"I can't pee" Why do you get urinary tract stones easily in summer?

Jul 30, 2024

'I can't pee' Why do you get urinary tract stones easily in summer?
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"I'm trying to pee, but it hurts so much without coming out. I can't describe the pain."

Hot sunlight is pouring in, and more and more patients complain of urinary tract stones in summer when they can't sleep due to tropical nights.

Professor Kim Myung-soo (Department of Urology) at Ewha Womans University Urology Hospital said, `If you sweat a lot in hot weather in summer and don't get enough water, the amount of urine decreases and the concentration of urine increases, which promotes the formation of urinary stones. In addition, exposure to sunlight increases vitamin D production, which improves calcium absorption in the intestine, and is considered one of the reasons for the increase in urinary stones in the summer."

According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service's statistics on diseases of public interest, the number of patients with urinary tract absences from December 2022 to November 2023 was 48,232 in August, the highest in a year, followed by July (44,407) and June (44,142).

Urine is made in the kidneys and flows through the ureter to the bladder, and it is urinary stones that block the flow of urine. If left unattended while experiencing severe pain, infection and decreased renal function may also occur.

The causes of urinary stones vary from genetic factors, dietary habits, lifestyle habits, surgical history, and urinary tract infection. However, in the summer when people with low water intake themselves sweat a lot and lack water in the body, a lot of urinary stones occur.

It is known that the increase in urinary stones plays a key role in ▲ inappropriate fluid intake ▲ excessive sweating ▲ subsequent formation process of dehydration and concentrated urine.

Professor Kim Myung-soo said, "At a time when the COVID-19 epidemic has passed and overseas travel is increasing during the summer vacation season, the number of patients who visited the hospital due to sudden side pain and were diagnosed with urinary tract stones is increasing and are embarrassed by severe pain and schedule setbacks."," he said.

How should we manage it to prevent increasing urinary tract stones in the summer and prevent recurrence?

In response, Professor Kim Myung-soo "We need to minimize the possibility of stones by drinking more than 2 liters of water a day in summer."Studies have shown that urinary stones recur up to 50% within 5 years of initial treatment, and recurrence is affected by several factors, including the type of stone, the size and location of the stone, and the patient's urolith-related metabolic status, so appropriate diet and periodic follow-up are needed to reduce the risk of stone recurrence."



'I can't pee' Why do you get urinary tract stones easily in summer?
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