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Q: Several months ago I had a kidney stone removed. How can I prevent future kidney stones from forming?

A: In today’s culture you are ten times more likely to have kidney stones then at the turn of the 19th century, men and woman in today’s culture need to take preventative measures. Kidney stones are considered a urologic disorder that is very painful. Most kidney stone cases are preventable. Kidney stones are crystallized build ups of minerals like calcium and oxalic acid; these are your most common stones. Kidney stones can also be made up of uric acid and other minerals and amino acids. Since you passed a stone recently your doctor could tell you what the stone was comprised of by giving you a breakdown of the stones contents so you can form a prevention plan. There are general changes in your diet which can be beneficial no matter what the kidney stone was made of. Reduce your consumption of dairy products and animal proteins. Diets high in both of these products lead to an increased risk of kidney stones. To increase the absorption of calcium and reduce the risk of calcium stones one should consume a magnesium supplement which helps the body absorb calcium, magnesium can also have a relaxing effect on the body. Finding sources of calcium that are from green vegetables will help prevent calcium stones as well. Also, reduce the amount of refined foods you eat and replace them with whole grains and raw foods like un-cooked fruits and vegetables.

Most importantly, kidney stones form because the bladder isn’t emptied completely so it’s very important to drink plenty of liquid through out the day to help prevent stones. By drinking at least two quarts of liquid each day of purified water, juice or tea, your body will be able to flush your bladder more effectively eliminating those dreaded kidney stones. Recently, vitamin A deficiency has been linked to kidney stones as well, by eating lots of carrots, yams, peaches, and cantaloupe or supplementing with vitamin A in the form of Retinyl Palmitate or beta carotene can help reduce the risk or kidney stones. Several manufactures of Natural vitamin supplements offer kidney stone formulas you might look into as well to help ease existing pain or prevent future stones.

Kidney stones risk can also be reduced by consuming juniper berries or adding lemon juice to your water. Lemon juice helps prevent crystallization in the kidneys. Teas such as thyme tea and knotgrass tea are good for dissolving mineral build-up in the kidneys as well.

If you suspect that you’re at risk for kidney stones, a life style change in diet works the best as a preventative measure. The simplest life style change you can make is drinking more liquids, pure water is best. Drink at least two quarts of water every twenty four hours. If you have a family history of kidney stones, your family doctor can perform blood tests to see if you are at risk and help you determine what factors to change in your diet to reduce your risk. Stop into your local health food store or shop online for supplements like magnesium and kidney cleanses.

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Kidney stones are solid accumulations of material that form in the tubal system of the kidney. Kidney stones cause problems when they block the flow of urine through or out of the kidney. When the stones move along the ureter, they cause severe pain.

Kidney stones probably aren?t caused by a diet too high in dairy products. Even though the stones are made from calcium, research shows that a diet high in calcium actually decreases your risk of forming them.

Causes and symptoms

Kidney stones can be composed of a variety of substances. The most common types of kidney stones include:

Calcium stones. About 80% of all kidney stones fall into this category. These stones are composed of either calcium and phosphate, or calcium and oxalate. People with calcium stones may have other diseases that cause them to have increased blood levels of calcium. These diseases include primary parathyroidism, sarcoidosis, hyperthyroidism, renal tubular acidosis, multiple myeloma, hyperoxaluria, and some types of cancer. A diet heavy in meat, fish, and poultry can cause calcium oxalate stones.

Struvite is the name given to the crystal composed of Magnesium, Ammonium, and Phosphate. (Struvite is also occasionally referred to as ?Triple Phosphate? due to an old erroneous belief that the phosphate ion was bonded to 3 positive ions instead of just magnesium and ammonium.) Struvite crystals are not unusual in normal urine and are usually of no consequence but when the are present in very large amounts, they can form stones.

Heredity: Some people are more susceptible to forming kidney stones, and heredity certainly plays a role. The majority of kidney stones are made of calcium, and hypercalciuria (high levels of calcium in the urine), is a risk factor. The predisposition to high levels of calcium in the urine may be passed on from generation to generation. Some rare hereditary diseases also predispose some people to form kidney stones.

