Kidney stones can be a very painful medical condition. Perhaps you are a sufferer or someone in your family? There are several things which it is important to know if you want to prevent this condition. These are some of the causes of this condition: Kidney stones can be hereditary. If one of your parents has or had this disease, you have the risk of developing it too. They are mostly made of calcium and hypercalciruia, which means high levels of calcium in the urine, and this is what is often inherited through the generations. Some people suffer from renal tubular acidosis. They can't produce sufficient cystine, a necessary amino acid, oxalate (a kind of salt) and uric acid, which can encourage the growth of the stones.
Kidney stones can also be linked to geographical location. Residents in the southern United States, for example, can be more at risk than those in the north. The weather is warmer in the south, making dehydration more likely. If the urine becomes concentrated, the chemicals will join together and this can lead to the onset of the problem.
Diet does not cause kidney stones but it can help to treat them. If somebody is prone to them, foods containing a lot of calcium can increase the risk of their development. If you have never had them, your diet won't cause this disease. If you are currently a kidney stone patient, cut as much calcium out of your diet as you can and check food labels. You might not think your orange juice contains calcium but check the label anyway because you might find it does.
A number of OTC products can encourage the formation of kidney stones. If you take diuretics or water pills regularly, you are consuming a lot of antacids which contain calcium. This, in turn, increases the amount of calcium in your urine and might cause their formation. You might want to talk to your doctor about alternative diuretic treatments. HIV patients who are taking Crixivan (indinavir) might form indinavir stones.
Knowing about the causes of kidney stones can help you to get rid of them and prevent them from coming back again. Prevention is better than cure, as the saying goes.
Kidney stones have a lot to do with the way we live and the way we eat. Eating a diet rich in calcium sounds like a bone and tooth friendly idea but too much calcium can cause the disease when we have a strong calcium build up in the body. Calcium is found in milk, cream and cheese. It is also found in enriched cereals and bread and some types of orange juice, especially the vitamin and mineral enriched type.
The main cause of kidney stones is consuming too much calcium so you will need to examine your diet if you are prone to this disease. Your body does need calcium but it is better to measure what you eat and only eat a small amount of calcium, rather than eat too much and end up with the disease.
