Archive for the ‘Kidney Stones’ Category

Kidney Stones Research

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

Kidney stones have been present for a very long time in human history. It was said to have been found in a mummy that is over seven thousand years old. That should be enough proof that humans have long been afflicted by it. These days though people are more aware of kidney stones, why they exist and what to do about them.

Proper information that states how usual it is to develop kidney stones reduces a lot of panic because now you do not have to immediately rush to the emergency room. People now know that drinking lots of water is not just for beautiful skin but also for a healthy kidney.

There maybe times though when drinking tons of water is not enough so more drastic measures need to be taken because the kidney stones cannot be flushed through urine. Here then comes the next option which is surgery. It used to be open surgery procedure for kidney stone removal but in recent years, doctors have found a way to take out kidney stones without the patient having to go under the knife.

Three of the most popular kidney removal surgeries are extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous nephrolithotomy and ureteroscopy. It is very important to remember that all your decisions should be carefully though of and that you should always be constantly coordinating with your doctor. There should be a thorough understanding of the different procedures and more significant is the awareness of the different risks involved.

The information about Kidney Stones presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Kidney Stones or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

The Division of Kidney, Urologic and Hematolgic Diseases of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) maybe a mouthful but its cause is something that is really worth fighting for. The group sources and manages funds for research on the causes, treatments, and prevention of kidney stones. This group affiliated with the National Institutes of Health in Bethseda, MD is so passionate that new medicines and the growing field of lithotripsy have been a great help in finding safer and better treatments for kidney stones. This is really good news for those who are victims of kidney stones otherwise known as the silent stone because it can go on undetected.

Some of the questions this group want answered include: Why do some people continue to have painful stones? What are the long term effects of lithotripsy? What is/are the natural substance(s) found in urine that blocks stone formation? How can medicine help people identify symptoms of kidney stone formation? Finding the answers to these questions are very crucial in advancing the research so that soon kidney stones prevention and treatment will be as easy as preventing or treating coughs and colds.

With the hope of good things to come in the field of kidney stone research, we go back to the basics. First, someone who is at risk for developing stones may need certain blood and urine tests to determine which factors can be controlled to reduce risks. Second, the first and most elementary way to prevent kidney stones from forming is to drink plenty of fluids and that means more than eight glasses of water a day.

Last and certainly not the least is to keep in mind that getting treated is not enough. A person undergoing treatment should be patient in doing follow up tests to make sure that the treatment is working.

So now you know a little bit about Kidney Stones. Even if you don’t know everything, you’ve done something worthwhile: you’ve expanded your knowledge.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Do You Know What a Kidney Stone Is

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Do you know what a kidney stone is? These are minerals are salts that are found in your urine and when it hardens, it becomes a stone. Most of the time, these are very small that it does not cause any harm but if they get bigger or it builds up, then there is a problem.

Kidney stones do not just stay in the kidney. It can move to other parts of the body. When that happens, you will feel certain symptoms. You could feel pain coming from your back or pelvis, experience spasms, notice bloody, cloudy or smelly urine, feel sick, urinate frequently and have fevers and chills.

It is hard to tell if you have kidney stones because these symptoms also happen when you have UTI or urinary tract infection. Your doctor can only tell which is which after conducting some tests.

The different tests available include blood test, urine analysis, x-rays, ultrasound and non-contrast helical computerized tomography. If initial reports and the results confirm that you have kidney stones, then the proper treatment is administered.

Doctors don’t know yet what causes kidney stones. Some believe it is caused by our lifestyle, due to certain medication, post surgery or therapy and in rare cases, a genetic disorder. This happens more often to men that women between the 20 to 40 age group.

If you are diagnosed with a kidney stone, you should know that treatment varies from one patient to the next because this depends on the kind of stone found in your kidney.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

There are 4 types of kidney stones namely calcium uric acid, strutvite and cystine. The first 2 are the most common and if the size is less than 4 mm in diameter, you can expel it out of your system by drinking water and some medication.

Should the kidney stone be larger than 8 mm in diameter, this is the only time that surgery may be required.

The doctor may perform one of these procedures which include extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, ureteroscopic stone removal and percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Each procedure is designed to shrink the kidney stone and if one treatment does not work, only then will they try something else. Surgery which has been practiced for so many years is now the last option.

