Do you have a kidney stone? Do you know anyone who does? If you do, you know that kidney stones can be painful and take a lot of time to pass out. Now, if you’re thinking that you can’t have sex while suffering from a kidney stone, think again! This is a common question that we get asked by many of you. It’s a good question, but the answer is a bit complicated, and different views over the internet have made it more confusing. So in this article, we will clarify everything and let you know if you can have sex with a kidney stone or not.
In This Article
What are Kidney Stones?
A kidney stone is a hard, painful lump that forms in your kidney. It’s usually about the size of a pea and can range in color from white to brown to yellow. Kidney stones are caused by a urine buildup of minerals or other substances. The most common type of stone, known as calcium oxalate, forms when the body produces too much calcium and not enough oxalic acid. Calcium and oxalic acid are both necessary for the formation of healthy bones and teeth. If the amount of calcium in the urine is high, the body will produce more oxalic acid. The calcium combines with oxalic acid to form a solid stone. Kidney stones are most likely to occur during periods of increased calcium intake, such as after a heavy meal, when the kidneys are working hard to get rid of the extra calcium.
The kidney stones pass through your system. You usually can’t feel or hear the stones moving around in your body, but you can see them on an x-ray or ultrasound. If you have kidney stones, you might feel a sharp pain in your lower back, abdomen, or side.
How Does Your Kidney Stone Form?
If you are familiar with kidney stones, then you have probably thought of what causes them and their symptoms. If not, let us help you understand the basics of this condition. Kidney stones are tiny hard deposits that form in the kidneys and are commonly called renal calculi. They are crystals made up mostly of calcium, oxalate, phosphate, uric acid, cystine, and occasionally amino acids. This is why there is so much variety in the composition of a given stone. But most stones contain all of these components. There are several types of stones, and the cause of their formation is dependent on their composition.
Kidney stones can either be caused by a diet low in magnesium, a lack of vitamin D, a medical condition called cystinuria, too much cystine in the urine, or other factors. There is no single cause that explains how kidney stones form. They occur because of complex interactions among many factors, including diet, genetics, gender, environment, and other factors.
What Is The Treatment For Kidney Stones?
Most commonly, kidney stones pass out from the body through urine, especially when they are ting and small. Even some doctors recommend a special diet with a high fluid intake. In contrast, others say to drink plenty of fluids (water, broth, and fruit juices) to dilute the concentration of calcium oxalate crystals so they can pass away easily and also to prevent kidney stones. Generally, the treatments for a kidney stone depend on its size and position in the body.
The problem is that if a kidney stone becomes too large, it can cause serious damage to the kidneys and other organs. If left untreated, kidney stones can continue to grow and eventually become life-threatening. However, there are several ways to treat kidney stones in such conditions, which include surgery, X-ray or shock wave lithotripsy (SWL), ureteroscopy, and medications. However, it’s best to seek a doctor’s help as soon as possible so that treatment can begin immediately.
Is it Safe to Have Sex During Kidney Stone?
If we see medically their’s no issues in having sex with kidney stones. Even a study has revealed that sex helps in flushing out the kidney stone from the body as they examined 90 men with kidney stones. To study, they divided the men into 3 groups to perform assigned tasks for 2 weeks, of which Group 1 was assigned to have sexual intercourse 3-4 times a week, and Group 2 was assigned to have Tamsulosin medication, whereas Group 3 was assigned to take standard medication therapies.
After completion of 2 weeks, the result claimed that group 1 had a higher number of successful results than the other 2 groups. Also, it was noted that the period for passing of stone out of the body in group 1 was around 10 days compared to 16 and 18 days in groups 2 & 3, respectively. The following study showed the good effect of sex on kidney stones, and even though we can have sex with kidney stones, there’s no harm in it, except sometimes it can be painful. {1}
Do Kidney Stones Cause Pain During Sex?
There is no known cause for pain during sex, but if you suffer from kidney stones, there is a chance that they could be the culprit. Kidney stones cause pain during sex because kidney stones travel down your body via the ureter and the bladder. If a kidney stone travels into the bladder, it will make its way up the urethra and out the tip of the penis. This could result in a burning sensation. In extreme cases, the stone could pass through the urethra and cause problems with urine flow.
Although there’s no medical proof that kidney stones cause pain during sex, but there are some possible explanations. One theory states that stones form when a stone-forming chemical combines with an acid that is naturally present in urine, causing the stone to harden and stick to the walls of the urinary tract. Another explanation for the pain associated with kidney stones is that when the stones move through the urinary system, they rub against the ureters and many more other theories.
The Final Word:
In conclusion, a kidney stone is a hard piece of mineral that forms in your kidney, which is a major part of your urinary system. Most kidney stones are not dangerous but can cause pain and discomfort. However, kidney stones can cause pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, and back pain. Yet as studies say, one of the best ways to get rid of small size kidney stones is getting sexually involved; although it can be a little bit painful, but having sex 3-4 times a week can highly make the chances of extraction of kidney stone from the body in around 10-12 days.
I guess now you aren’t confused about having sex with a kidney stone, it can be painful and discomforting, but according to experts and studies, it is very impactful in dealing with small kidney stones. Share it with your friends and family who may have a kidney stone so they can also know the impact of sex on kidney stones.
Reference:
{1} Sexual Intercourse Alternate Therapy for Kidney Stone: National Library of Medicine(2015)