Kidney stones are a hard piece of crystals that gather in a kidney out of substances in the urine. Kidney stones, which are a painful urological disorder, have been in people for a long time. Unfortunately, kidney stones are some of the most common issues people have with their urinary tract. Each year, people will make a visit to health care providers and emergency rooms for kidney stone issues. Most kidney stones will pass through the body without needing help from a physician. Stones that cause long lasting symptoms can be fixed from various solutions, which most of them do not need major surgery.
A kidney stone is a hard mass that is formed from crystals that flow in the urine. Normally, urine consists of chemicals that prevent the crystals from turning into stones. Sometimes these chemicals do not work in every person, and some people will eventually form stones in the kidneys. If the pieces of crystals stay small enough, they can go through the urinary tract and leave the body along with the urine unnoticed. Kidney stones can have a various number of chemicals. One stone that is common contains some calcium with a mixture of phosphate or oxalate. The chemicals are from a normal person's diet and are for important body parts like muscles and bones.
A stone that is not as common is formed because of an infection in a person's urinary tract. This kind of stone is referred to as a struvite or infection stone. Another stone, called the urid acid stones, are not as common. The kidney stones that are rare are called Cystine stones. Those are some basics of kidney stones that can help clear up some questions. A stone can stay in the kidney or break free and go through the urinary tract. A tiny stone may leave the body without causing a lot of pain to the person. A big stone can get stuck in the ureter, bladder, or the urethra. A stone that is a problem can restrict the urine from flowing through and cause a lot of pain.
Kidney stones can be as tiny as grains of sand or they can be as big as a marble. Some kidney stones have actually been the size of a golf ball. Kidney stones can either be jagged or they can be smooth. The stone's color can be brown or yellow.
To keep stones from forming, you should drink a lot more water. It is helpful to drink at least 12 glasses of water. Consuming a lot of water can help flush the crystals and chemicals out that cause kidney stones. Some things you can also drink are lemon lime soda, fruit juice, and ginger ale. Water is the best way to prevent a build up. You should reduce or stop drinking caffeine quickly because it can cause you to lose fluid quickly. A doctor might also suggest you eat more of some food and cut back on others. As an example, if uric acid stones are the problem, you might be asked to consume less meat. Meat can break down and in turn make uric acid. If your kidneys are prone to make calcium oxalate stones, you could decrease the foods you eat that have high oxalate. Some of these foods are chocolate, beets, and spinach. A doctor also might give you medicine that can prevent the calcium and uric acid kidney stones from forming.
