Should people with hydronephrosis avoid certain foods?

Written by Li Liu Sheng
Nephrology
Updated on December 08, 2024
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Although there are many causes leading to hydronephrosis in patients, most hydronephrosis is related to stones, meaning that hydronephrosis occurs in patients due to ureteral kidney stones. Therefore, dietary restrictions are necessary for patients with hydronephrosis in daily life.

If the hydronephrosis is caused by calcium oxalate stones, patients should avoid consuming foods that are high in calcium and oxalates, such as nuts, legumes, spinach, and beets. If the hydronephrosis is due to the formation of uric acid stones, patients should also avoid consuming excessive amounts of animal organs, such as pork liver and kidneys, avoid seafood, and try not to drink beer, as these contain a high amount of purines, which can easily lead to stone formation. Additionally, if patients with hydronephrosis also have renal insufficiency, they should follow a low-salt diet and avoid consuming particularly salty foods, including various pickles, etc.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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What is the best treatment for hydronephrosis?

The so-called hydronephrosis often occurs due to some factor blocking the urinary system, causing urine to not be excreted normally. The most common cause is urinary system stones, but it can also be due to issues like tumors or benign prostatic hyperplasia. The treatment for stones depends on the size of the stone. Stones smaller than 5 millimeters in diameter can often pass naturally. If the stone is 7 to 15 millimeters in diameter, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is typically used. If stones in the lower mid-ureter do not respond well to medication, retrograde removal under cystoscopy can also be performed. For some patients who have had a long-standing obstruction, renal function may already be impaired. If the obstruction cannot be relieved, surgeries such as creating a urinary diversion can be performed. This includes procedures like bladder fistulation, pyelostomy, or percutaneous ureterostomy, among others.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Can people with hydronephrosis drink water?

Whether patients with hydronephrosis can drink water depends on whether the hydronephrosis has been resolved. Hydronephrosis occurs due to a blockage in the urinary system, often caused by inflammation, scarring, or adhesions of the ureters, or by obstructions such as stones or tumors in the urinary tract, or possibly by an enlarged prostate, leading to the inability of the bladder to properly expel urine. In summary, when the urine produced by the kidneys cannot be properly expelled from the body, it leads to the expansion of the renal pelvis and calyces, known as hydronephrosis. Drinking water at this time can certainly aggravate the condition of hydronephrosis if the body is already struggling to expel fluids. Therefore, if this blockage remains unresolved, patients should limit their intake of fluids. However, if the obstruction is cleared and the urinary tract is smooth, allowing urine to be expelled normally, drinking water is permissible.

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Nephrology
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Is hydronephrosis serious?

Whether the condition of hydronephrosis is serious depends on various factors such as the duration of hydronephrosis, the cause, the extent of fluid accumulation, and more. For example, some patients may have mild hydronephrosis in only one kidney and it may have developed recently; generally, this condition is not very serious. Some patients might have urinary obstructions caused by urinary system stones, and the issue could be resolved using extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or surgical stone removal, making the condition not serious. However, in some cases, the cause could be bladder cancer or a tumor near the urinary system compressing the ureter, and if the tumor is difficult to remove, the hydronephrosis might be hard to manage. Long-term fluid accumulation might lead to kidney failure, and these scenarios are considered quite serious.

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How to relieve nausea caused by hydronephrosis?

Hydronephrosis with nausea can be caused by various reasons, so alleviating nausea symptoms requires specific analysis based on the specific cause. Patients with hydronephrosis often seen in hospital beds are mostly those with ureteral stones. When the stone is lodged in the ureter, the patient will experience an obstruction of urine outflow, leading to hydronephrosis. Moreover, a stone stuck in the ureter can cause renal colic, manifested as back pain, and may also be accompanied by symptoms of nausea and vomiting. In such cases, treatment methods depend on the size of the stone; if the stone is relatively small, it can often be passed naturally with increased water intake and conservative treatment. If the stone is large, it generally requires surgical removal. Hydronephrosis can also result from prolonged obstruction leading to impaired kidney function and uremia. In these situations, it's usually necessary to promptly relieve the urinary obstruction, maintain urethral patency, and, if the patient has elevated blood creatinine levels, employ dialysis or other methods to bring creatinine back to reasonable levels.

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Will hydronephrosis cause facial swelling?

In cases of hydronephrosis, it is not certain whether facial swelling will occur. Since the human body has two kidneys, the kidneys have strong compensatory capabilities. Even if one kidney is completely damaged, if the other kidney remains healthy, the remaining kidney can still perform the function of two kidneys. It can ensure sufficient excretion of water and metabolic waste. When water is sufficiently excreted, swelling should not occur. However, if both kidneys are affected by hydronephrosis, or if the opposite kidney also has problems, then the ability of the kidneys to excrete water may decrease. With both kidneys having issues, it can lead to poor and insufficient water excretion, consequently causing swelling, such as bilateral eyelids, facial areas, and both ankles.