A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection of the urinary system, which includes the ureters, urethra, bladder and kidneys. Both men and women can develop a UTI, but women are more likely to experience them due to their structural anatomy....
Your kidneys are one of the body's major filtration systems, responsible for filtering toxins and minerals from your blood for excretion in your urine. If certain types of crystals are frequently present in your urine, they can start to build up...
There are numerous types of juices on your grocery-store shelves. They fall into one of three categories on the pH scale: alkaline, neutral or acidic. The scale ranges from zero to 14; the lower the reading, the more acidic the juice. Neutral is...
Kidney stones form because of chemical abnormalities, low fluid intake or because of highly concentrated urine. The exact cause of kidney stones is not always known initially, but upon testing, your physician can determine the contributing...
Kidney stones can be one of the most painful conditions that someone can suffer. They are one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract, and are responsible for one-half million emergency room visits per year, according to the National...
Having a painful urination could be due to numerous conditions, from a simple urinary tract infection to a sexually transmitted disease. When the burning, or painful, sensation begins may vary from individual to individual. There's no set time...
Kidney stones are small crystalized deposits that contain acid salts and minerals. As the stone passes through your urinary tract, it can cause severe pain. Corn silk has a long history of treating urinary tract disorders and may be beneficial in...
Diseases that affect the kidney can be difficult for a patient or doctor to diagnose without using a variety of diagnostic tests. Kidney function tests are defined by the Encyclopedia of Surgery as a variety of procedures that evaluate whether a...
Kidney stones, also called renal stones, are commonly diagnosed by ultrasounds and CT scans. If you have a history of kidney stones, your doctor might opt to treat the stone without using tests to confirm the diagnosis. Kidney stones can cause...
The excretory system has the task of ridding the body of toxins and waste products. The kidneys process the blood to produce urine, which travels through the ureters to the bladder for storage. Once the bladder becomes full, the bladder muscles...
A burst appendix can occur when the organ becomes inflamed and eventually ruptures. Doctors are unsure exactly what causes the appendix to burst. However, the theory is that an obstruction in the appendix occurs. The blockage may be from stool....
While kidney stones are more common in adults, teens can also get them. Kidney stones form when a chemical imbalance in the blood and/or urine causes a crystal to develop and grow larger. At some point, the stone gets loose and tries to exit the...
Acid-base disorders, known as acidosis and alkalosis, develop when an imbalance occurs between acid and alkali in the blood. Acidosis may be asymptomatic or it may manifest as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, breathing problems, headaches, confusion,...
There's a popular saying in the Philippines that goes, "A coconut a day keeps the urologist away." It sounds quirky, but there seems to be some truth to it. Locals like drinking coconut juice -- or "water" -- as often as they can, not just for its...
Hypercalcemia is an electrolyte imbalance characterized by high levels of calcium in the blood. Certain medications, parathyroid disease or some cancers can cause the condition. While mild hypercalcemia may not produce symptoms at first, as...
A kidney stone is a crystallization of uric acid, calcium or other chemicals that are naturally-occurring in the body. Kidney stones may be caused by dehydration, a family history or sometimes too much of a substance called oxalate that is found...
Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that filter wastes, vitamins and minerals through your body. They also control the release of urine and salts, many of which contain vitamins and minerals the body cannot digest. One example is vitamin C, an...
Creatine is a potentially effective muscle-building supplement that boosts your athletic performance by increasing the amount of phosphocreatine you store in your muscles. When you perform intense exercise over a short period of time, such as...
Flank pain on one side while urinating is a symptom consistent with a kidney stone, or nephrolithiasis. Kidney stones form when materials in the urine build up in the kidney. The resulting stone can block the urine flow and cause waves of pain...
Oxalic acid is a naturally-occurring substance found in several foods. It is usually excreted in urine as a harmless metabolism byproduct. It can also combine with calcium, interfering with its absorption, or accumulate and lead to the formation...
Nephrolithiasis is better known as kidney stones or renal calculi. Kidney stones can occur for various reasons, creating a solid mass of small crystals in your kidneys. The stones pass from your kidneys to your ureters, causing extreme pain in...
Grape wine has played an important part in history, stretching back thousands of years. It has been used for recreational, ceremonial, dietary and medicinal purposes. The most traditional form of wine is produced through the fermentation of...
If you're suffering from discomfort due to your urinary tract, your physician may administer a urine pH test to measure the acidity of your urine. Primary causes may be kidney stones, certain medications or infection. Generally, the normal pH...
Kidney stones are a very painful condition that can cause back discomfort, chills, nausea and vomiting and fever. They occur when crystals collect in the kidneys and form a mass that is then passed through the urinary tract. Consuming some foods...
Kidney stones are solid deposits that form in the kidneys. They vary in size and composition. According to TeenGrowth.com, a website created by a pediatrician group, most kidney stones in teenagers are the result of excess urinary calcium or a...
Levaquin, or levofloxacin, belongs to a group of drugs called quinolones. It is used to treat nosocomial, or hospital-acquired, and community-acquired pneumonia, complicated and uncomplicated urinary tract infections, complicated and...
Americans spend billions of dollars every year for dietary supplements. Many seek to improve their athletic performance. Others may be looking for a natural alternative to prescription drugs for a particular health challenge. So when a simple,...
Kidney stones can occur in anyone regardless of age or health status. While kidney stones generally cause no permanent damage to your health, they are very painful to pass. Modern medicine calls for the passing of small kidney stones on their own,...
Kidney stones form when high concentrations of certain substances are present in your urine. Uric acid is one of these substances; it is affected by purines in your diet and leads to the formation of uric acid stones. Limiting purine-rich foods in...
Kidney stones or renal lithiasis are small, hard deposits of mineral and acid salts on the inner surfaces of your kidneys. Normally, the substances that make up kidney stones are diluted in the urine. When urine is concentrated, though, minerals...
