A healthy person always contains crystals of calcium oxalate in urine in an insignificant amount. 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?
So called salts of oxalic acid, represented by calcium or ammonium compounds secreted by the kidneys. About five percent of them come from food. Calcium oxalate is excreted through the kidneys with urine. With increased release of it, a condition called oxaluria occurs.
What do oxalates look like?
Oxalate stones are solid, dark brown or black. They have process spikes that injure urinary tract tissue and cause bleeding. Blood, staining the stone, gives it a dark color. In the absence of bleeding, oxalates are lighter. If other compounds join the calcium salts of the growing oxalate, then on the cut it can be seen that the structure of the stone is layered.
The 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, which occupies the entire lumen of the kidney.
What causes oxaluria?
There are two types of oxaluria. Primary is a hereditary disease called oxalosis. The cause of its occurrence is considered to be an impaired exchange of glycine and glyoxylic acid. The disease manifests itself as signs of urolithiasis. Poisoning with toxic substances that cannot be eliminated from the body by the kidneys, whose function is impaired, provokes the development of renal failure and a serious state of uremia.
Secondary oxaluria is an acquired disease. Its cause 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, citruses, beets, currants, rose hips, cocoa, chocolate, etc. Crystals of calcium oxalate in urine in an increased amount are the reason that calcium is not absorbed in the body, accumulating in the blood, and this can lead to the development of osteoporosis.
With some pathologies (pyelonephritis, diabetes mellitus, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory processes in the intestines, Crohn's disease), an increase in the number of oxalates can be observed. Oxalate stones also appear with a deficiency of vitamin B6, as well as magnesium, which prevents their formation. Taking certain medications, such as ascorbic acid, ethylene glycol, calcium preparations, increases the amount of oxalates in the urine.
Symptoms
The manifestations of oxaluria is micro and macrohematuria. In the first version, blood appears in the urine, but this can only be seen through a microscope. With macrohematuria, 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 any symptoms are observed. Calcium oxalate is detected by chance, during a urinalysis, x-ray, or when symptoms of renal colic occur in the form of a sharp pain in the lower back on one side. Pain occurs when the stone moves along the ureter. A long-existing disease leads to increased deposition of salts in the tissues of the kidneys, chronic renal failure may develop.
What does urinalysis show?
As mentioned above, the disease is detected by chance. When conducting a general analysis of urine, calcium oxalate is found in it. In addition, with oxaluria, red blood cells and white blood cells can be detected in the analysis.
Calcium oxalate in the urine of a woman should be in the range of 228-626 micromol / day, for a man - 228-683 micromol / day. Additional research may be necessary with an X-ray of the kidneys, urography, ultrasound examination of the kidneys.
How to pass urine for oxalates?
Before taking the test, you can not eat beets, carrots, as well as products that affect the color of urine. A prerequisite is the purity of the external genital organs before collection. Women cannot be tested during critical days.
The first morning urination is not taken into account, only his time is noted. Throughout 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, about 200 milliliters are poured into a separate dish and delivered to the laboratory. On the container, you need to stick a label and indicate the daily amount of urine.
How to treat?
If calcium oxalate is detected in the urine, the doctor prescribes a diet. It is necessary to exclude meat, fish, mushroom broths, hot seasonings, smoked meats, salted products, and preservation from the diet. In addition, you need to limit the use of foods such as sorrel, spinach, beets, citruses, strawberries, nuts, beans, chocolate. Tea and coffee should not be abused.
During 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 preparations of magnesium, vitamin B6. To prevent the crystallization of oxalates in the urine, you need a plentiful drink. Dissolution of salts is facilitated by infusions and decoctions of knotweed, dill, strawberry leaf, horsetail, etc.
Of the traditional methods of treatment, it is useful to consume carrot juice in a tablespoon three times a day for several months. Rowan juice (3 tbsp. L. Three times a day half an hour before meals) is also no less effective for a month. It helps in the treatment of parsley juice mixed with honey (2 tbsp. L. Three times a day before meals).
Regular exercise is helpful. Running, walking, jumping contribute to the removal of small stones, sand.
Depending on what the urinalysis shows, medication with potassium citrate or sodium citrate, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial drugs may be needed. When an infection is attached, antibiotics and sulfonamides are necessary (Ceftriaxone, Biseptol, Sulfadimethoxin preparations). 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, Platifillin, Papaverin). Severe cases with symptoms of renal colic are treated with surgery.
Prevention
A balanced diet will help prevent an increase in the content of oxalates in the urine. The diet should be fortified with foods that contain magnesium. It is useful to eat oatmeal, buckwheat, millet porridge, dried fruits, wholemeal bread. The elimination of oxalic acid is promoted by the use of grapes, quinces, pears, which are useful both fresh and in the form of a decoction.
If 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 health will save you from unpleasant consequences.