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How Do You Know What Type Of Kidney Stone You Have?

  • Author by Raazi
  • Reviewed By Raazi
  • Last Edited : August 25, 2024
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Health issues like kidney stones are frequent and rather typical. Today, most of the population all over the world suffers from this disease. The sufferers only know how painful the ailment is. But how do you know what type of kidney stone you have? Are you aware of the many kinds of kidney stones? And how kidney stones are formed?

The stones when they are inside the kidney increase in size can block urine. The edges might also pinch the kidney skin, which again is cruelly excruciating. Passing the stone then is another one of the most agonizing body processes.

According to doctors and patients, it is more painful than giving birth to a child. So it is better to be aware of the factors why it happens to keep yourself safe from it.

Unfortunately, persons who have previously had kidney stones are more likely to encounter them again. Passing these stones can be very painful. You may, however, take a few precautions to lessen this danger.

  • Rare genetic disorders can cause kidney stones from childhood.
  • Lemonade and citrus juices can prevent kidney stones.
  • Some kidney stones grow to the size of a golf ball.
  • Dehydration, especially in hot climates, increases kidney stone risk.
  • Men are twice as likely as women to develop kidney stones.
  • Consuming calcium-rich foods can help prevent kidney stones.
  • Passing a kidney stone is often described as more painful than childbirth.

Why Do Kidney Stones Form?

Kidney stones, often referred to as renal stones or nephrolithiasis, are made of hard, solid waste products that accumulate in the kidneys and crystallize.

There are four basic forms, although calcium oxalate stones account for nearly 80% of all stones. Uric acid, cysteintine, and struvite are less prevalent types.

Kidney stones develop when the calcium, oxalate, and uric acid crystals in your urine combine with other components and form a high concentration in your urine.

Stones are formed when two or more crystals bind together. This happens when your urine lacks the moisture and other ingredients necessary to prevent stones from forming.

Once you have suffered from kidney stone formation, you become up to 50% prone to another stone within 5 to 10 years. Where-as larger stones may cause a blockage in part of the urinary system as they exit your body. Severe pain, vomiting, and bleeding may result from this.

What Size Kidney Stones Hurt?

Smaller stones or particles also keep on forming in kidneys but are typically not a problem. You may pass a kidney stone undetected and they might be as little as a grain of sand. However, a larger one might really harm you and obstruct your urine flow. Some claim that the discomfort might even surpass childbirth.

Kidney stones can be caused by a variety of factors, including what your diet is and which specific drugs you take.

What Are Kidney Stone Types?

The many sorts of stones are constructed of various materials. Knowing what kind of stone you have can help you determine its likely source and how to avoid it in the future.

You should take a kidney stone you pass to your doctor so they can identify it by sending it to the lab.

Calcium Crystals Kidney Stones

Calcium, as calcium oxalate, is the key component of most kidney stones. Calcium and oxalate make up the majority of kidney stones.

Hypercalciuria, a condition where there is too much calcium in the urine, is common in persons who develop calcium-containing stones. There are several causes for hypercalciuria. Some people’s intestines absorb too much calcium.

Others have excessive calcium absorption from their bones. Some have kidneys that improperly control how much calcium is excreted in their urine.

Oxalate Of Calcium

A disease known as hypercalciuria causes some people to develop calcium oxalate stones because of having too much oxalate in their urine. Too much oxalate in the urine can sometimes be the result of intestinal surgery in the past or an inflammatory bowel condition like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.

In addition, your liver creates oxalate on a regular basis. It is abundant in several fruits, vegetables, nuts, and chocolate. When you consume certain meals, the substance is absorbed by your body.

High vitamin D dosages and certain metabolic conditions can also cause the concentration of calcium or oxalate in your urine to increase.

Uric Acid

When a protein is metabolized by the body, uric acid is generated. Urine becomes saturated with uric acid crystals when the pH falls below 5.5, a condition known as hypercalciuria.

Stones may develop if there is an excessive amount of uric acid in the urine. People who consume a lot of protein, such as that found in red meat or chicken, are more likely to develop uric acid stones.

Uric acid stones can also develop in gout sufferers.

Phosphate of Calcium

Compared to calcium oxalate stones, calcium phosphate stones are a different type of calcium stone. Some persons develop calcium phosphate stones because of renal tubular acidosis, a medical disease. 

People with metabolic disorders such as renal tubular acidosis, in which the kidneys are unable to maintain a healthy acid balance in the blood, or those who use drugs to treat migraines or seizures are more likely to develop this type of stone.

Stones of Struvite

Some people develop struvite stones, which are made of a combination of calcium carbonate, magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate. These bacteria can cause infections that lead to the development of these stones. Urine’s pH is increased by ammonia, making it more alkaline and encouraging the growth of struvite. 

These may develop as a result of a UTI (UTI). Ammonia builds up in your urine because of the infection-causing bacteria. This causes the stones to develop. The stones can swiftly grow in size.