Now that you know what kidney stones, is there a way to stop this from happening? Yes there is and the most effective way is through prevention. You do this by drinking 3 liters of water or 6 to 8 glasses a day, make some changes in your diet like eat and drink products that contain calcium and exercise regularly.

Kidney stones can happen to anyone regardless of age or gender but guys, you should be more careful because you are at greater risk of getting it. If you feel some pain, go and pay your doctor a visit. Don’t wait until it gets worse.

If it is a false alarm, then that is good. But if you do have kidney stones, cooperate with the doctor and follow his or her directions. You should also ask if the kidney stones have caused any permanent damage and what are the risks of the procedure if it requires medical intervention. Kidney stones do happen but don’t worry because it is after all, treatable.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his Perpetual20 affiliate site for great bonuses: Perpetual 20

The Effective means of Treating Kidney Stones

Sunday, May 22nd, 2011

The following article includes pertinent information that may cause you to reconsider what you thought you understood. The most important thing is to study with an open mind and be willing to revise your understanding if necessary.

Doctors say that are generally not harmful. It only becomes harmful and even life threatening when a person suffering from it feels discomforting pain and presence of blood in their urine. Many experts say that the problem why people who are suffering from kidney stones is that they always tend to be complacent in keeping up with a healthy diet and regular exercise. They?deliberately or not deliberately?without realizing that they will suffer and spend more money once the condition gets worse over time.

Today, the most common types of kidney stones among people are the calcium oxalate stones and uric acid stone, which are caused by too much calcium and sodium intake. These types of stones are not really that harmful unless they increase in size fast and block the uteter?the tube that is connected to the bladder and will cause urination problems.

To avoid further complications, it is but natural for people to seek for treatments to spare them from too much pain and expenses. Today, there are so many types of treatments and medications available for people with kidney stones. These forms of treatments vary depending on the severity of the condition. Experts say that people who have mild kidney stones can sort to medication, which are usually prescribed for certain types.

Medication is considered, as the initial form of treatment especially for symptomatic kidney stones which is common among patients. This is used by people who show early signs of kidney stones such as pain with varying degrees. The most common medication includes the Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs ot NSAIDs like ibuprofen, naproxen, nifedipine, and tamsulosin, which are effective in speeding up the passage of ureteral stones along the uterer. These come in different brands, come in pill form and can be brought over the counter.

For extreme pains, medication can be through the vein to ensure that it will take effect faster. This process of medication is also ideal for people who have low tolerance in taking oral pills. If NSAIDs cannot be administered directly, fluids can also be given to the patient suffering from the pain of kidney stones through the mouth to ensure that there will be enough supply of fluid for the urine.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there’s more to Kidney Stones than you may have first thought.

Other treatments options

Although medication can be administered at home, there will be times that the patient need to be brought to the hospitalized especially if the pain does not subside immediately. Once hospitalized, the patient will be asked to strain urine in order to cover the stone and collected for laboratory analysis. Here, the type of stone will be determined as well as its size and number through an imaging test. If your kidney stones are smaller than 5 millimeters, you’re safe to take medication.

But if the stone is about 10 millimeters, you will need to undergo a procedure such as: “Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL)” which is the most common option of procedure because it can easily remove stones in the renal pelvis and upper ureter.

The “Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PNL),” that is ideal for complex and extremely large kidney stones because it involves invasive surgical procedure in the process of removal which are small telescopic instruments passing through the person’s skin.

And the “Ureteroscopy” which is used for removing stones that are obstructed in the middle and lower portion of the person’s ureter with the aid of a tiny telescopic instrument passes through the urethra and bladder and into the ureter and kidney to remove the kidney stones.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his soon to be top ranked Perpetual20 affiliate site: Perpetual 20

Causes of Kidney Stones

Saturday, May 21st, 2011

In today’s world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

Kidney stones are not necessarily as common as say coughs and colds but it is one of the top reasons why people come rushing to the emergency wing of the hospital. Urine liquid is usually colored white or yellow so when you see that your urine is in a different color, say pink, then you worry so you troop to the hospital. When you sense a different kind of pain somewhere below your stomach, you begin to rattle because you know it is not just a simple case of indigestion.

When that sot of thing happens you also rush to the clinic or the hospital. After initial interview and certain tests, you are then confronted with the results ? you have kidney stones. So how in the world did you get kidney stones?

