Reddit Moment June 9 (correspondent Deng Ying) Recently, the temperature is gradually rising, Changsha Jingshi Hospital in the community to give free clinic, free ultrasound examination, often found that there are patients with kidney crystals. At this time there are many people ask, what is the meaning of kidney crystals on the report card? Are they kidney stones? Is it serious? To be treated?

Today, Wang Huailiang, director of urology at Changsha Jingshi Hospital, came to answer these questions. The main function of the kidneys is to remove the metabolites, regulate the body's water, salt and acid-base balance, and maintain the stability of the internal environment. If some of the metabolites are not removed in time and thoroughly, they will be deposited in the kidneys and form kidney crystals or kidney stones.

What is kidney crystallization?

Wang Huailiang, kidney crystals are crystalline substances precipitated in the urine. When the concentration of human urine is too high, the body's metabolites will precipitate and form small crystals.

If the crystals are only in the kidneys for a short time, they have no effect on the human body. If the kidney crystals are not dealt with in time, with further deposition of calcium salts and other substances, they tend to accumulate and become larger, forming kidney stones.

Difference between kidney crystals and kidney stones

Wang Huailiang said, kidney crystals are smaller, mostly below 3mm in diameter, granular, generally attached to the renal papilla, the location is relatively fixed; kidney stones are larger, usually more than 4mm in diameter, often located in the renal calyx, renal pelvis or ureter.

In ultrasound, crystals appear as scattered light spots without obvious acoustic shadows; while most of the stones appear as strongly echogenic light clusters with obvious acoustic shadows.

From the point of view of clinical manifestations, kidney stones are mostly accompanied by symptoms of lumbar pain or hematuria; renal crystals are not obvious symptoms, usually no lumbar pain, abdominal pain, hematuria and other symptoms, a closer look will find that there is a white flocculent in the urine, usually inorganic salts.

Do I need to treat kidney crystals?

Wang Huailiang reminded that kidney crystals also need to be dealt with, and you can make corresponding adjustments in your daily life to cope with them after finding them.

First of all, drink more water and urinate more often, which can promote the discharge of crystals; you can do long-distance jumping, running or jumping rope and other sports, which can help the discharge of kidney crystals; if the above methods, the kidney crystals have not been discharged, then you need to take some oral medication under the guidance of the doctor to treat.

Renal crystals are the precursor of kidney stones

Wang Huai Liang introduced, although most of the kidney crystals can be adjusted through the dietary and lifestyle habits, drink more water and more urination will be the crystals discharged. However, since kidney crystals are generally a precursor to kidney stones, if they are detected during regular medical checkups, you need to go to the hospital in time for treatment.

If the stones remain in the kidneys for a long time, they may damage the kidney tissues by constant mechanical friction. And if an acute obstruction of the upper urinary tract occurs, increasing the pressure in the lumen of the renal pelvis and ureter, local dilatation, spasm and ischemia, it will trigger severe pain. Also known as renal colic.

Especially for groups such as drivers, regardless of the size of the stones, must be completely removed to prevent sudden renal colic during work, affecting the safety of the operation.

If the stone is embedded in the renal pelvis or calyx, or in the ureter during the process of discharging, after the formation of obstruction, it will cause fluid retention in the kidney. As the fluid builds up, the pressure inside the kidney rises and the renal parenchyma is squeezed and gradually shrinks, which may result in the loss of renal function.

Changsha Jingshi Hospital urology experts reminded that kidney crystals are not terrible, but if they are not discharged in a timely manner, it is easy to develop into a kidney stone, and at the same time cause a series of complications. So after the discovery of kidney crystals should pay attention to drink more water, diligent urination, regular review, to avoid the development of stones on the body and life damage.