Beer for Kidney Stones – Myths and Facts

Beer is a diuretic, it produces a lot of urine, so it can help pass small stones smaller than 5mm (stones must pass through the 3mm exit passage!). Here you can understand does beer help kidney stones, myths, and facts about this.

Is beer cause kidney stones?

1. There is no such significant evidence that alcohol can directly or indirectly causes kidney stones.
2.  Regular heavy drinking has been found to double the risk of chronic kidney disease that does not go away over time.
3. Heavy drinkers who also smoke have been found to have an even higher risk of kidney problems.

Alcohol and Kidney Stones

1. Alcohol use – especially excessive alcohol use, where a woman drinks four or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion or a man drinks five or more drinks in one sitting – is linked to the development of several other health problems.
2. Some of these health problems include kidney damage, kidney failure, high blood pressure, various types of cancer, weakened immune system, mental health problems, and social problems.

Is beer good for the kidneys?- Myths and facts

Myth – Beer helps dissolve kidney stones

1. Yes, beer is a diuretic that helps pass more urine, thus dislodging small stones.
2. The catch here is that stones larger than 5mm cannot be expelled from the body in this way, as the exit passage is only around 3mm.
3. Since it suddenly produces a lot of urine, don’t even try if you can’t urinate or are in pain, it will make you even more miserable.
4.  If the kidney is already blocked with a stone and a large amount of urine builds up in the kidney that it is unable to expel.
5. It is excruciating and you can end up vomiting, unable to urinate and of course, in a daze, if you never have drunk alcohol before!

Long-term consumption of beer will cause dehydration, oxalate load (beer is high in oxalates, one of the main components of kidney stones), and overweight (beer is high in calories):

ALL OF THE ABOVE ARE RISK FACTORS FOR KIDNEY STONES.

1. There are medications available that do the same job of flushing out small stones and are of course much cheaper and safer than beer.
2. After all, beer is alcohol and it harms your liver! Too high a price to flush the stone!
3. If a stone stuck in the ureter needs to pass, it will happen within a month. If it doesn’t, no matter what you’ve tried, get it removed.
4. Many people end up with damaged kidneys because of this completely preventable and treatable reason!
5. Today, stone removal procedures are highly advanced and safe, and there is no need to fear them!

So next time you grab that pint of beer to wash your rocks off, reconsider your options!

Surgical and non-surgical treatments for kidney stones

What surgeries are used for kidney stones?

1. Image result for Surgical and non-surgical treatments for kidney stones
2. The four surgical methods for the treatment of kidney stones are :

Shock wave lithotripsy

Shock waves from outside the body are directed at the kidney stone and cause the stone to fragment. The stones are broken into small pieces.

Ureteroscopy

A ureteroscopy is a procedure to treat kidney stones and involves passing a small telescope, called a ureteroscope, through the urethra and bladder and up the ureter to where the stone is.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy or percutaneous nephrolithotripsy

Surgery for stones that cannot be treated with lithotripsy or endoscopic procedures. It involves removing the stone through a thin tube tunneled through a small incision in the back of the kidney.

Open surgery

In open surgery to remove kidney stones, the surgeon makes an incision in your side or back to access the kidney or ureter and remove the kidney stones. It is an invasive procedure and takes almost 2.5 hours to complete.

What is the non-surgical treatment for kidney stones?

1. The traditional non-invasive treatment for kidney stones is called shock wave lithotripsy.
2. This therapy uses high-amplitude shock waves to break up the stones.
3.  Shock wave lithotripsy often requires the use of x-ray imaging to target the stone, anesthesia, and higher pressures compared to the Break Wave device.

What dissolves kidney stones fast?

• Lemon juice, olive oil, and water:

Few patients claim success when mixing a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil to help dissolve kidney stones as a home remedy.

• Apple cider vinegar and water:

The theory behind it is that apple cider vinegar is made from citric acid, which dissolves kidney stones and helps the body pass the stones more easily.

• Basil juice and water

Basil juice can be helpful but not as much as water. Water is the best remedy for a kidney stone.

• Asparagus:

Steamed asparagus can help flush out kidney stones through a mild diuretic effect.

• Medications:

Patients must take a drug such as the Ural to make their urine less acidic, as this helps dissolve the stone. Also Read: Everything about Kidney Pain

Conclusion

The kidneys are responsible for filtering harmful substances such as alcohol. Beer is high in purines, a chemical that leads to uric acid and kidney stones. When you drink too much alcohol, the functionality of your kidneys is compromised and they are unable to flush out purines. It then accumulates in the kidneys, eventually leading to a kidney stone. So to conclude this article we can say that there is no such significant evidence that alcohol can directly or indirectly causes kidney stones. Contact Dr. Nisha Gaur now if you want to know more about this.