Can I drink more water if I have hydronephrosis?

Patients with hydronephrosis should not drink too much water, but they cannot completely restrict water intake. They need to adjust their water intake according to their condition and doctor's advice to avoid increasing the burden on the kidneys or causing dehydration. Generally speaking, controlling the amount of water, reducing high-salt diet and actively treating the primary disease are important measures to improve hydronephrosis.

1. What is hydronephrosis and the importance of drinking enough water

Hydronephrosis is a pathological condition in which urine accumulates in the renal pelvis and calyces due to obstruction of urine excretion. This obstruction may be caused by urinary stones, tumors, inflammation or congenital abnormalities. For patients with hydronephrosis, drinking too much water may increase the pressure on the kidneys and further worsen the condition. However, completely restricting water intake may lead to dehydration and affect the body's normal metabolism. Drinking the right amount of water is crucial for patients with hydronephrosis to avoid excessive urine production and maintain metabolic balance.

2. How to control the amount of water you drink

The specific amount of water to drink depends on the patient's condition.

For patients with mild hydronephrosis: Daily water intake can be appropriately reduced to between 1500-2000 ml, adjusted according to urine color, keeping urine light yellow;

For patients with impaired renal function and obvious hydronephrosis: they need to strictly control their water intake according to the doctor's advice, which may be reduced by 50% compared to usual;

People who are bedridden for a long time or have limited mobility: Consult a doctor to calculate the total amount of fluid needed per day and include the water content of food in the total amount.

3. Diet and lifestyle adjustments

In addition to adjusting the amount of water you drink, you also need to adjust your diet and lifestyle habits:

Reduce salt intake: A high-salt diet will increase urine production and cause kidney burden. Patients with hydronephrosis should avoid high-sodium foods such as pickled foods, canned foods, etc., and control daily salt intake to less than 5 grams;

Stay away from sugary drinks: Sugary or carbonated drinks increase urinary calcium excretion, which may form urinary stones and further increase the risk of hydronephrosis. It is recommended to choose purified water or low-mineral water;

Avoid holding urine: Holding urine will increase the pressure on the bladder and kidneys, increase the risk of urinary tract infection, and aggravate hydronephrosis. It is recommended to urinate in time.

Adjust body position: If urinary tract obstruction causes severe water accumulation in one kidney, changing body position can help urine discharge.

4. The key to treating hydronephrosis

There are many causes of hydronephrosis, and it is difficult to fundamentally alleviate the condition by simply regulating water intake. Depending on the specific cause, treatment methods include:

Drug treatment: For hydronephrosis caused by inflammation, antibiotics such as cephalosporins and antispasmodics such as tolterodine can be used in combination with treatment;

Surgical treatment: Severe obstruction or caused by stones, tumors, etc. should be treated with surgical intervention, such as laparoscopic surgery to remove stones, urinary tract dilation, etc.

Stent or drainage: Ureteral stents or nephrostomy tubes are implanted to help urine drainage and maintain kidney function.

Patients with hydronephrosis should pay attention to disease management. Drinking water in moderation combined with active treatment can alleviate symptoms and prevent the disease from worsening. Making scientific adjustments under the guidance of a doctor is the key to ensuring the stability of the disease. Drinking water should be appropriate and should not be increased or decreased arbitrarily.