How to Prevent the Formation of Kidney Stones
Kidney stones, one of the most painful of the urologic disorders, are not a product of modern life. Scientists have found evidence of kidney stones in a 7,000-year-old Egyptian mummy. Unfortunately, kidney stones are one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract. In 2000, patients made 2.7 million visits to health care providers and more than 600,000 patients went to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems. Men tend to be affected more frequently than women.
A kidney stone is a hard mass developed from crystals that separate from the urine and build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney. Normally, urine contains chemicals that prevent or inhibit the crystals from forming. These inhibitors do not seem to work for everyone, however, so some people form stones. If the crystals remain tiny enough, they will travel through the urinary tract and pass out of the body in the urine without being noticed.
Here are some points to remember to prevent the formation of Kidney Stones.
- If you have a family history of stones or have had more than one stone, you are likely to develop more stones.
- A good first step to prevent the formation of any type of stone is to drink plenty of liquids—water is best.
- If you are at risk for developing stones, your doctor may perform certain blood and urine tests to determine which factors can best be altered to reduce that risk.
- Some people will need medicines to prevent stones from forming.
- People with chronic urinary tract infections and stones will often need the stone removed if the doctor determines that the infection results from the stone's presence. Patients must receive careful followup to be sure that the infection has cleared.
Gallstones and kidney stones are not related. They form in different areas of the body. If you have a gallstone, you are not necessarily more likely to develop kidney stones.
Sources:
1. Kidney Diseases Dictionary K-O. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC).National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). NIH Publication No. 03–4359: May 2003
2. Kidney Stones in Adults. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC).National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). NIH Publication No. 05–2495: December 2004
This Page Last Revised: February 1, 2008
