A kidney stone is a hard piece of material that is formed from substances in the urine and develops in a kidney. These hard stones may often come loose and move down the urinary tract. If it is small enough, it can pass through in the urine with little pain. However, the bigger kidney stones can lodge somewhere in the urinary tract, get stuck, and cause a lot of pain. It can also obstruct the flow of urine. This article explains what causes them, and describes several different treatments for them. Urine contains substances that are supposed to keep crystals of materials in the urine from forming. Unfortunately, these inhibitors don't always work and stones are formed. Stones generally are made up of calcium and phosphate, two things that are part of a normal diet. There are many possible reasons that kidney stones form. Certain foods can trigger the formation of stones. Someone with kidney stones in their family may be more susceptible. Urinary tract infections can lead to kidney stones. Ultimately, they form when the amount of stone-forming substances in the urine is high and there has been a decrease in urine volume. Not drinking enough fluids in general, or exercising without sufficient fluid replacement can cause this decrease in urine volume. The best way to prevent, especially if you are susceptible to them, is to drink more liquids, in particular, water. Producing 2 quarts of urine per day is optimal. These days it is thought that foods containing high contents of calcium can help prevent calcium-based kidney stones. However, taking calcium supplements can raise the chances of getting kidney stones. Some people have extremely acidic urine and can develop a different kind of stone because of this. They should cut down on the amount of fish, poultry, and meat that they eat. While they can be excruciatingly painful, there are several successful ways to prevent and cure kidney stones. A first attempt at non-invasive treatment is prescription medications that manage the amount of acid that is in the urine. (Extremely acidic urine can also cause gout.) Diuretics can decrease the amount of calcium that is let into the kidneys so that the calcium can be retained by the bones. The most commonly used treatment to cure kidney stones is by the use of shock waves outside the body, technically known as Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy. These shock waves move through the body until they find the solid kidney stones. Once the wave hits the stones, they begin to shatter into small granules that can easily be passed in the urine. Surgery sometimes is the only recourse for removal of a stone. If all other treatment has failed and the stone has not passed on its own, the stone should be removed. If not, protracted urinary tract infections can occur and the kidneys can begin to bleed. Most surgery can be done as microsurgery on an outpatient basis. Preventing kidney stones is naturally the best option. However, if you do have painful kidney stones, there are successful treatment options like medication and diet, shock wave therapy, and surgery.
Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
