Prevent Kidney Stones: 6 Most Important Tips you need to Know

Kidney Stones

Kidneys remove waste toxin fluid from the body through urine. Kidney stones develop when the volume of the toxin substance is greater than the fluid in the body. This happens for different reasons. In medical terms, kidney stones are also known as renal calculi, renal stones, or nephrolithiasis. It can develop in people of any age or gender.

Reasons for kidney stones

There is no particular cause of kidney stones. Some common causes of kidney stones are mentioned here.

Dehydration (Drinking Less water)
Some vegetables that contain oxalate(Spinach, bran cereal rhubarb, beets, sweet potatoes, etc.)
High salt intake
High sugar consumption
Infection in the urinary tract system
High animal protein intake
People who have kidney stones in the past are at high risk of developing a kidney stone again. They should follow the precaution to prevent the development of kidney stones.

Symptoms of kidney stone

You may not feel any symptoms if you have small kidney stone but if you have big kidney stones then you may feel lower abdomen pain.
Severe pain can cause nausea and vomiting
Frequent urination and pain while urinating
Cloudy urine
Urine color (red, pink or brown)
Fever and chills
Although kidney stone gets developed in kidneys, however sometimes the stone gets passed to the urinary tract system – urethra, ureters, and urinary bladder. Hence, the person may have problems in these areas.

Important Tips to prevent Kidney stone

Drink Plenty Of Water:

Generally, kidney stones occur due to an insufficiency of water in the body. Due to less water, the toxin substance in the kidneys becomes hard and crystallized and takes the form of a stone. Less water intake causes less urine production. To prevent the development of kidney stones, you should drink at least 12 glasses of water a day. You should be extra careful, especially if you are involved in activities like gym work or sports that cause a lot of sweating. You should maintain a good water level in your body.

Wash Fruits and Vegetables Properly:

The dirt present on the surface of fruits and vegetables can cause kidney stones. You should properly wash the fruits and vegetables before eating or cooking them.

Modern intake of food:

If you have had kidney stones in the past, you should be extra careful. Some foods, like spinach, beets, peanuts, seeds, grains, chocolate, and tea, have oxalate. If you are eating them, then the oxalate gets mixed with calcium in the urine and makes calcium oxalate stones. Hence, you should eat or drink calcium sources with them. By doing so, the oxalate binds with the calcium during digestion before it reaches the kidneys. You should take them in moderation, keeping in mind the overall health perspective. Strictly follow the advice of doctors. Moreover, you should not take a calcium supplement without consulting your doctor. The doctor suggests the right method to take any supplement.

Limit Salt Intake:

If you eat a lot of salt that contains sodium, then it increases the calcium level in the urine. It can cause kidney stones. Moreover, you should also limit your consumption of foods with high sodium content. People who are prone to stones should follow a low-sodium diet.

Take Medicines:

If you already have kidney stones, then you should follow the advice of your doctor properly. You should take the prescribed medicine on time and also follow the diet advice. If you do not take proper measures in time, the kidney stones can come back.

Check on Uric Acid Level:

Uric acid stone is a common type of kidney stone. Foods like red meat, organ meats, fish, dried beans, mushrooms, cauliflower, green peas, etc. cause high uric acid production. High uric acid levels can cause uric acid stones in the kidneys.

Kidney stones damage the kidneys. If stones are diagnosed early, then the condition can be improved. Doctors recommend treatment according to the size of the stone. A small kidney stone is not that harmful. It gets passed through urine without pain; however, big stones need proper treatment. The doctors decide whether you need medicine or surgery.

The Urine test and kidney sonography help to diagnose kidney stones. Doctors can also recommend a blood test to check the level of stone-forming minerals in your body. All these tests are available at Arth Diagnostics.