimes, tiny stones move out of the body in the urine without causing too much pain. But stones that dont move may cause a back-up of urine in the kidney, ureter, the bladder, or the urethra. This is what causes the pain.
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Does Soda Cause Kidney Stones
- Pin
Is this true? Can drinking soda cause kidney stones? Are dark sodas worse than others? Read on to learn everything you need to know about soda and kidney stones. And, what you should drink to prevent kidney stones.
*Please note that this post contains clearly identified affiliate links. If you click on these links and choose to make a purchase, I may receive a commission . As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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How Do Kidney Stones Form
Our kidneys are tasked with the responsibility of filtering toxins, waste, and excess fluid from the blood to form urine.
When the kidneys contain an excess of certain types of chemicals, such as uric acid, phosphorous, calcium, and oxalic acid, and not enough fluid to dilute them, these minerals and waste substances get concentrated enough to form crystals.
Your kidneys may simultaneously run low on certain substances that prevent these crystals from sticking together.
As a result, these clumps of waste material gradually grow in size to acquire the form of kidney stones.
The smaller stones are usually excreted without any medical intervention, rarely presenting any noticeable pain or symptoms. The larger ones, however, can get jammed in the narrow ureter and obstruct the natural flow of urine.
Given that your urinary tract is custom made for the passage of liquid matter, the expulsion of these solid rock-like masses can be mind-numbingly painful.
Can You Die From Kidney Stones
If left untreated, kidney stones can cause major health complications including hypertension and a reduced filtration rate , the process of removing enough wastes and fluids from the body to keep you healthy.5Kidney failure, although rare,6,7 is a complication of reduced filtration rate that can be life-threatening over time.5 Experts highly recommend prevention efforts to reduce or stop the formation of stones by treating other health conditions that cause the forming of stones such as high blood pressure.6
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Do Certain Drinks Foods Or Medication Cause Kidney Stones
Experts have found that certain drinks, foods, and medication may increase ones risk of developing a kidney stone:4
- Animal proteins .
- Oxalate-rich foods .
- Sodium .
- Diuretic drinks .
- Medication .
Its important to talk with your doctor about all your health concerns including proper diet, exercise, and alcohol consumption. Brief health screenings by your provider can help determine if you are at increased risk for developing these types of health problems.
What Medications Can Damage Your Kidneys
Many prescription medicines and over counter medications can cause acute and chronic renal damage. Overdose or improper dosage of medicines can lead to acute renal injury or acute renal failure. So what medications can damage your kidneys?
Here Is The Information About Some Common Medicines Responsible for Renal Failure:
- common analgesics like aspirin, Acetaminophen, and NSAID
- Antidepressants and mood stabilizers like Amitriptyline, Doxepin , Fluoxetine
- Drugs of abuse like Cocaine, Heroin, Ketamine , Methadone,Methamphetamine
And many other miscellaneous drugs. These drugs cause damage to kidneys by varying mechanisms. They work by either altering renal hemodynamic causing injury, glomerular toxicity causing reversible or irreversible damage from drug abuse, tubular cells toxicity, and inflammation. These effects of substance abuse are quite dangerous and require medical assistance.
Illegal Drugs That Cause Kidney Failure
Drugs of abuse are mainly nephrotoxic and cause serious toxic effects even on the brain. So how does addiction affect the brain? These toxic effects include hyperthermia, hypotonic hyponatremia due to its arginine vasopressin secretagoguelike effects, rhabdomyolysis, and cardiovascular collapse.
Drugs That Cause Kidney Failure Are:
- Nicotine present in tobacco and its metabolites can cause direct tubular injury and tubular toxicity which can result in damage to kidneys.
- Cocaine
- Ketamine
- Opioids such as Morphine and Heroin
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Symptoms Of Kidney Stones:
Doctors have a name for this condition. It is a tongue twister: nephrolithiasis.
Symptoms that you could be suffering from a kidney stone include:
- Flank pain. The pain is often on your side or lower back and does not disappear, though it may go from more intense to less intense and back again.
- Pink or red urine not caused by eating beets
- Elevated temperature and/or chills
- A burning sensation when you pee
- Cloudy urine or urine that smells nasty
- Nausea or vomiting
Such symptoms require immediate medical attention. Chances are good that your doctor will order an imaging test to identify where the stone is located. Depending upon location, size and symptom severity your doctor will determine if treatment is necessary or whether you are likely to pass the stone without intervention.
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Risk Of Kidney Cancer
The evidence regarding this is quite mixed. Studies have typically indicated a reduced risk of renal cell carcinoma with coffee consumption. However, for some reason, this association seems to be true for caffeinated coffee only.
Decaffeinated coffee consumption seemingly increases the risk of clear cell renal cell carcinoma subtype, a particular kind of kidney cancer, but more studies need to be done to better understand this potential link.
