Kidney Stone Causes

There is a lot of debate as to what causes kidney stones.  The kidneys function is to remove excess fluids and surplus waste from the blood through urine.  Kidney stones tend to form when a build up of certain crystal-forming substances, such as calcium, uric acid or cystine, get to a point where the urine is unable to efficiently dilute these substances. 

Other factors that can increase the risk of developing kidney stones include:

  1. Not drinking sufficient fluids during the day, particularly water
  2. A lack of physical exercise and activity
  3. Eating too much protein, such as meat, and not getting enough fibre in your diet
  4. Having had kidney stones in the past
  5. Previous kidney or urinary infections
  6. Certain medical conditions, such as bowel disease or various cancers 

It is also believed that various types of medication, such as aspirin, diuretics, antacids, as well as certain drugs used to treat conditions like high blood pressure, may also raise the risk of getting a kidney stone. 

Kidney stone formation is usually a combination of a number of related factors, rather than due to a single cause.

 There are four main types of kidney stone.  A diagnosis of the type of stone involved can help to identify the possible underlying cause.

Calcium stones

The calcium stone is by far the most common kidney stone.  Surplus calcium that remains in the kidney will often mix with other waste substances to form a stone.  The most common form of this combination is called calcium oxalate.  High levels of vitamin D, kidney disease and intestinal bypass surgery can result in an over concentration of calcium and oxalate.

Uric acid stones

Too much acid in the urine can cause Uric acid stone to form.  Theses stones are often the result of eating a high-protein diet.  Gout is also a prime cause of uric acid stones.

Struvite stones

Struvite stones are generally the result of an infection in the urinary system.  These type of stones more often found in women than men.

Cystine stones

Cystine stones are the rarest type of kidney stone.  These stones are caused by an hereditary condition known as cystinuria, which causes excessive amounts of acid to be passed in the urine.

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