[Click! Health] Homebodies Who Love Hot Soup Are at High Risk for Urolithiasis

[Asia Economy Reporter Myunghwan Lee] During the winter season, when cold weather leads to more people staying indoors and seeking warm soup dishes, caution is needed regarding urolithiasis (urinary stones). This is because the risk of stone formation increases as the intake of high-sodium stews and hot soups rises, while physical activity and pure water consumption decrease.

Professor Sanghyup Lee of the Department of Urology at Kyung Hee University Hospital advised on the 23rd, "A lifestyle habit that helps prevent and reduce recurrence of stones is drinking plenty of pure water to ensure urine output exceeds 2.5 liters." He emphasized, "Active physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, helps stones move downward by gravity and be naturally expelled, but it is difficult to maintain this during the cold winter, so special care is required."

Urolithiasis is a condition where stones form anywhere along the urinary tract, which refers to all pathways through which waste filtered by the kidneys is excreted from the body. Even among patients with urolithiasis, the location, size, and composition of stones vary, requiring personalized diagnosis and treatment.

Professor Lee explained, "Symptoms vary depending on the stone's location and size. When stones remain in the ureter, typical flank pain occurs, and if the pain is severe, most patients visit the emergency room. When stones descend near the bladder, symptoms such as frequent urination and bladder irritation appear along with hematuria. If infection accompanies the stones, symptoms like fever and low blood pressure may develop, potentially leading to sepsis, so accurate early diagnosis is crucial."

Low fluid intake during winter is also a cause of urolithiasis. A diet low in fluids leads to decreased urine volume, causing waste to concentrate inside the body instead of being excreted. In the past, stones were mostly composed of calcium and oxalate, but recently, with increased consumption of animal protein, the proportion of uric acid stones has steadily risen.

Professor Lee stated, "If the stone size is less than 4 mm, instead of immediately performing surgery or procedures, medications such as analgesic anti-inflammatory drugs and alpha-blockers that relax the ureter to aid stone expulsion can be tried. If the stone is large, pain is severe making natural expulsion difficult, or urine flow is obstructed by the stone, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or ureteroscopic surgery should be considered."

Among non-surgical treatments, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is preferred by patients as it can be done on an outpatient basis without anesthesia. However, depending on the stone’s hardness, multiple sessions may be required, and pain during the procedure can occur.

Among surgical treatments, ureteroscopic surgery is most commonly used. An endoscope is inserted into the ureter to locate the stone, which is then directly fragmented and removed using a laser. Even hard stones can be resolved in one session, but general anesthesia is required, and after discharge, a follow-up outpatient procedure is needed to remove the stent, which can be inconvenient.