Kidney stones can form in any part of your urinary tract, including your kidneys, ureter (the tube that connects your kidney to your bladder), and bladder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll likely start to experience symptoms once a kidney stone is large enough to move around in your kidney or if the kidney stone becomes lodged in your ureter. (1<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kidney stones typically affect people 30 years and older, but children can also get them. It\u2019s estimated that 19% of men and 9% of women will develop a kidney stone in their lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the symptoms of kidney stones<\/a> may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other signs and symptoms of kidney stones may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kidney stone symptoms typically resolve once the stone is passed. Kidney stones don\u2019t usually cause permanent damage if they are identified and treated if needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you have a large stone that becomes stuck in your urinary tract, it can disrupt the flow of urine from your kidney to your bladder and cause intense pain and swelling. Large stones may require surgical intervention to prevent scarring and permanent damage to your kidneys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once a kidney stone is passed, it can be analyzed to determine what it is comprised of. There are four main types of kidney stones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most kidney stones are made of calcium oxalate. Oxalate is a substance your liver produces, but some foods are high in oxalates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though calcium is in the name, calcium-rich foods don\u2019t cause calcium oxalate stones<\/a>. Calcium helps bind to oxalates and can prevent kidney stones<\/a>. People with the lowest calcium intake tend to have more kidney stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Struvite stones can form when you have a urinary tract infection<\/a> due to changes in the urine from the bacteria. These stones grow quickly and can become quite large and come on with little warning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uric acid is a waste product in your blood. High uric acid levels can form crystals in your urine and cause kidney stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may be at higher risk of developing a uric acid kidney stone if you have gout. Gout<\/a> is a condition where you have high levels of uric acid in your blood which can form painful crystals in your joints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These stones are rare and form in people with a hereditary disorder called cystinuria. Cystinuria is a condition where too much cystine (a type of amino acid) is leaked into your urine. People with cystinuria tend to have recurring kidney stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Several risk factors can increase the likelihood of you developing kidney stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve had a kidney stone in the past, you\u2019re at higher risk of developing another one in the future. Having a family history of kidney stones, even if you haven\u2019t had one yet, is a risk factor as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t drink enough water and\/or you live in hot climates where you lose a lot of sweat, your kidney stone risk is higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n High-sodium diets are linked with kidney stones. Most people eat too much sodium compared to the recommended amount, so this is a more common risk factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gastric bypass surgery, inflammatory bowel disease, and chronic diarrhea can cause alter the balance of water and certain minerals in your urine, which may increase your kidney stone risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Medical conditions like renal tubular acidosis, cystinuria, hyperparathyroidism (a condition that causes high blood calcium levels), and repeated urinary tract infections (which cause struvite stones) are all risk factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some supplements and medications such as vitamin C, excessive use of laxatives, calcium-based antacids, and certain medications used to treat migraines or depression can increase your risk of kidney stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Foods that cause kidney stones will depend on the type of kidney stone you have a history of developing. Having your kidney stone tested after it\u2019s passed can help you identify which foods you might need to avoid in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Calcium oxalate stones are the most common type of kidney stone. Some high-oxalate foods you may need to limit to prevent kidney stones include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you eat high-oxalate foods, be sure to drink plenty of water to help your body flush the oxalates out through your urine. Eating high-calcium foods<\/a> to help bind to the oxalates and remove them from your body can also help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Avoid high doses of vitamin C if you\u2019re prone to calcium oxalate stones, which can increase oxalic acid production in your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cooking high-oxalate vegetables can lower their oxalate content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking for low-oxalate alternatives to the foods in the above list, consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A high-sodium diet can increase the amount of calcium in your urine, which can cause kidney stones. The recommended daily limit for sodium is less than 2,300 milligrams per day. If you have a history of kidney stones, you might want to consider limiting your sodium intake even further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sodium is found in table salt, but table salt isn\u2019t the main source of sodium in most people\u2019s diets. Processed foods are the leading culprit for sodium. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some examples of high-sodium foods include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have a history of stones made of uric acid, you may need to limit (or at least eat in moderation) high-purine foods. Purines are a chemical compound in some foods that increase levels of uric acid in your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some high-purine foods include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consuming large amounts of vitamin C can increase the calcium level in your urine and may lead to kidney stones. It\u2019s more likely that you\u2019d over-do vitamin C in the form of supplements and not food, but you should still be aware of foods high in vitamin C like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the best ways to prevent kidney stones are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re dehydrated, your body can\u2019t dissolve the salts and other compounds that can form hard crystals in your urine and lead to kidney stones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n RELATED: <\/strong>10 Ways to Prevent Dehydration<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Calcium helps bind to oxalates and removes them from your body, which reduces your risk of developing calcium oxalate stones. If you pair high-calcium foods with high-oxalate foods, you can reduce your kidney stone risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some examples of high-calcium foods include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Foods that cause kidney stones depend on the type of kidney stone that tends to form and can include high-oxalate and high-purine foods. Regardless of the type of kidney stone, you should drink plenty of fluids, avoid eating excessive sodium and avoid mega doses of vitamin C to prevent kidney stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat are the signs and symptoms of kidney stones?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Types of kidney stones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Calcium stones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Calcium phosphate stones are another type of calcium stone but aren\u2019t as common as calcium oxalate stones. Calcium phosphate stones can be associated with certain medications to treat migraines or seizures.<\/p>\n\n\n\nStruvite stones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Uric acid stones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cystine stones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What are the risk factors for developing kidney stones?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Family or personal history<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dehydration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
High-sodium diet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Digestive diseases and some types of digestive surgery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Medical conditions <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Certain supplements and medications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Foods that can cause kidney stones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. High oxalate foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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2. High-sodium foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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3. High-purine foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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4. Excessive vitamin C intake<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Other ways to prevent kidney stones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Drinking plenty of fluids<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Avoid spending a lot of time in saunas which cause you to lose a lot of sweat, therefore reducing the amount you may urinate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You should be drinking enough fluids so that your urine is light in color. If it\u2019s dark or has an odor, you\u2019re likely not drinking enough, which increases your kidney stone risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\nEating enough calcium<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Explore More<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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