Cystine stones are yellow and crystalline. They develop if you have high levels of cystine in your urine, which happens if you have a hereditary disorder called cystinuria. Only one in a hundred kidney stones are caused by this condition. Cystine stones tend to develop earlier in life than other kidney stones, usually between the ages of 10 and 30 years.

Sudden spasms of excruciating pain (renal or uteric colic) – this usually starts in the back below the ribs, before radiating around the abdomen, and sometimes to the groin and genitalia

Natural Treatment for Kidney Stones

Small stones that aren’t causing symptoms, obstruction, or an infection usually don’t need to be treated. Drinking plenty of fluids increases urine production and helps wash out some stones; once a stone is passed, no other immediate treatment is needed. The pain of renal colic may be relieved with narcotic analgesics.

Eat a whole foods diet that contains leafy green vegetables, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fish and poultry in small portions. Include foods that have a high ratio of magnesium to calcium such as brown rice, bananas, oats, barley, and soy, and that are high in fiber such as oat bran, psyllium seed husk, and flaxseed meal.

Avoid sugar (check ingredients for hidden sources of sugar), alcohol, antacids, excessive protein, dairy products (especially milk), salt, carbonated beverages, caffeine, and refined white flour products such as pasta, white bread, and baked goods.

Drinking lots of water (two and a half to three litres per day) and staying physically active are often enough to move a stone out of the body. However, if there is infection, blockage, or a risk of kidney damage, a stone should always be removed.

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Living a healthy life is keeping away from any kidney stones disease. This is not accomplished overnight but by maintaining healthy eating habits and healthy lifestyle in order to avoid it.

Kidney stones are formed when the mineral deposits in the body hardened in the kidney. There is the inability of the kidney to filter waste products in the blood and dissolve them completely. In the process, these waste materials crystallize and become kidney stones.

Eating the right foods plays an important factor. Limit food intakes that are high in salt, sugar, vegetable protein, fats, meat, unrefined carbohydrates and oxalates like nuts and chocolates.

The following are the different kidney stones:

1. Calcium stones – They account for 75 to 85 percent of kidneys stones due to the build-up of calcium with carbonate, oxalate and phosphate. Prevalent in men.

2. Uric Acid stones – The cause is excessive uric acid and present in 5 to 10 percent. Men are mostly affected.

3. Struvite stones – Affected are women with urinary tract infection with 10 to 15 percent kidney stones possibility. Arise when calcium, magnesium and ammonium phosphate are combined.

4. Cystine stones – Caused by the combination of lysine, arginine and ornithine and 1 percent present in people with cystinuria. Cystinuria is the insufficient tubular reabsorption of a type of amino acids in the kidney.

The kidney is supposed to maintain substantial amounts of water in the urine to eliminate waste products. Otherwise, uric acid, oxalate and calcium will crystallize, forming into kidney stones.

Kidney stones may form due to insufficient fluid intake, reduced volume in urine, dehydration, high uric acid/calcium/oxalate, reflux, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and even genetic abnormalities.

Small kidney stones may already be situated in the tube that passes from the kidney to the bladder Pain now is already intense in the lower back side.Thus, proper diagnosis which includes physical examination, medical history, imaging and laboratory tests will be required.

Treatment will vary from the type and size of stone, evidence of urinary tract infection, cause and recurrence of condition. Smaller stones can be treated by alpha blockers due to its ability to relax the muscle tension in the ureter.

It is best to pass the stone naturally via the urine for collection and analysis. The analysis of the stone will help prevent the recurrence of the formation of the stone. If the kidney stones are not removed from the ureter within 30 days, surgery will be the last resort.

A urologist will have the option to remove the stones by:

1. Ureteroscopy – A telescopic instrument is inserted in the urethra through the bladder all the way to the ureter where the stone is located. A laser or similar device is used to break up the stone.

2. Lithotripsy – This is used to break small kidney stones by using a machine, instrument or probe so that it will pass naturally. Not applicable to persons with other medical conditions and those with very large stones. Treatment requires more than one hour and patients are sedated with the use of general or regional anesthesia. More than one treatment is needed.

a. Ultrasonic lithotripsy – High frequency sound waves are used and the fragments are removed surgically.

b. Electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) -  A flexible probe is used to break stones with shock waves from electricity.

c. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) – Kidney stones are pulverized from outside the body with the use of highly focused impulses.

