Could You Be at Risk for a Kidney Stone?

Around 10% of Americans will develop at least one kidney stone during their life. In recent decades, that percentage has increased, which means you could be at risk for the condition. Although you can pass a small kidney stone without knowing you have one, other stones can cause severe pain. And every time you have kidney stones, your risk of developing more stones rises. Fortunately, you can prevent kidney stones in many cases.

What Are Kidney Stones?

Your kidneys process waste from your blood and excrete this waste and extra water, which becomes urine. Urine travels from your ureters to your bladder, leaving your body through your urethra.

This waste often includes minerals, salts, and uric acid. If there is too little liquid for the waste, the waste will crystalize and clump together. If more liquid urine doesn’t wash these clumps out of your body, you will develop kidney stones.

The most common types of kidney stones are calcium oxalate stones or calcium phosphate stones, which account for about 80% of stones. Uric acid stones account for up to 10%, and struvite stones, caused by urinary tract infections (UTIs), make up another 10%. Cystine stones, created by the amino acid in some foods, are just 1% of stones.

Kidney stones range in size from tiny, like a grain of sand, to very large, like a pingpong ball. The larger the stone, the more likely it is to cause noticeable symptoms.

What Kidney Stones Feel Like

One of the most common symptoms of kidney stones is pain on one side of your lower abdomen or back. The pain can be sharp and stabbing and come and go. This pain is often caused by a stone that blocks the flow of urine. Other symptoms may include:

• Blood in your urine
• Burning sensation during urination
• Dark-colored urine
• Feeling an urgent need to urinate
• Nausea or vomiting
• Needing to urinate more frequently
• Pain at the tip of the penis

If you have tiny or small stones, you may not have any symptoms. If you have large stones, you may need surgical treatment, such as percutaneous nephrolithotomy, a procedure to remove stones that are too large to pass through your urinary tract.

Risk Factors and Causes of Kidney Stones

There are many reasons people develop kidney stones, such as:

• Age. People ages 40–60 are the most likely to develop stones, and men are twice as likely as women to get kidney stones.
• Dehydration. If you are not drinking enough fluids or water, your risk of kidney stones increases.
• Diets high in red meat. Too much animal protein will raise the uric acid levels in your blood.
• Diets high in sodium. Too much salt can stop your body from getting rid of excess calcium in your urine.
• Excess sweating. Working in the heat or intense exercise such as hot yoga can cause your body to produce less urine, which could lead to stones.
• Family history. Some people may have a genetic predisposition to kidney stones.
• Infections. Chronic UTIs can lead to kidney stones.
• Obesity. If you are overweight, your body may change acid levels in urine.
• Personal history. If you once had kidney stones, you are more likely to get them again.

Certain medical conditions, such as Crohn’s disease or gout, can also cause or increase your risk for kidney stones.

Changing Your Diet Can Help

If you have increased risk factors for kidney stones, you should take steps to try to prevent a stone from forming. Making healthy dietary changes is one of the best ways to limit your risk of kidney stones.

• Drink plenty of fluids. You should drink enough water and other fluids daily. Ensure that most of that intake is water and not sugary drinks, which can cause other health problems. If you get cystine stones or work in heat, you may need to drink more water.
• Eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. Many fruits and vegetables have high water content, which can help you stay hydrated. They are also packed with nutrients, which are important for peak kidney function.
• Get just enough calcium. Too much dietary calcium may contribute to stones, but so can too little.
• Limit meat. You don’t have to go completely vegetarian, but limiting meat consumption to a couple of times a week instead of daily may lower your risk of stones.
• Lower your sodium intake. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you should not consume more than 2,300 mg of sodium daily. Your doctor may recommend a lower goal. Remember that condiments, even those that are low in calories, can often be packed with sodium.

If you have high urine oxalate, you also may need to avoid oxalate-rich foods such as spinach and almonds.

Children Are at Risk, Too

Kidney stones are more common in adults, but kids as young as 5 can also develop kidney stones. Girls are more likely than boys to develop stones.

The rate of stones in children has risen in recent years, and there’s no one reason. However, dehydration and too many salty foods are likely two of the top reasons. Limiting salty snacks and ensuring that your kids drink plenty of water are two easy ways to help prevent kidney stones in your kids. If your child has recurrent UTIs, talk to their pediatrician about their risk of kidney stones.

Talk to Your Doctor About Preventive Treatments

If dietary changes have not helped with recurrent kidney stones, it’s time to talk to your Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County provider. You may need blood tests and imaging tests, such as a CT scan, to rule out other health concerns.

Several medications can reduce your risk of kidney stones, especially when combined with dietary changes. The type of medication you may need will depend on what type of stones and other risk factors or medical issues you have. Your MHSC provider can help you find the right treatment for kidney stones.

If you’re at risk of kidney stones, find a MHSC provider today.