What causes kidney stones

What causes kidney stones ?

           Kidney stones form when your urine contains more crystal-forming substances such as calcium, oxalate and uric acid than the fluid in your urine can dilute. At the same time, your urine may lack substances that prevent crystals from sticking together, creating an ideal environment for kidney stones to form.

           Kidney stones form when your urine contains more crystal-forming substances such as calcium, oxalate and uric acid than the fluid in your urine can dilute. At the same time, your urine may lack substances that prevent crystals from sticking together, creating an ideal environment for kidney stones to form.

There are 4 types of kidney stones

• Calcium oxalate.
• Uric acid stones.
• Struvite stones.
• Systine stones.

Calcium oxalate :

Calcium oxalate stones are the most common type of kidney stone. Kidney stones are solid masses that form in the kidneywhen there are high level of calcium, oxalate, cystine Or phosphate and too little liquid. Calcium oxalate stones are caused by too much oxalate in urine.

           These crystals are made from oxalate ( a substance found in foods like green, leafy vegetables) combined with calcium.
            Having too much oxalate or too little urine can cause the oxalate to crystalize and clump together into stones.

           Calcium oxalate crystals in the urine are the most common constituent of human kidney stones, and calcium oxalate crystals formation is also one of the toxic effects of ethylene glycol poisioning.
         Beens, beer, beets, berries, chocolate, coffee, cranberries, dark green vegetables such as spinach can cause calcium oxalate.

Uric acid :
          Most of the time, a high uric acid level occurs when your kidneys don't eliminate uric acid efficiently. Things that may cause this slow-down in the removal of uric acid include rich foods, being overweight, having diabetes, taking certain diuretics (sometimes called water pills) and drinking too much alcohol.
            This rids the body of stomach acid, which can make body fluids more basic. Acidic urine can also create an environment where kidney stones can form. If a person has low urine pH, meaning that it is more acidic, it might indicate a medical condition such as: diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a complication of diabetes.
               Uric acid is a product of the breakdown of nitrogen compounds, and is normally excreted in urine. In the overall study population, a high blood uric acid level was associated with a statistically significant increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, stroke, congestive heart failure or any cause.In this article, learn about eight natural ways to lower uric acid levels.In this article, learn about eight natural ways to lower uric acid levels. In this article, learn about eight natural ways to lower uric acid levels.

• Limit purine-rich foods.
• Eat more low-purine foods.
• Avoid drugs that raise uric acid levels.
• Maintain a healthy body weight.
• Avoid alcohol and sugary drinks.
• Drink coffee.
• Try a vitamin C supplement.
• Eat cherries.

struvite stones :
             Struvtive stones are composed of magnesium ammonium phosphate, and form in alkaline urin. The most common causes of struvite stones is a bacterial infection that raises the urine ph to neutral or alkaline.
            Acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) can reduce urine ph and ammonia levels and help dissolve stones.
            Bacteria in your urinary tract produce struvite when they break down the waste product urea into ammomia.
            For struvite to be produced, your urine need to be alkaline. Having a urinary tract infection can make your alkaline.
           To prevent Struvite Stones, your doctor may recommend strategies to keep your urine free of bacteria that causes infection.
           Long-term use of antibiotics in small dose may help achieve this goal. For instance, your doctor may recommend an antibiotic before and for a while after surgery to treat your kidney stones.
          Beets, chocolate, spinach, rhubarb, tea and most nuts are rich in oxalate, and colas are rich in phosphate, there type of food are bad for kidney stones.

Cystine stones :
           Cystine stones are caused by a rare disorder called “cystinuria.” The disorder causes a natural substance called “cystine” to leak into your urine.
           Symptoms of this disorder typically begin between 10 and 30 years of age, although elevated cystine excretion may be found in infancy. The disorder occurs in approximately 1 in 7,000 to 1 in 10,000 people in the United States. The prevalence of cystinuria varies in different countries.
           Cystine stones can often be dissolved and new ones prevented by a high fluid intake. People with cystinuria should understand that "for them, water is a necessary drug."

To prevent cystine stones follow these :

• Drinking lots of water will lower the ability for the cystine to form stones in the urine.
• Changing your diet.
• Cystine stones are less able to form in urine that is less acidic.
• Reducing salt.
• Eating less salt can help keep cystine stones from forming.
• Medicine.