Not a lot of people are aware of kidney stones. Sure there are medical groups who push for more education about the kidney but most people only hear of kidney transplants. These are pretty major stuff already, kidney stones are very basic but it is a good place to start when it comes to discussing kidney and the importance of a healthy functioning kidney. The formation of kidney stones spring from crystal that are not excreted through urination but the real question is why does this happen. Doctors are not quick to point at any one particular cause but what can be done is discuss the several factors that can be attributed to this condition. Then maybe, the factors can be isolated as per patient’s case.

For one, it can be hereditary so if your parents and grandparents have it then most likely you will have kidney stones as well. It has been observed that a person with a family history of kidney stones are prone to forming kidney stones as well. This is probably the reason why urinary tract infections, kidney relate disorders such as cystic kidney diseases and some metabolic disorders like hyperparathyroidism which are all found to be linked to kidney stone formation are believed to be inherited as well.

Now that we’ve covered those aspects of Kidney Stones, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

Certain food in major food groups are also seen as potential causes of kidney stone formation. However people in the medical field believe that eating these food are major causes of kidney stone formation. People who tend to form high calcium which leads to the formation of one kind of stone called calcium oxalate are requested to limit or avoid certain foods.

These include spinach, beets, soybean crackers, peanuts, okra, chocolate, sweet potatoes, grapes, celery, fruit cake, strawberries, marmalade and liver. These are a bunch that includes delectable delights which is really sad news for those who have to cut down on them so work on keeping those kidneys healthy to keep enjoying those treats.

Just as the causes of kidney stones are quite a blur so are the symptoms and in fact most of the signs go unnoticed. For this reason kidney stones ahs been aptly called as the silent stones. These silent stones should eventually be found out. Scanning the urinary system through special tests called computerized tomography, more popularly known as CT scan, or an intravenous pyelogram help doctors detect kidney stones.

The results from these tests are also vital in finding out the proper course of action to treat the existing condition.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his Perpetual20 affiliate site for great bonuses: Perpetual 20

How Do You Treat Kidney Stones

Friday, May 20th, 2011

You should be able to find several indispensable facts about Kidney Stones in the following paragraphs. If there’s at least one fact you didn’t know before, imagine the difference it might make.

How do you treat kidney stones? This depends on its severity so it may or may not involve surgery. The good news is that 90% of the time, your body will be able to expel the stones on its own. But what if you are one of the unfortunate who belong to that 10%?

Should that happen, then your doctor will have to recommend surgery. This procedure may be the only option if the size of the kidney stones is too big which means they cannot get out of your body through the bladder. If you do undergo surgery immediately, you will experience constant pain or cause complications like kidney tissue damage or UTI also known as urinary tract infection.

There are 4 procedures that can help get rid of kidney stones.

There is ESWL or extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy. In this procedure, a device that produces non-electrical shock waves is used to turn the kidney stones inside your body into sand. You don’t lie down in an operating table for this because this is done in a tub filled with warm or purified water.

The second option is PNL or percutaneous nephrolithotomy. This is done when the first option is not successful. The procedure begins by making a small incision in your back so a tunnel can be created all the way to your kidney. An instrument known as a nephroscope will then go in to remove the stone. If this instrument cannot do the job, an energy probe will be used and there are currently two types namely the ultrasonic and the electro hydraulic.

Third, the doctor may recommend ureteroscopic stone removal. This procedure is done by using a small fiber optic instrument that travels through the urethra and bladder to reach the ureter. Once the instrument is in position, it will emit a shockwave to destroy the stone.

So far, we’ve uncovered some interesting facts about Kidney Stones. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

The last option which is the oldest of the 4 is open surgery. The doctor will cut you open and remove the kidney stone. To make sure that all the kidney stones are collected during the operation, you may first be injected with a solution consisting of calcium chloride, cyroprecipitate, thrombin and indigo carmine so it will be easy to remove using the forceps.

Even if surgery is successful, kidney stones can once again appear in the body. To prevent this from happening, you should now take preventive measures.

The simplest way is to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day which is about 3 liters as this will make your urine look clear instead of yellow.

Some dietary changes may also be recommended. You don’t have to stop eating certain foods but simply limit your consumption on items like apples, black pepper, chocolate, coffee, cheese, grapes, ice cream, oranges, tomatoes and yogurt.

The same goes for fish, meat or poultry products because it helps increase your uric acid. Since kidney failure has been associated with alcohol consumption, you should also cut this down as well.

