Kidney stones?!

Kidney stones?

how do you prevent, what are the causes of and are there any remedys to dissolve them or make them easier to pass thru your system?

What is a kidney stone?

One in every 20 people develop a kidney stone at some point in their life. A kidney stone is a hard mineral and crystalline material formed within the kidney or urinary tract. Kidney stones are a common cause of blood in the urine and pain in the abdomen, flank, or groin. Kidney stones are sometimes called renal calculi.

The condition of having kidney stones is termed nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis. (Nephrolithiasis literally means kidney stone-itis while urolithiasis means urinary stone-itis.)

What causes kidney stones?

Kidney stones form when there is a decrease in urine volume or an excess of stone-forming substances in the urine. The most common type of kidney stone contains calcium in combination with either oxalate or phosphate. Other chemical compounds that can form stones in the urinary tract include uric acid and the amino acid cystine.

Dehydration through reduced fluid intake or strenuous exercise without adequate fluid replacement increases the risk of kidney stones. Obstruction to the flow of urine can also lead to stone formation. Kidney stones associated with infection in the urinary tract are known as struvite or infection stones.

Men are especially likely to develop kidney stones, and whites get them more often than African American. The prevalence of kidney stones begins to rise when men reach their 40s and continues to climb into their 70s. People who have already had more than one kidney stone are prone to develop more stones.

How can kidney stones be prevented?

Rather than having to undergo treatment, it is best to avoid kidney stones in the first place. Drink more water. (The National Institutes of Health recommend drinking up to 12 full glasses of water a day, if you’ve already had a kidney stone.) Water helps to flush away the substances that form stones in the kidneys.