Types of kidney stones
With an understanding of different types of kidney stones, you can figure out the causes easier and know how to avoid having more kidney stones. If you can, you should, in case you pass one, attempt to keep your kidney stone so that your doctor can examine it.
Here below are some types of kidney stones:
- Calcium stones
- Struvite stones
- Uric acid stones
- Cystine stones
Risk factors
Family or personal history
Should someone in your family has the stones, there is more likelihood that you will develop kidney stones as well. If you happen to have one or some kidney stones, the chances of you having another one are high.
Dehydration
If the body absorbs an insufficient amount of water each day, you are at high risk of kidney stones. People who usually sweat or reside in areas with warm or hot climates are faced with higher risks.
Certain diets
If you consume diets that are rich in sodium, protein, and sugar, you are more likely to suffer from some types of kidney stones. This is obviously true with diets that are abundant in salt. The high amount of salt that your diet contains is equal to the high demands of your kidneys for filtering the increased amount of calcium, thus making kidney stones easy to develop.
Obesity
More evidence reveals that there is a link between obesity and high risks of kidney stones.
Other medical conditions
The risk of having kidney stones can be increased by some diseases and conditions such as cystinuria, renal tubular acidosis, hyperparathyroidism, specific medications and some infections related to the urinary tract.
Kidney stones diagnosis
Tests
Doctors may test your blood to see if there is extra uric acid or calcium. The accumulation of either uric acid or calcium can lead to the development of kidney stones. You may be advised to collect your urine for one to two days. Doctors will subsequently test it to see if there are any substances that potentially cause the formation of kidney stones.
Imaging studies
Imaging studies such as CT scans or X-rays are used by doctors to find out the existence of stones within the urinary tract. Doctors can also check for blockages in the ureters by using ultrasound test. Nevertheless, some of the stones can be so small or hidden in certain positions that they cannot be seen on an imaging study.
After the diagnosis of your kidney stones is carried out, your doctor may provide you with a special strainer to use every time you urinate. This strainer’s function is to help you collect stones, whole or in pieces, that you pass when you urinate. With the stones, doctors can analyze it in the laboratory, which is very beneficial.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
