Kidney Stones - Cause
Kidney stones may form when the normal balance of water, salts, minerals, and other substances found in urine changes. How this balance changes determines the type of kidney stone you have. Most kidney stones are calcium-type-they form when the calcium levels in your urine change.
Factors that change your urine balance include:
Understanding Kidney Stones -- Prevention
You can do many things to prevent a recurrence of kidney stones. Knowing the stone's specific mineral composition can help determine which preventive steps are most likely to reduce your risk of recurrence. Check with your doctor before making any major changes in your diet, but these general guidelines, for many people, can help. Drink 2 to 3 quarts of liquid every day. Drinking plenty of fluid is probably the most important way to prevent future stones since this will dilute the mineral concentration...
Read the Understanding Kidney Stones -- Prevention article > >
- Not drinking enough water. When you don't drink enough water, the salts, minerals, and other substances in the urine can stick together and form a stone. This is the most common cause of kidney stones.
- Medical conditions. Many medical conditions can affect the normal balance and cause stones to form. Examples include gout and inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease.
More commonly, kidney stones can run in families, as stones often occur in family members over several generations.
In rare cases, a person forms kidney stones because the parathyroid glands produce too much of a hormone, which leads to higher calcium levels and possibly calcium kidney stones.
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