subject: Causes For Kidney Stones And What You Can Do [print this page] If you have ever experienced the pain of kidney stones one of your first goals may be to find out the causes for kidney stones so you can avoid them in the future. This article will cover several causes and types of kidney stones.
The causes for kidney stones can be varied but, in general, the formation of the stones happens when the urine becomes unbalanced. Urine is made up of fluid and acids, and other substances, like calcium, uric acid and oxalate. When there is not enough fluid due to dehydration or other problems to flush out these substances, they can become concentrated and form crystals. These crystals stay in the kidneys and become kidney stones. Other causes can include the stones forming when there is a lack of a particular substance that would keep the crystals from sticking together to make the stones.
Causes for kidney stones can also be traced back to their origin by determining what kind of stone it is. There are five basic types of kidney stones that can occur. These types of stones can be analyzed for their content to determine how they were formed, giving an idea to the causes of kidney stones for that individual.
1.Calcium Stones: These stones are the most common type of kidney stone to occur. Calcium stones are usually made up of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate. Oxalate can be derived from certain fruits, vegetables, nuts and in chocolates. Other sources of oxalate can include the liver or be derived from high levels of vitamin D. There are also certain types of metabolic disorders that can help elevate the levels of oxalate or calcium in urine. While there are kidney stones made of calcium phosphate, the more common stones are made mostly of calcium oxalate.
2.Uric Acid Stones: This type of stone can form in a high-protein diet and in those that dehydrated for a length of time. Due to medical conditions with gout, gout sufferers are also prone to forming uric acid kidney stones. Uric acid stones have also been known to form in the kidneys of people with specific genetic characteristics. Uric acid stones are also known to form in the blood-producing tissues of people with certain disorders.
3.Cystine Stones: This type of stone is formed in individuals that have a pre-existing hereditary disorder in which the kidneys produce too much amino acids. Cystine stones only occur in a very small percentage of the population.
4.Struvite Stones: Struvite stones are formed through infection, like a urinary tract infection, with the ability to grow into a large stone in a short period of time.
5.Other Stones: There are other types of stones that can form in the kidney.
In general, causes for kidney stones can be a direct consequence of diet, hereditary conditions, help problems and/or disorders, or something as simple as prolonged dehydration. With the help of medical technology, the substances that make up kidney stones can be examined and analyzed to help the individual find the causes for kidney stones that have affected his or her life and well-being.
Once the causes for kidney stones are found in an individual situation, steps can be taken to prevent these stones from developing again. This will give the individual peace of mind as well as better health and well-being.