You can treat kidney stones the hard way or the easy way and you don’t get to decide how this will be done. Sadly, we only learn our lesson when it is too late so you should be thankful if you don’t have to go under the knife.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of Kidney Stones. Share your new understanding about Kidney Stones with others. They’ll thank you for it.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

The Natural Way of Fighting Kidney Stones

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

You should be able to find several indispensable facts about Kidney Stones in the following paragraphs. If there’s at least one fact you didn’t know before, imagine the difference it might make.

For those people who are suffering from kidney stones, experts say that the easiest means for them to deal with the condition is to flush it out from one’s system. Although this can be done by using medication or through simple medical procedures, it is always best to do it the natural way. Some of the natural means in dissolving kidney stones and flushing it out from person’s system is by drinking tea. Since time immemorial, tea has been giving people a lot of benefits. And one of which is helping the body’s system to flush out waste products that could bring health complications.

More and more individuals who have suffered from kidney stones would agree that tea?those that contain Chinese herbs such as plantain leaf, meadowsweet, Joe-pye weed, and sarsaparilla?can help dissolve kidney stones because these contain natural properties, which are good in eliminating excess uric acid in the body.

People in China are known to use the mentioned herbs?in the form of tea?to treat kidney stones. Combined with other herbs such as corn silk, wild yam root, hydrangea root, yarrow leaf, and cramp bark, tea preparation can be an effective means of dissolving small kidney stones in no time. To make the tea more effective, longer time in preparation is a must. This is done to ensure that all the natural properties will be intact. Although many people attest to its effectiveness, this may not work for everyone especially to those who bleed easily.

Another means of dissolving kidney stones the natural way is through diuretic tea. For this type of tea, you can choose either dandelion or corn silk. Many people say that these herbs are the two most popular choices of diuretic that can produce early results. When combined with other herbs such as nettle leaf, fennel seed, and oat straw, diuretic tea can be more effective in dissolving even medium-sized kidney stones.

If you are not the type of using herbs as a natural means of fighting kidney stones, there are much simpler ways such as:

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Kidney Stones? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

1. Taking in lots of fluid. People with kidney stones must drink at least 8 glasses of water to flush out body waste.

2. Opting for lemonade preparation. With the properties present in lemons, it can delay the development of stones in the person’s body.

3. Eating foods that are rich in fiber but low in protein, calcium, and salt. By doing this, you will have lesser risk for kidney stones because you are veering away from the major causes of kidney stones.

4. Engaging on a regular physical exercise. Experts say that one of the reasons why people become prone to kidney stones is due to lack of movements. By veering away from a sedentary living, you can delay and even postpone the formation kidney stones.

Today, many studies show that the most common problems of people involving their kidney is the presence of kidney stones which, are pieces and clumps of waste products formed in this specific body organ. People may not know this but kidney stones can be literally compared to the real stone because they are hard and can be painful specially when they grow in terms of numbers.

But, unlike the real stones, kidney stones can be dissolved once they are diagnosed early.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Understanding Kidney Stones

Saturday, May 14th, 2011

Kidney stones can happen to anyone regardless of gender or age. But studies have shown that this is more common during middle age and three times more in men. So what the symptoms of kidney stones?

The most common symptoms of kidney stones include bloating, blood in the urine, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, an increase in the frequency of urination, nausea and vomiting, pain during urination and tenderness in the abdomen and kidney region.

You may also experience pain that goes on and off. This may last for minutes to several hours which you may feel in the kidney, lower abdomen or groin. You may also have chills, fevers and a loss of appetite which happen to be the same symptoms associated with urinary tract infection or UTI.

What happens then? To find out what is really going on, you have to see your doctor. Once there, you will answer a few questions and then undergo several tests to see if you have kidney stones or not. The results of the test will determine what type of treatment will be done.

If the kidney stone measures 4 mm in diameter or less, there is a strong chance that you don’t need surgery and your body can expel it. If it is 8 mm and above, this is the only time that medical intervention is needed.

Medical intervention is another way of saying surgery. There are 4 types of surgery that can help treat kidney stones and these are namely ESWL or extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, PNL or percutaneous nephrolithotomy, ureteroscopic stone removal and open surgery.

Before you agree to any procedure, you have to know what type of stone is in your kidney. There are 4 types namely calcium, uric acid, struvite and cystine and knowing what it is can already tell you what caused it. It can also help you understand the type of treatment the doctor is recommending.

If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

From there, you can ask how effective is the treatment that they are recommending and what are the risks.

Another good question you can ask is if the kidney stone has caused any permanent damage.

