Why do crystals appear in urine?
Urine is a saturated solution of salts. As long as there is enough fluid and the acidity of the urine is normal, the salts remain dissolved. As soon as the urine becomes more concentrated or its pH changes, some of the salts precipitate in the form of crystals.
This is why crystalluria so often turns out to be temporary: a hot day, profuse sweating, insufficient drinking, a heavy meat dinner, or a delay in delivering the analysis to the laboratory is enough for crystals to appear in a completely healthy person.
A separate and very common cause of a false discovery is urine that has stood for several hours at room temperature: salts precipitate in the container, and not in the body.
Types of salts and what they mean
- Oxalates are the most common. Appear with a lack of fluid, an excess of sorrel, spinach, beets, nuts, chocolate, strong tea, as well as with a large amount of vitamin C. It is oxalate stones that are most common
- Urates - formed in acidic urine, associated with excess meat foods, offal, alcohol and increased levels of uric acid; typical for gout. Important feature: urate stones are the only ones that can be dissolved by medications
- Phosphates - precipitated in alkaline urine, often associated with urinary tract infections and dairy-plant diets
- Struvite - almost always indicates an infection caused by bacteria that break down urea; require attention, as large stones quickly form
- Cystine is a rare find, a sign of a hereditary metabolic disorder; always requires examination
When it's not worth worrying about
- Salts were detected once, no complaints, ultrasound was clear
- The analysis was taken after a festive feast, in the heat, after an intense workout
- Urine was delivered to the laboratory late
- A person drinks a small amount of liquid on this day
- Salts disappear in repeated analysis against the background of normal drinking regimen
When is an examination needed?
- Salts are consistently detected in several tests in a row
- There is lower back pain, episodes of renal colic, blood in the urine
- Sand or small pebbles coming off
- There were cases of urolithiasis in the family
- Have gout or elevated uric acid levels
- Have recurrent urinary tract infections
- Crystalluria in a child
- Cystine crystals detected - always require examination
- Ultrasound has already revealed microliths or stones
Survey
- Repeated general urine test with proper collection and prompt delivery
- Determining the pH of urine is a key parameter: an acidic environment promotes urates, an alkaline environment promotes phosphates
- Ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder
- Blood biochemistry: uric acid, calcium, phosphorus, creatinine
- 24-hour urine salt test and metabolic profile - for persistent crystalluria and recurrent stones
- Urine culture for phosphates and struvites
- CT without contrast for suspected stones
- Analysis of the composition of the passed stone, if any
It is the determination of urine pH and the type of salts that makes the recommendations meaningful. Without this, the advice “drink more water and less salt” remains the only universal one, and everything else is guesswork.
What to do: drinking regime and nutrition
- The main and universal thing is to drink enough, with a focus on light-colored urine and a volume of at least two liters per day; in the heat and during physical work more
- Distribute fluids evenly throughout the day, including a glass of water before bed
- Limit salt - excess sodium increases calcium excretion in urine
- For oxalates: moderately limit sorrel, spinach, rhubarb, beets, nuts, cocoa, strong tea; At the same time, do not give up calcium in food - it binds oxalates in the intestines
- For urates: limit red meat, offal, rich broths, alcohol, especially beer; control uric acid
- For phosphates: increase the proportion of meat products and acidifying drinks, treat urinary tract infections
- Do not overuse high doses of vitamin C and calcium supplements unless prescribed.
- Diuretic herbs and dietary supplements - only in consultation with your doctor: if you already have a stone, they can provoke colic
Where to get examined in Tashkent
If salts in the urine are persistently detected or complaints appear, it makes sense to undergo an ultrasound and metabolic assessment - this is a simple examination that answers the question about the risk of stone formation.
In Tashkent, such an examination, and if stones are identified and their treatment, is carried out at the UROLOGIC COMPLEX medical center and at the Tashkent Medical Park clinic.
Remember the climate: in hot months, fluid loss through sweat is high, urine becomes concentrated, and crystalluria becomes more frequent. Drinking enough water in the summer is the simplest and most effective prevention. Clinic contacts are below.
