Kidney and Stones - Causes and treatment

The kidneys are two organs on either side of the body below the ribs that are bound for removing waste and excess water from the blood. Shaped like beans, these little organs are powerhouses responsible for filtering for the entire body. Without healthy kidneys, people are unable to filter their blood and produce urine to pass. One of the most common disturbances for the urinary tract system are kidney and stones.

What are Kidney Stones?

These rocklike masses are formed from crystals that can develop during the filtering process. There are normally certain chemicals in the blood that keep crystals from forming. However, they can sometimes be ineffective. Most of the time, the stones pass without medical attention. At times, they can be too massive or painful to pass and may require treatment.

Who Gets Kidney Stones?

Kidney Stones develop in approximately 5% of the US population. Caucasians are more likely to develop stones and men are three times as likely as women. Although it is not entirely known why the prevalence of kidney stones have been increasing for the last 30 years, many suspect our changing diets may have something to do with it. Scientists have only begun to scratch the surface of what eating highly processed food laden with preservatives, chemicals and additives can do to the body.

How Can Kidney Stones Be Prevented?

While there are effective treatments, kidney and stones can be a painful condition that should be avoided. As with most preventable diseases, it is best to focus on preventing rather than work retroactively. There is some evidence to indicate that kidney and stones can be inherited. If an evaluation of medical history indicates a close relative with the condition, steps should be taken to learn about prevention. Some proactive things to do include: trying to drink pure water regularly and avoid sodas and other beverages, eating a high in calcium diet, avoiding food with added Vitamin D such as fortified milk and eating less meat, fish and poultry. Meats tend to increase acid in urine and accelerate the process of developing stones, so minimizing meat is best.

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