Kidney stones can also be treated by alternative medicine.

You can drink various herbs such as bearberry, cleavers, corn silk, crampbark, gravel root, kava kava, khella, seven barks and stone root. Homeopathic remedies include berberis vulgaris, cantharis, ocimum canum and pennyroyal. Hot packs may also work.

Keep in mind that alternative treatments for kidney stones can only be used if the stones can be expelled by the person. If not, this must be discontinued and a health professional should be the one who will monitor the situation.

Kidney stones should be taken seriously because things could get worse unless it is attended to immediately. You should know that even if the treatment is successful, kidney stones do recur and your best defense against that is prevention.

You will need to make some lifestyle changes and follow the doctor’s directions because there are a few other things you need to know based on your chemical risk factors. In the end, the power is in your hands because this may put you at risk later on of kidney failure. While getting a transplant is possible, just remember that you have to wait because there are other people who also need it.

So now you know a little bit about Kidney Stones. Even if you don’t know everything, you’ve done something worthwhile: you’ve expanded your knowledge.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

What are Kidney Stones?

Monday, May 9th, 2011

When most people think of Kidney Stones, what comes to mind is usually basic information that’s not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there’s a lot more to Kidney Stones than just the basics.

Kidney is one of the most sensitive and important organs of the body so if something happens to it, necessary steps have to be taken to make sure that there is still time to fix the problem. When the kidney fails then there is a greater chance that the organs will fail as well. One of the most common ailments to strike the kidney is the formation of kidney stones and even though it seems to be trivial, it has to be given attention.

Kidney stones have affected human beings for many years already. It has been said that traces of kidney stones were found in a 7000 year old Egyptian mummy which means that kidney stones are actually part of ancient history.

Another fact to consider is that more than half a million people rush to hospital’s emergency rooms are found to have kidney stone problems. It simply shows how prevalent it is and the commonality of it should not be a reason to take it for granted but it should also not cause us to panic. Despite the long history of humans with kidney stones and the startling increasing number of people affected by it, most cases of kidney stones are actually very minor in the sense that the stones can be flushed out of the body without outside intervention through regular urination.

If however discomfort lingers or complications arise in relation to the presence of kidney stones in the body then there is a need to consult your doctor so that proper assessment can be done. There is nothing to fear though because most of the medical steps needed to get rid of kidney stones do not involve any major surgery.

Truthfully, the only difference between you and Kidney Stones experts is time. If you’ll invest a little more time in reading, you’ll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to Kidney Stones.

A kidney stone is scientifically defined as a hard lump of mass that are formed from crystals that are left behind in the urinary tract. For a normal person, the urine has chemicals that disables these crystals from forming. It is when these inhibitors fail to do their job that causes the problem but as mentioned earlier you can easily get rid of smaller stones.

However if the kidney stones are bigger in size that it can’t be simply gone then there are procedures available to take it out. The good news is because of advancements in technology, most of these procedures do not require for the person afflicted to be opened up. There are special instruments that can melt or crush the kidney stones and putting them inside the body do not have to involve having a knife go through one’s body.

For unqualified reasons, more and more people seem to be getting kidney stones. As per cases reported, it is men in their forties and seventies that are prone to getting kidney stones. It is also important to mention that once a person gets stones then that person is more susceptible to forming kidney stones in the future. Hence the key here is really prevention. The main problem though is that there are really no singularly very particular cause of kidney stones.

Doctors though are one in saying that the best way to prevent it is in drinking fluids preferable water. This is not the same though as in drinking just eight glasses of water a day but rather it is highly advised to drink water whenever you can.

As your knowledge about Kidney Stones continues to grow, you will begin to see how Kidney Stones fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

What Are Kidney Stones

Friday, May 6th, 2011

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage–at least it seems that way. If you’ve been thinking you need to know more about it, here’s your opportunity.

Kidney stones form when minerals or salts which are normally found in the urine become solid. Most of the time, they are too tiny and do not cause any damage to the kidney because the body is able to expel it. But if they build up inside the kidney, then we have a problem.

The problem starts when the stones move out of the kidney and then go to through the ureters which are the little tubes that carry urine from the kidney to the bladder. If it gets stuck here, an infection will occur which may lead to kidney damage.

You will find out if you have a kidney problem when there is pain in one side of your back or on both, you experience spasms, notice bloody, cloudy or smelly urine, you don’t not feel well, you urinate frequently and when you have fevers and chills.

