The scan revealed both kidneys were nearly filled with hundreds of tiny stones. “They were packed together like corn kernels,” Luc said Wednesday.

The patient, an IT engineer from Phu Tho Province, frequently stayed up late, substituted sugary drinks for water, and led a sedentary lifestyle. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with kidney stones after experiencing abdominal pain and painful urination.

However, he neglected treatment and continued his sleeping and dining habits. Recently, he began experiencing prolonged fatigue and was diagnosed with severe kidney failure due to massive stone accumulation. After a provincial hospital refused surgery, he sought treatment at E Hospital.

Dr. Luc said the patient’s poor lifestyle had caused kidney deterioration at a young age. Prolonged sitting and lack of exercise reduced the kidneys’ ability to eliminate waste. Sleep deprivation disrupted biological rhythms and impaired blood filtration. Coupled with low water intake, these factors made his urine highly concentrated, creating an ideal environment for crystal formation and stone buildup.

Doctors performed lithotripsy and extracted hundreds of tiny stones from his kidneys.

This case is not unique.

Dr. Luc once treated an 18-year-old girl whose numerous stones blocked her ureter, causing severe kidney inflammation that Luc described as “almost turning to stone.”

The girl experienced lower back pain and nausea. Tests confirmed severe nephritis due to ureteral stones obstructing urine flow. Though previously healthy, she had long relied on instant noodles instead of rice, was addicted to milk tea, and rarely drank water. The doctor called this a “toxic combination” for kidney health.

“Instant noodles are high in salt, preservatives, and additives — creating a heavy burden on the kidneys,” Luc explained.

“Milk tea can also overwork the kidneys due to its high sugar, trans fat, and artificial flavor content,” he said, adding that insufficient water intake reduces kidney filtration, allowing mineral residue to accumulate and form stones.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine noted in a 2018 study that about 1%–19.1% of the Asian population suffer from urolithiasis. The prevalence is 5%–19.1% in West Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and some developed countries (South Korea and Japan), but only 1%–8% in most parts of East Asia and North Asia.

In Vietnam alone, 2–12% of the population are estimated to have urinary stones, with kidney stones accounting for about 40% of these cases. The disease often progresses silently, detected only after complications arise when kidneys may already be severely damaged.

At a 2023 conference in HCMC, Samuel Vincent G. Yrastorza, President of the ASEAN Federation of Urological Associations, noted that Southeast Asia’s geography, tropical climate, genetics, and living conditions contribute to high rates of urological diseases, including kidney stones.

Speaking at the event, Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health, said prostate cancer ranks 11th in Vietnam, with nearly 4,000 new cases, and 13th in mortality rates. This is mostly linked to high-sodium diets, sedentary lifestyles, urinary infections, or metabolic disorders.

Doctors warn that younger individuals now comprise a growing proportion of kidney stone cases. Hospitals have reported patients in their 20s, even children, with kidneys filled with stones. Office workers, gamers, and students cramming for exams who sit all day, eat fast food, and drink sugary beverages instead of water are particularly at risk.

Experts recommend consuming 2–3 liters of water per day to maintain kidney health. Chronic dehydration increases urine concentration, promoting crystal formation and stone development. Additionally, the common habit among office workers of holding in urine allows bacteria to grow, increasing the risk of kidney infection and stone formation.

Besides lifestyle factors, urinary tract abnormalities, calcium metabolism disorders, urine pH changes, genetics, hot working environments, and untreated limestone-contaminated water, especially in rural areas, contribute to kidney stone formation.

Symptoms of kidney stones often include vague back pain, nausea, painful urination, or blood in urine. Many patients are diagnosed only after stones cause blockages, kidney swelling, fluid retention, or irreversible kidney failure.