3. Percutaneous Nephrostolithotomy (PCN) – This is a surgical operation that directly removes the stones from the kidney.

4. Open surgery- Extraction of the stone by making an incision at the patient’s back.

As a prevention, it is always best to eat the right foods and maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to avoid kidney stones disease. Visiting our doctor regularly will pre-empt the worsening of it.

Alvin Hopkinson is a leading health researcher in the area of natural remedies and kidney stone removal. Discover how you can get rid of your kidney stones for good using proven home remedies, all without using harmful medications or drugs. Visit his site now at http://www.nomorekidneystone.com

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Kidney stones are made of salts and minerals in the urine that stick together to form small “pebbles.” They are usually painless while they remain in the kidney, but they can cause severe pain as they break loose and travel through narrow tubes (ureters) to exit the body during urination. The kidneys are the master chemists of the body. Normally, there are two of them, one on either side of the spine under the lower ribs. They are reddish brown in colour and shaped like kidney beans. Each kidney is about the size of your clenched fist.

Kidney stones form when the components of urine ? fluid and various minerals and acids ? are out of balance. When this happens, your urine contains more crystal-forming substances, such as calcium and uric acid, than the available fluid can dilute. At the same time, your urine may be short of substances that keep crystals from sticking together and becoming stones. Kidney stones are also prone to develop in highly acidic or highly alkaline urine.

A kidney stone develops when substances in urine form crystals that stick together and grow in size. In most cases, these crystals are removed from the body by the flow of urine, but they sometimes stick to the lining of the kidney or settle in places where the urine flow fails to carry them away. These crystals may gather and grow into a stone, ranging in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball.

Diet plays an important role in the development of kidney stones, especially in patients who are predisposed to the condition. A diet high in sodium, fats, meat, and sugar, and low in fiber, vegetable protein, and unrefined carbohydrates increases the risk for renal stone disease. Recurrent kidney stones may form in patients who are sensitive to the chemical byproducts of animal protein and who consume large amounts of meat.

Calcium Stones: people who form this type of stone either have too much of one type of three chemicals in their urine, or not enough of another. In particular, they have either too much calcium, oxalate, or urate in their urine, or too little citrate. Eating too much salt may cause too much calcium to stay in the urine A few patients will have kidney stones from overproduction of the calcium controlling hormone, parathormone. Drinking milk does not cause kidney stones.

Uric acid stones: These stones are formed of uric acid, a byproduct of protein metabolism. You’re more likely to develop uric acid stones if you eat a high-protein diet. Gout also leads to uric acid stones. Certain genetic factors and disorders of the blood-producing tissues also may predispose you to the condition.

Struvite Stones: This type of stone, also called an infection stone, develops when a urinary tract infection (e.g., bladder infection) affects the chemical balance of the urine. Bacteria in the urinary tract release chemicals that neutralize acid in the urine, which enables bacteria to grow more quickly and promotes struvite stone development.

Struvite stones are more common in women because they have urinary tract infections more often. The stones usually develop as jagged structures called “staghorns” and can grow to be quite large.

Cystine stones are formed by a build-up of cystine, combining with lysine, arginine and ornithine. Cystine stones account for 1 percent of all stones and are found in persons suffering from a hereditary disorder called cystinuria. Cystinuria occurs as a result of the kidney tubules not reabsorbing certain amino acids adequately. Cystine stones occur in both men and women equally.

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It?s interesting to note that kidney stones compositions vary, each leading to a specific distinction on how each main composition amass to form into a kidney stone. Basically, all kidney stones start with a nucleus of crystal substances. This nucleus if dissolved in a soluble form of urine can easily be excreted or washed out of the kidney. If not, that is where the problem begins.

The crystalline nucleus will combine with other insoluble or oxalates coming from the dietary intake of a person. The more oxalate produced or strained by the kidney from the bloodstream the more the nucleus will likely snowball into a bigger form, which will now be called a kidney stone. The kidney stone composition will depend on the type of oxalate concentration it contains, namely calcium, uric acid, amino acid, and magnesium 

Types of Kidney Stones and their Composition

Calcium Kidney Stones

It is estimated that about 75 to 85% of all kidney stones are calcium stones. The concentration of calcium oxalates in the body is found in the urine, which will meet minute crystalline substances that attach themselves on the side of the kidney tubule. As the calcium oxalates float in the urine, they will combine with the crystals until they eventually form into a kidney stone.

