Kidney stones are generally solid pieces of mineral or organic deposits that form in the kidney. Small stones may remain in the kidney, or may be passed out of the body without notice and cause few problems.
Causes of Kidney Stones
Following are the major kidney stones causes:
Defects in the general metabolism
Insufficient intake of fluids
Improper diet
Excess intake of acid-forming foods
Diets that are low in fiber and water, and high in protein can promote the formation of kidney stones. Uric acid stones can form when there is too much uric acid in the urine. This can be the result of severe dieting, excessive drinking, and certain illnesses. Fifteen percent of uric acid stone suffers have high levels of uric acid in their urine. Struvite stones are caused by urinary tract infections. Bacteria that infect the urinary tract secrete enzymes that increase the level of ammonia in the urine. The ammonia, in turn, creates the crystals. While, generally speaking, men are more likely than women to suffer from kidney stones, women are twice as likely to have struvite stones. In many cases, a true cause of the stones cannot be found.
Sings & Symptoms
Some kidney stones produce no symptoms at all but are discovered during a routine check-up. These are known as ’silent’ stones. If, however, a kidney stone gets into the urinary tract, and blocks off the flow of urine or starts some infection, it can cause intense pain, which demands emergency treatment.
The pain is first felt in the side and there after, in the groin and thighs. There will be a frequent desire to pass urine and painful and burning urination occurs. Nauseating sensation or vomitings and fever with chills also occur in some.
Kidney Stones Treatment And Prevention:
Normally, the kidney stone will pass out of the system naturally…but painfully. If it doesn’t, your doctor may refer you to a specialists who has several methods to remove or destroy the stone. The doctor will also may give you a special diet and tell you to drink 2-3 quarts of clean water daily to help prevent Kidney Stone formation.
