Link Between Alcohol and Kidney Stones, Dangers & Treatment

Alcohol and Kidney Disease Symptoms

The stones are hardened mineral chunks that can develop in the kidneys. Usually, kidney stones are small enough to exit the body through urine. But if they’re too large, they may require medical aid to have them broken up or cleared. One of the first signs that alcohol impacts your kidneys is pain and tenderness around the kidneys. This pain might be experienced as a sharp, stabbing pain or a dull ache. One or both kidneys may be affected, and you may have other symptoms, including, but not limited to, the following signs and symptoms.

Kidneys and Alcohol Back Pain, Side, and Belly Aches

• Kidney stone pain is one of the most severe pains imaginable. The suffering is intense enough that more than 500,000 people visit emergency rooms yearly. As a stone goes into the thin ureter, the discomfort usually begins. This results in a blockage, which increases pressure on the kidney. Stress stimulates nerve fibers, which provide the brain with back, side, and belly pain signals.

Pain or Burning During Urination Due To Alcoholism and Kidney Disease

• As the stone reaches the junction of the bladder and the ureter, the person begins to suffer pain while peeing. Moreover, alcohol raises the acidity of urine and can aggravate the bladder’s lining. A person who drinks alcohol can become dehydrated, advancing the risk of a UTI. In addition to kidney aches, some symptoms of a UTI include pain when urinating.

Urgent Need To Go To The Toilet

• Another indicator that the stone has traveled into the lower section of your urinary system is the need to use the restroom more frequently or urgently than usual.

Blood in the Urine Due To Alcohol and Kidney Infection

• The presence of blood in the urine is a typical sign of alcohol and kidney stones problem. This condition is also known as hematuria. Pink, red, or brown blood is possible. Blood cells can be too minute to view without a microscope in some cases (microscopic hematuria), but doctors can analyze your urine to discover whether it includes blood.

Cloudy or Smelly Urine Due To Kidney Infection and Alcohol

• Healthy urine is clear or transparent and does not have a strong odor. Urine that smells bad or is hazy might suggest an infection in your kidneys or another portion of your urinary tract. According to one 2021 study, around 16% of individuals with acute renal stones had a UTI. Pyuria, or pus in the urine, is indicated by cloudiness. The odor may be caused by the bacteria that cause UTIs. Urine that is more concentrated than regular may also emit an odor. A kidney stone associated with UTI is considered a surgical urgency with or without a fever.

Alcohol and Kidney Pain, Nausea, and Vomiting

• Individuals with kidney stones frequently experience nausea and vomiting. These symptoms occur due to nerve connections between the Gastrointestinal tract and the kidneys. Kidney stones can stimulate nerves in the GI system, causing an unpleasant stomach. Nausea and vomiting can also be your body’s reaction to excruciating pain.

Chills and Fevers Due To Kidney Disease and Alcohol

• Chills and fevers are symptoms of a kidney infection or another illness in the urinary system. This is a potentially fatal consequence of a kidney stone. Apart from kidney stones, they can also be a symptom of more significant disorders. Any fever accompanied by pain needs immediate medical intervention. Fevers caused by an illness are often high — 100.4 F (38 C) or higher. Chills or shivering are common symptoms of fever.

25.8%

In 2019, 25.8% of individuals ages 18 and older (29.7% of men in this age group and 22.2% of women in this age group) declared that they committed to binge drinking in the past month.

Source: NIAAA

4%

Less than 4% of individuals with alcohol use disorder were prescribed a medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat their condition.

Source: NIAAA

Can Alcohol Cause Kidney Stones? Alcoholism and Kidney Stones

Does alcohol affect kidney stones? There is no significant evidence that alcohol directly causes kidney stones. Alcohol intake, particularly excessive alcohol consumption in which a male consumes five or more alcoholic drinks in a single session; or a woman consumes four or more alcoholic consumption in a single occasion, is associated with the development of various health issues. Kidney damage, renal failure, high blood pressure, different malignancies, compromised immune systems, mental health difficulties, social challenges, and alcohol use disorders are among the health issues (AUDs). Several of these problems hurt the renal system, either directly or indirectly.

Can you get kidney stones from drinking alcohol? Concentrated urine can develop when the body is dehydrated—a leading cause of kidney stones. Dehydration may occur when people do not consume enough water to assist the kidneys in removing waste from the blood. Kidney stones and alcohol may not be directly related. At the same time, we know that alcohol use, whether beer, spirits, or wines, can lead to dehydration, but we cannot directly correlate kidney stone formation to alcohol use and abuse.

Wine, Alcohol and Kidney Stones

Wine, in particular, seems to lower the risk of kidney stones more than a range of other alcoholic beverages when it comes to alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic, which makes our kidneys generate more urine and flush out extra fluids.

Can Beer Cause Kidney Stones?