Calcium ingested as a dietary substance may decrease the risks of calcium stones, because the oxalates can be dissolved or discharged by the intestine. It will no longer be carried by the bloodstream to the kidney to meet with crystal nucleus, thus, preventing the occurrence of calcium kidney stones. Intakes of caffeine have been proven to increase the risk of urinary calcium. Caffeine drinkers should therefore increase water intakes.

Uric Acid Kidney Stones

Quite surprisingly it is said that uric acid kidney stones are uncommon, representing only 5 to 8% of all kidney stones. It stems from high levels of uric acid in the bloodstream, which will meet with other insoluble acids in the urine, thus forming into uric acid kidney stones. What makes the kidney stones distinct is that the stones will find a way to lodge themselves in between the joints of the individual causing the disorder called gout. Hence, the association of kidney stones with gout pains.

The increase in levels of uric acid is attributed to excessive purine intake, which produces uric acid. Hence, persons with high uric levels are required to reduce meat intakes and increase alkaline rich fruits and vegetable consumption.

Cystine Stones

Cystine stones account for only less than one percent of all kidney stones because it stems from the body?s genetic disability to transport amino acid. The insoluble amino acids will combine with the crystal nucleus and form into cystine kidney stones and develop into a disease called cystinuria.

Taking in plenty of water to keep the urine soluble to prevent the amino acid oxalates from combining with the crystals is the best prevention. Special diets of food containing amino acids should be observed since it is not recommended to eliminate amino acid totally from the system. Amino acid plays an important role in tissue growth to keep our hair and skin healthy.

Struvite Stones

Struvite stones are commonly found in animals, particularly dogs. The formation of the stones usually originates from a urinary tract infection, which creates an imbalance of acid in the animal?s urine. The main composition of struvite stones are magnesium and ammonium phospate. Treatment may include a special dog food diet and increased water intake. 

Knowing all these kidney stone compositions can provide us with a better understanding on the type of diet we should choose, to prevent kidney stones from forming in our body.

Alvin Hopkinson is a leading health researcher in the area of natural remedies and kidney stone removal. Discover how you can get rid of your kidney stones for good using proven home remedies, all without using harmful medications or drugs. Visit his site now at http://www.nomorekidneystone.com

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Various types of crystals are found in the kidney stones. These crystals are calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, a mixture of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate and magnesium ammonium phosphate. Therefore, we can categorize these kidney stones as kidney stones calcium oxalate also.

In some cases, we can find that the scarcity of the Vitamin B6 account for higher formation and exertion of kidney stones and calcium oxalate. Also dehydration which is due to lack of water in the body, large amount of intake of Vitamin C, supplement of foods containing calcium and antacids having calcium are the main causes of the formation of the kidney stone calcium oxalate.

When there is too much exertion of uric acid that is also called as hyperuricosuria by any person cause formation of calcium stones in the urinary system of such person. If the quantity of urine is less than pH 5.5, that tend to formation of uric acid crystals and then calcium crystals start layering around these crystals to shape a calcium oxalate stone.

In the human body when pH is less than 6.0, then that cause the formation of acid in the urine by the crystal like Calcium oxalate of kidney stone. In the formation of calcium stone, Citrate is a large element. It shapes a soluble salt with calcium and slows down the shaping of crystals like calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate.

Oxalate forms an insoluble complex with calcium to develop calcium oxalate stone. High levels of oxalate in the urine, or hyperoxaluria, is even more important to stone formation than excess amounts calcium that can be termed as hypercalciuria. Calcium oxalate stones are generally caused by excess consumption of food stuff that contain high amounts of calcium. In addition, excessive intake of Vitamin C that is metabolized to oxalate may lead to hyperoxaluria and an increase in stone formation.

A condition known as enteric hyperoxaluria that is often observed in bowel resections,inflammatory bowel diseases and small bowel bypass procedures. With these conditions, there is an increase in bile salt and fatty acids that combine with calcium leading to increased oxalate available for absorption. With increased intestinal absorption of oxalate, there is an increase in urinary oxalate leading to formation of calcium oxalate stones. These patients have low urinary magnesium and citrate due to chronic metabolic acidosis caused by chronic diarrhea. These factors are mainly responsible for calcium oxalate kidney stones.

