According to the website Calciuminfo.com, about 12 percent of the U.S. population is affected by kidney stones. Kidney stones are small, solid deposits made up of mineral and acid salts on the interior surfaces of your kidneys. Calcium oxalate stones account for 90 percent of kidney stones. Some stones can become as large as golf balls and cause severe pain. In some cases, stones can be eliminated through natural means while other times professional intervention is required to cure them.
Causes
The matter that composes kidney stones is usually watered down in the urine. But this natural protector doesn't always work for everyone. When urine becomes thickened, it can result in the crystallization of a collection of minerals that bond together and become solid. This is what causes kidney stones.
People with highly acidic or highly alkaline urine are more likely to have kidney stones. A tiny kidney stone might move through the urinary tract and be excreted out of the body without incident.
Symptoms
Once a kidney stone travels into the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder (ureter), you will likely to experience a number of symptoms. They include pain in the side and back under the ribs that radiates to the lower abdomen and grain. The severity of the pain sometimes ebb and flow.
You might also experience bloody, murky or unpleasant smelling urine, as well as nausea and vomiting.
Home Remedies
The treatment for kidney stones varies depending on the type of stone and its cause. In some cases, drinking a generous amount of water (up to 3 quart per day) might be enough to move it through your urinary tract.
Medication
Doctors sometimes prescribe medications (Allopurinol/Zyloprim) that will aid in the prevention of calcium and uric acid stones by controlling the amount of acid or alkali in the urine. Allopurinol might also provide some benefits in certain cases of hyperuricosuria (abnormal levels of uric acid in the urine).
Procedures
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy uses shock waves to shatter kidney stones into minuscule pieces that are excreted through your urine.
Another procedure called ureteroscopic stone removal is used when a kidney stone is stuck in the tube that moves urine from the kidney to the bladder. The stone can be retrieved with a small surgical instrument consisting of a wire loop and is then passed through your bladder.
Prevention
According to the National Kidney and Urological Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDI), once you've had a kidney stone you are at a higher risk of developing another one. A number of dietary changes sometimes helps prevent the formation of kidney stones, including eliminating antacids that contain calcium, lowering salt intake and eating no more than 4 to 6 oz. of meat (beef, poultry, pork) per day. The NKUDI also advises staying away from high-oxalate foods include chocolate and nuts. Drinking plenty of water might also help prevent kidney stones.
