Kidney Stones: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Different people at peculiar stages in life experience kidney stones and face the cumbersome challenge of how to manage and treat the disease. I will share insights on the causes, and the effective treatment options. You will also get more information on how you can prevent the incidence of this disease and take the right precautions.
Before we go further it is necessary to explain the term "Kidney Stone."
Kidney stones are small and hard mineral substances that are formed within the kidney.
They are formed from materials that contain crystals such as calcium and uric acid which could not be diluted by the fluid in your urine and this often occurs when your urine does not contain materials that prevent crystals from being stuck together. This results to formation of kidney stones in the body.
Symptoms
Kidney stones are not asymptomatic until they get into the ureter. The following are symptoms of kidney stones.
Blood in urine.
Vomiting and nausea
Reduced amount of urine excretion
Burning sensation while urinating
Acute pain in the groin
Precautions
There are some precautions that must be maintained and these include the following:
Drink lots of water: Medical practitioners recommend that you should drink lots of water, roughly 12 glasses or about 3 quarts of water in a day, especially if you have a history of kidney stones. This helps to flush out toxins your urinary system. The chances of being dehydrated is higher if you live in a hot and dry climate, so you may need to increase the quantity of water you consume. If your urine is light and clear, it's a signal that you take enough water, but if it's dark and concentrated, then it's time to make the necessary adjustments.
Reduce oxalate-rich foods: If your stones are calcium oxalate in nature, then you may need to avoid foods that contain oxalates such as okra, beets, spinach, sweet potatoes, nuts, soy products and Swiss chard.
Reduce the salt intake and animal protein: You need to minimize the quantity of salt you consume; add little amount while cooking or eating and go for non-animal protein like legumes.
Consult your Doctor: If you have kidney stones, you need to consult your Doctor regularly. Also seek recommendation of a good dietitian that could help you plan your diets.
Treatments options
Medical therapy: Your doctor could give you some medication known as alpha blocker, and this will enable you pass out the stones from your body. It calms the muscles in your ureter and makes you pass the stone more easily. This treatment only works if the kidney stones are small.
There are other treatment options that are effective, if the stones are too large.
Sound waves: Your doctor may opt for another treatment if the stones are too large by using extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). It uses sound waves with strong vibrations to dissolve the stones into little pieces. Then you can easily pass it out in your urine.
Surgery: You may need to undergo a surgical operation if the kidney stones are large and the ESWL procedure was not successful.
Prevention measures
The best preventive measure is by ensuring you eat right, reduce the intake of salt, and increase the volume of water you drink on a daily basis. This will make you hydrated with sufficient water in your body to dilute the urine and flush out substances that could stick together to form kidney stones.
It goes without saying that there are little ways you can avoid this disease. Always ensure you drink enough water, stay hydrated, avoid much salt intake, and seek medical help where necessary.