Frequent heavy alcohol consumption significantly raises the risk of alcoholism and kidney failure. Due to their high purine content, beer and grain alcohol can lead to kidney stones. Purines are chemical substances that can result in kidney stones made of uric acid.

Alcohol and Kidney Stones & The 4 Types of Kidney Stones 

The four primary types of kidney stones disease include the following:

1. Calcium Oxalate: Most kidney stones (80%) are calcium stones. Calcium stones are classified into two types: calcium oxalate (the most common) and calcium phosphate, which may be detected on a simple x-ray. Insufficient calcium, hydration intake, and other factors may affect their development.
2. Uric Acid: This is yet another sort of kidney stone. Purines are a natural chemical component in foods such as organ meats and shellfish. High purine consumption causes an increase in the formation of monosodium urate, which can create kidney stones under certain conditions. These sorts of stones tend to develop in families.
3. Struvite: Struvite, or infectious stones, account for 6% of all kidney stones and, unlike other stones, originate in alkaline urine. Struvite stones are more common in women, newborns, and the elderly and are frequently linked to recurring bacterial urinary tract infections.
4.  Cystine: Cystine stones are the least frequent, accounting for approximately 4% of all occurrences. Cystine stones form due to a hereditary (genetic) condition caused by an excess of the amino acid cystine in the body.

What is The Best Alcohol for Kidney Stones? Alcoholism and Kidneys

Kidneys are the most vital organ of the body. They filter our blood, remove the chemical waste products and excess water, and then produce urine. Because of dehydration in the body, sometimes our urine gets concentrated, which certainly leads to the accumulation of minerals & salt, consequently forming a small crystal. Ultimately these small crystals together form a large mass called a kidney stone.

Does beer help in removing kidney stones? A few brief studies have suggested that drinking beer in moderation may aid prevent kidney stones. This is uncertain, although it might be because beer is a diuretic which aids with urination. Urination, in turn, can help remove small stones from your kidneys before they get bigger. You should never start drinking to avoid kidney dialysis and drinking alcohol problems.

While drinking enough fluids when suffering from kidney stones is essential, beer may not be the best option. This is because alcohol causes dehydration. Dehydration may cause you to hold water and urinate less, making existing stones more difficult to clear.

How Alcohol Affects the Kidneys? Kidney Stone and Alcohol

Does alcohol cause kidney stones? The answer is yes, although the damage to your kidneys is not always noticed at once. As mentioned above, kidneys serve as a body filter, removing harmful toxins from the system. Alcohol is a toxic substance mainly excreted through the kidneys and liver. Therefore, these organs suffer the most. Alcohol negatively affects the kidneys in the following ways.

Alcohol and kidneys have direct connections. Kidney disease can eventually lead to renal failure. You may then need to have frequent kidney dialysis to filter your blood and keep things balanced, or you may need to get a kidney transplant. Drinking heavily might make it difficult to qualify for a kidney transplant.

If you are struggling with alcohol use, getting an accurate assessment of all the symptoms is crucial. When a mental health professional has evaluated the symptoms, it may be determined that another form of mental condition is present and needs a particular type of treatment. Very often, some combination of psychotherapy, medication, and/or lifestyle changes are effective for coping with functional. 

Kidney Pain and Alcohol Medically-Assisted Detox

Medical detox is often considered the first stage of treatment. It will help you navigate the complicated process of alcohol withdrawal but doesn’t address patterns of thought and behavior contributing to drug use. Various treatment approaches and settings can help provide the ongoing support necessary to maintain long-term sobriety after you complete detox.

Cravings are very common during detox and can be challenging to overcome. This often leads to relapse. Constant medical care provided during inpatient rehab helps prevent relapse. Clinicians can provide the necessary medication and medical expertise to lessen cravings and the effects of withdrawals.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Drug abuse and mental health disorders often co-occur. Traumatic experiences can often result in mental health disorders and substance abuse. Dual-diagnosis rehabilitation treats both of these issues together. The best approach for the treatment of dual diagnosis is an integrated system. This strategy treats both the substance abuse problem and the mental disorder simultaneously. Regardless of which diagnosis (mental health or substance abuse problem) came first, long-term recovery will depend largely on the treatment for both disorders done by the same team or provider.

Alcohol and the Kidneys Medication-Assisted Treatments

Medication-assisted treatments (MAT) for substance use disorders and mental health disorders are commonly used in conjunction. This includes the use of medications and other medical procedures. During your rehab, the staff from your treatment facility will help you identify what caused your addiction and teach you skills that will help you change your behavior patterns and challenge the negative thoughts that led to your addiction. Sometimes, the pressures and problems in your life make you rely on substances to help you forget about them momentarily.

 If you or a loved one are struggling with long-term drug abuse and a co-occurring mental health condition such as depression, contact one of our helpful treatment specialists today. We Level Up can provide information on dual diagnosis and detox programs that may fit your needs.