The symptoms mentioned are very similar to UTI or urinary tract infection and you will only know what is going on when you have yourself checked by a doctor.

What causes kidney stones is still not known. What doctors know is that this happens often to men than to women.

These individuals fall within the 20 and 40 age group, have a family history of kidney stones, take certain medications such as antacids, diuretics and thyroid medications, have one kidney or one that is abnormally shaped, eat a lot of protein in their diet, often dehydrated, have poor mobility and have had a disease in the small intestine or small intestinal bypass. Although it is treatable, a new one can develop within the next 5 years.

If your Kidney Stones facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don’t let important Kidney Stones information slip by you.

Doctors tell the difference between UTI and kidney stones through a variety of tests. These include blood test, urine analysis, x-rays, ultrasound and non-contrast helical computerized tomography. If initial reports confirm the findings, then treatment is administered.

Treatment for someone who has a kidney stone varies per patient because this depends on the type of stone that is inside the body. If it is nothing serious, the doctor may not even have to do anything except tell you to drink lots of water and stay physically active.

It is going to hurt trying to expel the stones out from your system so this can be identified which is why you may be prescribed a paracetamol or codeine to reduce the pain. It is only when there is an infection that antibiotics will be given and surgery will have to be performed.

Examples of such procedures include extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, ureteroscopic stone removal and percutaneous nephrolithotomy. In simple terms, the doctor may use one machine to break the stones down using shockwaves, by simply pulling it out or using later to cut them into small pieces.

Kidney stone can easily be removed thanks to advances in modern medicine. If you have one or you think that you could have one, it is best to visit your doctor to see what is really the problem and the proper action can be taken.

When it is all over and the kidney stones are removed, it is best to make some lifestyle changes because they could come back and you will have to go through this ordeal all over again. Surely, you wouldn’t want that to happen.

There’s no doubt that the topic of Kidney Stones can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about Kidney Stones, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Kidney Stones

Friday, April 22nd, 2011

So what is Kidney Stones really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about Kidney Stones–info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.

There are different kinds of kidney stone and it forms from different salts in our urine. There are 4 different types around and here they are.

The first is called a calcium stone and among the 4, this is the most common. It looks spiky or large and smooth. This is made from calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate.

It is very common because there are a lot of people who have excess levels of vitamin D or have an overactive parathyroid gland. This may also develop in people who are suffering from cancer or kidney disease.

Next you have uric acid stones which are smooth, soft and color brown. You can get this from eating a lot of meat products. Patients who have undergone chemotherapy are at risk of getting uric acid stones. Both the calcium stones and the uric acid stones commonly occur among men.

You also have struvite or infection stones. These are usually large and have a horn like shape and often develop when there is too much ammonia present in your urine. This occurs if you have UTI or urinary tract infection because the bacteria that causes this infection generates ammonia. This type of stone is found generally in women.

Lastly, you have cystine stones. What makes this different is the fact it is color yellow and crystalline. From the name itself, you can only get it if you have high levels of cystine in your urine.

If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences. Make sure you get the whole Kidney Stones story from informed sources.

In some cases, cystine combines with arginine, lysine and omithine. This is a genetic disorder known as cystinuria which happens when the kidney tubules are not reabsorbing the amino acids adequately. This is very rare and it can happen to anyone between the ages of 10 and 30 regardless of gender.

The good news is that despite the different types of kidney stones around, it can be prevented. The best way to do that is to drink lots of water which is equivalent to about 3 liters of water everyday because this helps make the urine clear rather than the color yellow.

Since more people are at risk from developing calcium stones, you should reduce your calcium intake and cut down on vegetables like asparagus and cooked spinach. Do the same for the amount of tea that you drink and the chocolate that you eat.

To prevent having uric acid stones, you should cut down on fish, meat and poultry products. If necessary, your doctor may also prescribe some medicine to help you along the way which is the same to reduce the risk of developing cystine or struvite stones.

Should you already have kidney stones and it is causing problems, you have to see your doctor so both of you can figure out what treatment option is best suited for the situation. You have to remember that the doctor has to figure out first what type of stone is in your system.

With that, he or she will be able to tell you what needs to be done. Your response to this should be more questions so you know what you are getting yourself into. Yes there are ways to deal with kidney stones but you have to know how effective is the medication or treatment, what measures you have to take to prevent this from happening again and if there has been any permanent damage.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO


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