Poor lifestyle fuels surge in women suffering kidney stones

Smoking, drinking and a poor diet are behind the rise in the number of women needing treatment for kidney stones, an expert has said.

Noor Buchholz, a urology consultant at Barts and the London NHS Trust, said: “Five years ago, we treated 400 women a year for kidney stones [at Barts] – in the last year, that figure increased dramatically to 800.

“We’ve had to expand our services to cope with the number of people requiring treatment and it doesn’t show any sign of slowing down.”

Mr Buchholz was speaking on the eve of the European Section of Urolithiasis (EULIS) Stone Conference, being held at Barts.

The stone-like lumps, which can develop in one or both kidneys and can be very painful, tend to be more common in men and mostly affect people aged 30 to 60.

Common symptoms include intense pain in the back or side of the abdomen, feeling restless or sick and blood in the urine.

A high temperature, burning sensation when urinating and going to the toilet more often are also signs.

Kidney stones may not always be due to a single cause, although too much meat and salt might be to blame. A sedentary lifestyle and excessive smoking and drinking are also risk factors.

Mr Buchholz said: “There is no doubt in my mind that the increase in poor lifestyle choices, including smoking and drinking, among women is the key reason we are treating so many more of them.”