Stones, Stones, Stones

One more reason to drink plenty of water throughout the day: dehydration is a key risk factor for the development of kidney tones. Stones in the urinary tract can be very painful and can even lead to a medical emergency.

- Hannah May-lee Wong

  

Having stones in any part of your body may sound frightening, and that’s because it is. A large stone in the urinary tract can cause an obstruction, severe infection and, if not properly treated, can lead to the complete loss of a kidney.

Urologist Dr Hemanth Kumar Ramasamy keeps a collection of stones of different shapes and sizes in clear glass jars in his office. He has seen and treated many cases is his practice. This, he explains, is because Malaysia is located within the “stone belt” – a geographical area in the world where incidence of kidney stones is especially high.

“The stone belt extends from Afghanistan and goes through Pakistan, India, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia and so on,” says Dr Hemanth. The phenomenon is likely caused by a combination of hot weather and dietary factors such as a high sodium diet and inadequate fluid intake. “Stones can happen to both men and women. Men who have big prostates and who have not been treated may have a higher risk of developing stones. This is due to the presence of stagnant urine which promotes stone formation.”

“Urologists in Malaysia have postulated that one in 10 Malaysians will develop stones at least once in their lifetime. Do remember, most stones are so small they can be passed out on their own without causing any symptoms,” Dr Hemanth explains.

“The ureter is about 2mm wide, but since it’s a muscle, it can dilate. Any stone less than 3mm will be passed out naturally. It may hurt a little as they come out, but if you have small (1mm) stones, you generally won’t feel anything. After a certain size threshold (more than 7mm), chances of the stone being passed out spontaneously comes down tremendously.”

WHAT ARE URINARY TRACT STONES?