Kidney stones also known as renal calculi, nephrolithiasis, or urolithiasis are hard compounds made of minerals and salts that form inside the kidneys.
Kidney stones can be caused by certain types of diet, supplements, medical conditions, or medications. They affect the urinary tract from the kidneys to the bladder.
There are four types of kidney stones namely calcium oxalate, struvite, uric acid, and cystine. They can be treated with shockwave lithotripsy, uteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithomy, or nephrolithotripsy.
Symptoms of kidney stones are severe pain in the lower back, blood in the urine, fever, nausea, chills, or urine with a bad smell or cloudy appearance.
Now, let us look into the causes of kidney stones.
Causes of Kidney Stones
There are numerous causes responsible for the formation of kidney stones. At times drinking too little water, more or less exercise, being overweight, weight loss surgery, consuming food with too much salt or sugar, infections, or family history of the disease. Here are the causes of kidney stones in detail:
- Medical conditions- Medical conditions like urinary tract infections, gout, inflammatory bowel disease, etc. are some of the conditions that can cause stones in the kidneys. High levels of calcium in the blood and urine and an increase in acid in the body give rise to a condition called distal renal tubular acidosis which can raise the chances of formation of calcium phosphate kidney stones.
- Family history- Family history increases your chances of developing kidney stones. In order to avoid its occurrence, you should get regular checkups done and refrain from eating foods that in high in sugar and salt as a preventive measure.
- Obesity- Obesity is directly related to the development of kidney stones. Obesity causes insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia, metabolic derangements that may form calcium-containing kidney stones. It changes the acid levels in the body and hampers the body’s metabolism causing more secretion of substances like oxalate and uric acid into the urine, which form stones and birth defect that results in cysts formation, people suffering from type 2 diabetes more prone to get kidney stones.
- Dehydration- Drinking less fluids leads to a lack of water or fluids in the body. This leads to more concentration of minerals and salts crystallizing in the urine thus leading to the formation of kidney stones. Less quantity of fluids in the body reduces the urine’s ability to dissolve wastes thus forming stones. You should stay properly hydrated in order to avoid the risk of developing stones.
- Exercise- When we perform too little or too much exercise then also, we are at high risk of developing kidney stones. A sedentary lifestyle is directly related to obesity which in turn is in itself a cause of kidney stone development. On the other hand, excessive exercise leads to concentration in the urine leading to stone formation in the kidneys.
Conclusion
Kidney stones do not form on their own but a number of factors are responsible for their formation. We have listed above some of the common causes of kidney stones. We can control the situation to some extent by adopting a healthy diet, regular exercise, staying properly hydrated, etc. Having a health insurance plan that covers diagnostic tests, treatments, and surgeries for kidney-related conditions can provide financial support and ensure access to timely medical care if kidney stones develop.
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