A he althy person always contains small amounts of calcium oxalate crystals in the urine. An increase in their number may be a sign of urolithiasis, chronic pyelonephritis, the development of chronic renal failure. The only way to prevent this condition is to follow a diet.
What is oxalate?
This is the name of oxalic acid s alts, represented by calcium or ammonium compounds, excreted by the kidneys. About five percent of them are formed from food. Calcium oxalate is excreted from the body through the kidneys in the urine. With its increased secretion, a condition called oxaluria occurs.
What do oxalates look like?
Oxalate stones are hard, dark brown or black. They have spines that injure the tissues of the urinary tract and cause bleeding. Blood, coloring the stone, gives it a dark color. In the absence of bleeding, oxalates are lighter. If other compounds are added to the calcium s alts of the growing oxalate, then on the cut you cansee that the structure of the stone is layered.
Sizes of stones vary from a few millimeters (such stones are called sand or microliths) to four or more centimeters. Favorable conditions contribute to the fact that calcium oxalate can turn into a coral stone that occupies the entire lumen of the kidney.
What causes oxaluria?
There are two types of oxaluria. Primary is a hereditary disease and is called oxalosis. The cause of its occurrence is considered to be a disturbed exchange of glycine and glyoxylic acid. The disease manifests itself as signs of urolithiasis. Poisoning with toxic substances that cannot be excreted by the kidneys, the function of which is impaired, provokes the development of renal failure and a severe state of uremia.
Secondary oxaluria is an acquired disease. The reason for it may be an excess in the diet of foods in which the content of oxalic acid and vitamin C is increased. You should not oversaturate your diet with spinach, parsley, sorrel, citrus fruits, beets, currants, rose hips, cocoa, chocolate, etc. Calcium oxalate crystals in the urine in increased amounts cause the body to not absorb calcium, accumulating in the blood, and this can lead to the development of osteoporosis.
In some pathologies (pyelonephritis, diabetes mellitus, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory processes in the intestines, Crohn's disease), an increase in the amount of oxalates can be observed. Oxalate stones also appear with vitamin B6 deficiency, as well asmagnesium, which prevents their formation. Taking certain medications such as ascorbic acid, ethylene glycol, calcium supplements increases the amount of oxalate in the urine.
Symptoms
Manifestations of oxaluria are micro- and macrohematuria. In the first variant, blood appears in the urine, but this can only be seen through a microscope. With gross hematuria, changes in the urine are visible to the naked eye, it becomes similar to meat slops. This is because calcium oxalate crystals injure the walls of the urinary tract.
The disease can begin in childhood, manifesting itself as periodic pain in the abdomen, a decrease in the daily volume of urine, saturated color of urine. Not always with the disease there are any symptoms. Calcium oxalate is detected by chance, during a urinalysis, X-ray examination, or when symptoms of renal colic occur in the form of sharp pain in the lower back on one side. Pain occurs when the stone moves through the ureter. A long-term disease leads to increased deposition of s alts in the tissues of the kidneys, and chronic renal failure may develop.
What does a urine test show?
As mentioned above, the disease is discovered by chance. When conducting a general analysis of urine, calcium oxalate is found in it. In addition, with oxaluria, erythrocytes and leukocytes can be detected in the analysis.
Calcium oxalate in a woman's urine should be between228-626 µmol/day, in a man - 228-683 µmol/day. An additional study may be needed with an X-ray of the kidneys, urography, ultrasound of the kidneys.
How to donate urine for oxalates?
Before taking the test, you can not eat beets, carrots, as well as foods that affect the color of urine. A prerequisite is the cleanliness of the external genitalia before collection. Women during critical days should not be tested.
The first morning urination is not taken into account, only its time is noted. During the day, urine is collected in one container. The next day in the morning there is a final collection of urine. After that, the total volume of secretions per day is measured, approximately 200 milliliters are poured into a separate container and handed over to the laboratory. A label must be attached to the container and indicate the daily amount of urine.
How to treat?
If calcium oxalate is found in the urine, the doctor prescribes a diet. It is necessary to exclude from the diet meat, fish, mushroom broths, hot spices, smoked meats, s alty foods, conservation. In addition, you need to limit the use of foods such as sorrel, spinach, beets, citrus fruits, strawberries, nuts, beans, chocolate. You can not abuse also tea and coffee.
In the process of treatment, the body needs additional alkalization, which is facilitated by the inclusion of dried apricots and prunes in the diet. In addition, it is necessary to take magnesium preparations, vitamin B6. To prevent the crystallization of oxalates in the urine, you need to drink plenty of water. Dissolution of s alts is facilitated by infusions and decoctions of knotweed, dill, strawberry leaf, horsetail, etc. From folk methods of treatment, it is useful to drink carrot juice in a tablespoon three times a day for several months. Rowan juice is no less effective (3 tablespoons three times a day half an hour before meals) for a month. Parsley juice mixed with honey (2 tablespoons three times a day before meals) helps in the treatment.
Regular exercise is beneficial. Running, walking, jumping contribute to the removal of small stones, sand.
Depending on what the urinalysis shows, medical treatment with potassium citrate or sodium citrate, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial drugs may be needed. When an infection is attached, it is necessary to take antibiotics and sulfonamides (drugs "Ceftriaxone", "Biseptol", "Sulfadimetoksin"). In order to relieve spasm and facilitate the passage of oxalate through the urinary tract, it is necessary to take antispasmodic drugs (Baralgin, No-shpa, Platyfillin, Papaverine). Severe cases with symptoms of renal colic are treated with surgery.
Prevention
A balanced diet can help prevent high levels of oxalate in the urine. The diet should be enriched with foods that contain magnesium. It is useful to use oatmeal, buckwheat, millet porridge, dried fruits, wholemeal bread. The removal of oxalic acid is facilitated by the use of grapes,quinces, pears, which are useful both fresh and in the form of a decoction.
When certain symptoms are detected, timely treatment is necessary, since such a condition can lead to serious consequences in the form of urolithiasis and other pathologies. Taking care of your own he alth will save you from unpleasant consequences.