Urate Crystals

These develop in those who experience excessive fluid loss due to chronic diarrhea or malabsorption, eating a diet heavy in purines, having diabetes, or having the metabolic syndrome. Specific hereditary variables may also increase your risk of uric acid stones.

Cysteine Stones

Cysteine stones are uncommon and only develop in people with cystinuria, a hereditary metabolic abnormality those results in elevated amounts of cysteine in the urine.

Stone Crystals

This uncommon kind of stone develops when the kidneys release an excessive amount of the particular amino acid cysteine into the urine. They happen in persons with cystinuria, a hereditary disease.

Why Do Kidney Stones Form?

There is frequently no one explanation for kidney stones, and a number of things might make you more likely to get them. Below is a list of a few of these elements.

Absence of Water

Absence or lack of water intake is one of the causes. Sufficient water is needed for urine to dilute substances that can turn into stones. Your urine may seem very dark if you don’t drink enough fluids or perspire excessively. It ought to be transparent or light yellow.

Approximately 8 cups of urine should be produced daily if you’ve previously had a stone. Since you lose some fluids from sweating and breathing, try to consume around 10 cups of water each day. Change a glass of water for a citrus-flavored beverage.

Citrate included in orange or lemon juice can prevent the formation of stones in your kidneys.

Eating Meals High in Oxalate

When your kidneys produce urine, calcium and oxalate clump together and form the most typical sort of kidney stone. Numerous veggies and nutritious meals contain the chemical oxalate. If you’ve had this sort of stone in the past, your doctor might advise you to reduce meals high in oxalate. Examples comprise:

  • Spinach
  • Rhubarb
  • Grits
  • Wheat Bran

It’s possible that you’ve heard that drinking milk might cause kidney stones. That is untrue. Oxalate is easier for your body to process if you consume it alongside calcium-rich foods (such as milk and cheese) at the same time. That’s because the two don’t often combine in the kidneys, where a stone might develop, but rather in the stomach.

Relatively High Sodium Consumption

 This is mostly obtained from table salt. It may increase your risk of developing certain kidney stones. So avoid processed meals, canned goods, packaged meats, and salty snacks.

High Levels Of Uric Acids Through Animal-Based Protein

When your urine is too acidic, one type of kidney stone might develop. Uric acid levels in the body can increase by eating red meat and seafood. This can build up in the joints and result in gout or it can go to the kidneys and form kidney stones.

More crucially, animal protein increases the calcium content and decreases the citrate content of your urine, both of which promote stone formation.

People with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, mostly have kidney stones. You may get diarrhea as a result of bowel issues, which reduces your urine production.

More oxalate may be absorbed by the body from the gut, resulting in more in the urine.

Obesity

Obesity increases your risk of kidney stones by almost double. You can lose weight and enhance your health by changing your lifestyle and eating habits. Some people opt for surgery for weight reduction.

However, it is observed that those who undergo the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the most popular weight loss procedure, are more likely to get kidney stones.

This danger solely applies to weight loss procedures that result in malabsorption. 

Additional Medical Issues

One or more forms of kidney stones might develop as a result of a variety of illnesses.

Certain Genetic Illnesses

Medullary sponge kidney is one instance of a congenital abnormality that results in kidney cyst formation.

Diabetes Type 2

It may increase the acidity of your urine, which favors the formation of stones.

Gout

As a result of this illness, uric acid builds up in the blood and crystallizes in the kidneys and joints. Large kidney stones may be excruciatingly uncomfortable.

Hyperparathyroidism

The overproduction of hormones by your parathyroid glands can increase the amounts of calcium in your blood and urine.

Acidosis of the Renal Tubules

The body develops an excess of acid as a result of this kidney issue. Metabolic disorder Higher excretion of oxalate, calcium, and uric acid in the urine, as well as a reduction in the excretion of citrate, are all associated with metabolic syndrome trait clustering and increased severity of kidney stone disease.

Medications

Sometimes medication might result in stones. Several antibiotics, such as sulfa and ciprofloxacin antibiotics, in some cases may trigger kidney stone formation. Others involve certain medications for AIDS and HIV. To treat high blood pressure, certain diuretics are utilized. However, several diuretics of the thiazide class work to avoid stones.

Takeaway

Kidney stones are one of the most common health issues. It has very painful and life disturbing effects. We have discussed the types of kidney stones to tell you how you know what type of kidney stone you have? The patient remains uncomfortable and in agony during all the three phases.

Firstly, when the stones are formed and are inside the kidney; secondly, when it passes through the body out. Even after stone removal, the patient remains in pain, stress and fatigue for a few days.

Knowledge and awareness about the disease contribute a lot in preventing it. If by every precaution you still get it, then go for treatment early and be vigilant afterwards.

Once stones have formed in your kidneys, there are more chances of their creation after every sometime.

At times, no prevention works, then consulting your doctor is the only way out. Your doctor can give you some type of kidney purifiers to use occasionally.

How Do You Know What Type Of Kidney Stone You Have?

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