The Function Of The Urinary Tract
The urinary tract is the bodys drainage or excretory, system for removing urine, which is composed of wastes and extra fluid. Located just below the rib cage, on each side of the body, the kidneys are responsible for filtering and removing waste from the body. The kidneys work around the clock and are responsible for filtering blood in order to produce urine. The bladder is located between the pelvic bones that expands as it fills with filtered urine from the kidneys. The kidneys and the bladder work together to stabilize electrolytes in the blood and prevent fluid and waste buildup in the system. The majority of drugs ingested by an individual are eventually excreted through this process.
The urinary tract can be affected by numerous factors that influence their ability to filter waste such as:
- The physical condition of the kidneys and bladder age, physical/medical conditions
- How acidic an individuals urine is.
- Circulation through the kidneys and physical condition of the bladder
- Exposure to numerous and excessive amounts of toxins such as substance abuse affect the function of the entire urinary tract.
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What Is The Main Function Of A Kidney
The kidneys are part of the urinary/renal system, which also includes the ureters, bladder, and urethra. You have 2 kidneys to help to filter waste and water from your blood and turn it into urine so that it can be removed from the body.1, 2, 3, 4
The kidneys ensure that your nerves and muscles work properly by maintaining a delicate balance of water, salts, and minerals. The kidneys release hormones that influence the production of red blood cells, maintain healthy blood pressure, and play a role in strengthening your bones.2, 3
The kidneys work around-the-clock to filter waste, water, and acid out of your blood. This ensures that the proper levels of water, salts, and electrolytesincluding sodium, phosphorus, potassium, and calciumare in your blood.1, 2, 3
This is accomplished through tiny filtering cells known as nephrons that separate the waste products from the substances you need. Proteins, blood cells, nutrients, and minerals that you need are reabsorbed into the bloodstream, while the waste products are turned to urine.3, 4
Kidney Health Risk Factors
The kidneys can be affected by numerous factors that can influence their ability to expel waste products. These include:
- The physical condition of kidneys, which can be affected by a persons age, physical or medical conditions, and other factors
- How acidic ones urine is
- Circulation through the kidneys
- Exposure to numerous toxins can affect the function of the kidneys
Some of the significant health conditions that can affect the functioning of the kidneys include infections, diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney stones . Drug abuse can also impact the functioning of the kidneys. If the kidneys are not functioning properly, the effects of drug use can be amplified, and this can lead to further issues with the kidneys. For instance, individuals who develop tolerance to alcohol or drugs often significantly increase the amount of the substances they use, and this can contribute to problems with toxicity and kidney functioning over time.
Chronic abuse of drugs or alcohol can lead to severe kidney damage and even to kidney failure. Substance abuse may directly damage the kidneys or may indirectly damage them through some other process, such as increased body temperature or rhabdomyolysis .
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Foods That Increase The Risk Of Kidney Stones
Kidney stone pain is so excruciating that it often leaves an indelible mark on your memory. Some women even liken it to the intense pain experienced while giving birth. In fact, the pain associated with passing a kidney stone can be so intense that it may land you in the emergency room.
Kidney stones are essentially solid masses of minerals and salts that form inside one or both of your kidneys. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, ranging from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball.
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey , kidney stones affect approximately 1 in 11 people in the US.
Whats worse is that people who have had a kidney stone once are likely to develop another within seven years, unless you actively work to prevent them.
Drinking plenty of water to dilute the stone-causing minerals and salts in the urine is an essential prerequisite for preventing this problem.
Along with fluid intake, your food choices also can either precipitate or deter the formation of kidney stones.
Thus, you must work with a dietitian to come up with a stone-preventive renal diet. Making the correct food choices is as much about what you should eat as it is about the foods to avoid.
A particular food that may contribute to the development of a particular kidney stone may have no significance for other kinds of stones. Thus, knowing the type of kidney stone you have a tendency to form will help determine which foods to avoid.
Contents
Antiepileptic Drugs And Kidney Stones
Modular program-based one-time assessment of incident use of eight antiepileptic drugs and a diagnosis of kidney stones. Each product was analyzed by two unique incidence definitions and two unique kidney stone definitions. The queries were run against the Mini-Sentinel Distributed Database for the time period of January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2012. Modular programs are adaptable standardized programs. Results were generated using Modular Program 3, version 4.0 click here for more information. Queries were distributed in April/May 2013. These reports include data from 18 Data Partners.
If you are using a web page screen reader and are unable to access this document, please contact the Mini-Sentinel Operations Center for assistance by clicking on the Submit Comments link above or sending an email requesting assistance to .The information contained on this website is provided as part of FDA’s commitment to place knowledge acquired from the Mini-Sentinel pilot in the public domain as soon as possible. Please read the disclaimer.
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