SOME CAUSES OF KIDNEY STONES

Kidney stones can develop when certain chemicals in your urine form a tiny crystal. The crystal may grow into a stone ranging in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. Although most stones form in the kidneys, however, they can further grow anywhere in the kidney tract. This is similar when although there are very small stones that can pass through the urinary system without causing problems, larger stones travelling from the kidney through the ureter to the bladder however can inflict severe amount of pain.

 

I. LOW URINE VOLUME

Constantly having a low urine volume is a major risk factor for kidney stones. Low urine volume may come from dehydration (loss of body fluids) from hard exercise, working or living in a hot place, or not drinking enough water. When your urine volume is low, urine is concentrated and dark in color. Concentrated urine means that there is less fluid to keep salts dissolved. Increasing fluid intake will water down the salts in your urine. After all, adults who form stones should drink enough fluid to make at least 2.5 liters (2/3 gallon) of urine every day, which means you should drink about 3 liters (100 ounces) of fluid per day.

 

II. DIET

What you consume matters when it comes to your risk of forming kidney stones. One of the more common causes of calcium kidney stones is high levels of calcium in the urine. High urine calcium levels may be due to the way your body handles calcium. However, keep in mind that it is not always due to how much calcium you eat. Lowering the amount of calcium in your diet rarely stops stones from forming. This is because some previous studies have shown that limiting dietary calcium can be bad for bone health and may increase kidney stone risk. Having too much salt in your diet is a risk factor for calcium stones. The reason is because too much salt is passing into the urine, keeping calcium from being reabsorbed from the urine and into the blood. Reducing salt in the diet lowers urine calcium and therefore, this will make it less likely for you to form stones.

 

III. BOWEL CONDITION

Certain bowel conditions that cause diarrhea such as ulcerative colitis or surgeries on the intestines (gastric bypass surgery) can raise the risk of forming calcium oxalate kidney stones. Diarrhea may result in loss of large amounts of fluid from the body, lowering urine volume. Your body may also absorb excessive oxalate from the intestine; resulting in more oxalate in your urine. Both low urine volume and high levels of urine oxalate can help to cause calcium oxalate kidney stone formation.

 

IV. MEDICAL CONDITION

Some medical conditions can also cause an increased risk of kidney stones. Abnormal growth of one or more of the parathyroid glands which control calcium metabolism, for instance, can cause high calcium levels in the blood and urine. This can lead to kidney stones. Another condition called distal renal tubular acidosis, for which there is acid build-up in the body, can raise the risk of calcium phosphate kidney stones.