Surge in cases of kidney stones in South

A leading surgeon has warned that a “malicious combination" of obesity, poor hydration, high blood pressure and a lack of exercise is behind a surge in cases of kidney stones.

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Who do so many people have kidney stones?

Fred and Sangeeta talked to Bhaskar Somani, Consultant, about the rise in the number of people with kidney stones.

Dramatic rise in number of kidney stone sufferers

We're drinking too much tea and fizzy drinks - and not exercising enough - and doctors in the South say THAT'S behind a dramatic rise in the number of patients suffering from kidney stones.

If you've ever had them, you'll know they are extremely painful and in some cases can go undetected for years. But Southampton General Hospital has seen admissions rise 40 percent in recent years.

The advice is - drink water - and LOTS of it. In a moment, we'll speak to the surgeon who sees hundreds of patients with kidney stones every year. But first, Christine Alsford has met one man who knows all too well the pain they cause.

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Large increase in kidney stone cases in South

Lack of exercise is one of the causes Credit: ITV

A leading surgeon has warned that a “malicious combination" of obesity, poor hydration, high blood pressure and a lack of exercise is behind a surge in cases of kidney stones.

Bhaskar Somani, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Southampton General Hospital, said admissions for renal stone treatment in England had risen by 20% over the past seven years to more than 90,000, with prevalence of up to 50% higher in obese patients.

He said poor diets and lifestyles were “fuelling” the development of the condition, with consumption of too much animal protein and levels of salt and sugar creating the “perfect environment" for stones to form.

We know diet and lifestyle can be a major cause of stones and, with a year-on-year rise in the number of hospital admissions for renal stones and growing numbers of overweight or obese adults, the potential for the number of cases to soar even higher is huge

In Southampton specifically, our numbers have gone up by 40% over the past three years and have resulted in the need for us to recruit a specialist stone nurse and registrar to see patients, as well as set-up virtual clinics by phone – so urology and stone services face a very testing future.

– Bhaskar Somani, Consultant Urological Surgeon
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