Alcohol and Kidney Stones

What is Alcoholism?

Many people know that drinking can negatively affect your body, but there are few people who know about the connection between alcohol and kidney stones.

Many people who struggle with alcoholism have problems with kidney stones due to the damaging effects that this substance can have on one’s health.

While some kidney stones can be relatively small, they can also grow to be exceptionally large.

No matter how big they are, kidney stones create several extremely uncomfortable side effects.

Understanding Alcohol and Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are crystals that form from certain minerals in your urine because there is not enough water to dilute them.

So, what is the connection between alcohol and kidney stones?

While alcohol does not create kidney stones, it does lead to changes in your body that make you more likely to develop them. It generally happens because alcohol makes you dehydrated, concentrating the crystals in your urine. These crystals then clump together, forming kidney stones.

Even tiny stones can cause symptoms, including:

• Blood in your urine
• Fever
• Nausea
• Severe lower back or stomach pain
• Cloudy or smelly urine
• Chills

If a kidney stone gets large enough to cause a blockage, these symptoms can become much worse. When it comes to alcohol and kidney stones, you should see your doctor immediately if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms. In fact, there are even noninvasive ways doctors find and treat kidney stones.

However, if kidney stones are left untreated, they can turn into a form of chronic kidney disease.

Effects and Abuse of Alcohol

Alcoholism is one of the most common addictions in the United States today.

An estimated 14 million Americans suffer from a drinking problem and about 95,000 people die each year from an alcohol-related illness.

For decades, doctors have been researching the negative effects that alcoholism has on your body. It can cause heart problems, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and heart attacks.

Another common issue in alcoholics is liver damage, which includes cirrhosis, fibrosis, and alcoholic hepatitis. If left untreated, alcoholic hepatitis leads to cell death in the liver, which can only be treated through a liver transplant.

Alcoholism also weakens your immune system, which makes you more susceptible to colds, the flu, and pneumonia.

The most severe risk of alcoholism is cancer. People with long-term alcohol abuse issues have a higher risk of developing throat, esophageal, colon, or breast cancer.

Mental Illness and Alcoholism

Some people have what is called a dual diagnosis, where they suffer from a mental illness along with alcohol abuse issues. This usually happens because drinking is a way for them to self-medicate whatever mental illness they are experiencing — whether that is anxiety, depression, PTSD, or another mental disorder.

Alcohol is a depressant. If you already struggle with depression and anxiety, alcohol makes these issues much worse.

Alcohol affects your sleep quality, making it harder for you to feel well-rested and can change your moods and behaviors at any given time. It also makes it harder to think clearly and can make you more violent and more likely to start conflicts. As a result, these issues can cause tension and even permanent damage to the relationships you have with your friends and family members.

How to Tell if You Have a Drinking Problem

The warning signs of alcoholism are sometimes challenging to notice.

Maybe a friend or loved one has expressed concern about your drinking. Maybe you have started to notice some negative effects on your health as a result of your drinking.

If you are wondering if you have alcohol use disorder, there are some signs to look for, including:

• You cannot control how much you drink.
• You crave alcohol when you are not drinking.
• You start to give up things and activities you used to love doing to drink instead.
• You feel the need to keep drinking more and more to keep your buzz going.
• You are spending a lot of money on alcohol.
• You are behaving differently after drinking, perhaps you are having random angry outbursts or extreme periods of sadness.
• You spend a lot of time drinking and recovering from hangovers.
• When you try to stop drinking, you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms, such as shakiness, nausea, sweating, or depression.

This may seem like a lot of information to take in all at once. However, thinking about how alcohol is affecting your health and wellness is the first step in deciding whether or not you need treatment for your alcoholism.

Treatment

When it comes to alcohol and kidney stones, it is critical to seek treatment for both issues as quickly as you can.

Kidney stones are usually easy to treat when caught early.

For your alcoholism, we also have many alcohol rehab treatment options available for you.

At Emerald Isle Health & Recovery, we combine medically-backed medications and therapy for our patients based on their level of alcohol abuse.

The different medications we often use during the treatment process for alcoholism include Disulfiram, Naltrexone, and Acamprosate. These medications help to ease your withdrawal symptoms and side effects, block the ability for you to feel drunk, and reduce your cravings for alcohol.

The second part of your treatment will be therapy, which will help you change the habits that led to your drinking. There are a few different types of treatment available most commonly used is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This type of therapy helps you identify the emotions and thoughts that lead to your drinking. It also teaches you ways to manage stress and avoid situations that trigger your alcoholism.

Payment Information

Do you want treatment but are worried about how you can pay for it? We have a team of financial professionals who provide free insurance verification. We will work with you to determine how to move forward with the treatment in a way that works for you and your financial situation.

How to Get Help Today

Are you or a loved one suffering from addiction?

At Emerald Isle Health & Recovery, we understand how difficult it can be to give up an addiction because, with long-term use, the mind is continuously remembering the euphoric feelings.

Our dedicated team customizes a treatment plan to help you rediscover natural euphoria.

Our goal is for you to leave Emerald Isle Health & Recovery with mental fortitude and coping skills to maintain lifelong sobriety.

Call Emerald Isle Health & Recovery at 855-613-0620 to schedule an appointment.

Make a fresh start with us today.