When people think of summer sickness, they often think of heat stroke, asthma or sunburn. But there’s another one that affects people who spend lots of time outside — kidney stones.
What are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones are crystals in your urine that come together, creating small, pebble-like structures. There are many types of kidney stones, including calcium stones (calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate), uric acid stones, struvite stones and cystine stones.
Regardless of the type of kidney stone, people with kidney stones usually have the same symptoms, such as intense pain going from their back and radiating to their front.
How Do I Know if I Have Kidney Stones?
Along with strong pain, other signs of a kidney stone include:
- Pain when you pee
- Needing to pee often
- Pee that looks pink, red or cloudy
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fever or chills (if there’s an infection)
If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor or visit an emergency room.
Why are Kidney Stones More Common in the Summer?
Hot weather makes you sweat more, which causes your body to lose water. If you don’t drink enough to replace that water, your urine becomes more concentrated. This makes it easier for crystals to form and grow into kidney stones.
If you’re playing sports, doing yard work or just spending time outside, you may not notice how much water you’re losing, but your kidneys will.
How Can I Avoid Getting Kidney Stones?
The best way to avoid kidney stones is to keep your body well-hydrated. You should drink enough water so that your urine stays a light-yellow color. If it’s dark yellow or amber, you probably need to drink more.
Some drinks, especially soft drinks, can make kidney stones more likely. It’s better to choose water or drinks with natural lemon juice, which may help prevent stones from forming.
What you eat also matters. Too much salt in your diet can increase your risk of kidney stones. Try to avoid adding extra salt to your food and limit salty snacks like chips or processed foods. Adding in foods with high water content, like watermelon, cucumbers and strawberries, can help keep your urine diluted.
Eating large amounts of animal protein, such as red meat, can also lead to more stone formation. Try to include more plant-based meals, like beans, lentils and vegetables, a few times each week.
You should also be careful with supplements. Too much calcium or vitamin C from pills may raise your risk of developing kidney stones. Talk with your health care provider before taking them regularly.
What Should I Do If I Think I Have One?
Don’t wait too long. A doctor can help find out if you have a kidney stone with a urine test, blood test or scan. If the stone is small, they may ask you to drink water and wait for it to pass. If it’s too big or causes an infection, they might need to remove it.
UofL Health is Here for You
If you feel you may have a kidney stone, contact your health care provider or turn to UofL Health – Emergency Care. We have seven Emergency Departments open 24/7, providing patients with around-the-clock expert care.
UofL Physicians – Nephrology, UofL Physicians – Urology and UofL Physicians – Urology Associates can help if you have risk factors or need follow-up care for kidney stones.