The kidney stone like calcium oxalate cause the diseases of the bowel, like Crohns disease can cause more absorbtion of oxalate from the bowel and make calcium oxalate stones more likely. A rare inherited tendency to produce more oxalate (hyperoxaluria), can result in kidney stones and kidney disease in childhood and early adulthood.

If you are suffering from kidney stones caused by calcium oxalate, then limiting oxalate content in foods will help you reduce the chances of reoccurence of oxalate stones. You should stay away from excess amounts of draft beer, sweet potatoes,tofu, oranges, leafy vegetables, grapes, chocolates, berries, beets, beans, and rhubarb. You will also have to follow a strict diet regime that has been designed by your physician or dietician in order to avoid calcium oxalate kidney stones.

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Kidney Stone disease is a disorder involving hardened accumulations of mineral crystals that are deposited in the kidneys and ureters. The stones are usually small, but can vary in size from a grain of sand to the size of a golf ball. Kidney stones are quite common, affecting over 5% of Americans and more often in men than women. Recurrence of the disease is widespread and reaches as high as 50%, especially during the summer months. There are five major categories of kidney stones but calcium stones appear to be the most prevalent.

Clinical symptoms of kidney stones range from no pain if the stone is not moving to agonizing pain that has been compared to childbirth. The first sign of a kidney stone is often bloody urine or intense shooting pain in the flank region or the lower abdomen. As the stone moves down the ureter (the tiny tube that connects the kidneys to the bladder), the pain may progress to sharp cramping or become unbearable renal colic. An urge to urinate or burning on urination occurs as the tiny muscles of the ureter attempt to move the kidney stone along. Associated nausea and vomiting or a state of mild shock may be present. Steady, severe pain may be a sign that the stone has lodged. If this is accompanied by fever or chills, it may be an indication of infection and medical attention should be sought immediately.

The cause of kidney stone formation is not always obvious and usually involves a number of factors. Dehydration and a warm climate, as well as a diet high in proteins or oxalate can lead to concentrated urine and the beginning of a kidney stone. Kidney stones are also known to run in families and may be linked to a sedentary lifestyle or immobility. Active stone formers may also be suffering from an abnormality that prevents them from metabolizing calcium and oxalates.

The diagnosis of kidney stones is usually made on the basis of the location and severity of the pain, then confirmed by an x-ray or CT scan. Ultrasounds are also useful and a urinalysis or urine culture may be done to evaluate mineral levels. Blood may be drawn and a white cell count done to ensure that there is no infection present. If any stones are passed in the urine, it is important to collect them for the physician to evaluate and determine their causes.

Treatment of kidney stones is relatively uncomplicated as most stones will pass spontaneously on their own. The focus is preventing infection and minimizing the pain associated with passing the stone. Surgery may be necessary if the kidney stone is larger than 5mm, if it is blocking the flow of urine or causing an infection or if it will not pass on its own and is causing constant pain. A procedure that involves shattering the stone with shock waves is the most common intervention. For large stones, the surgeon may make a small incision in the back and remove the stone directly with a nephroscope. Open surgical procedures to remove kidney stones are reserved as a last resort because of the risk of hemorrhage.

For those who suffer from recurring kidney stones, the key focus should be prevention. Prevention of kidney stones is the best cure and may involve dietary or lifestyle changes. An adequate fluid intake of at least 6-8 glasses of water daily is imperative to wash out minerals and prevent kidney stones from forming. Other preventative strategies include adopting a diet low in protein and sodium, as well as avoiding oxalate-rich foods. It is also important to maintain a diet adequate in dairy foods and calcium. Contrary to what was once thought, recent research has proven that a diet high in calcium may actually help prevent kidney stone formation. Last, thiazide diuretics may be prescribed to increase urine formation and flush the body of any accumulating mineral salts.

Although they can still be painful, kidney stones are no longer the dreaded disease they once were. Most patients have very good prognoses and excellent outcomes. The advance of technology and the focus on prevention has greatly reduced the cost and pain of having kidney stones.

Disclaimer: This information presented should not be interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Talk to your doctor for more information about kidney stones.

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