Kidney stones are painful collections of minerals that lodge in your kidneys or ureters. Some kidney stones are small enough to pass on their own with patience, painkillers, and plenty of water. Others require medical treatment.
However, treating kidney stones is complicated because not all kidney stones are alike. If you’re among the 19% of men and 9% of women in the United States who have or will develop a kidney stone, you need to find out what kind you have before attempting to treat it.
Alex Lesani, MD, is an expert urologist in Las Vegas, Nevada, who specializes in diagnosing and treating kidney stones. Following are the three most common types of kidney stones, how you get them, how you can get rid of them, and what steps you should take to prevent the next one.
The most common type of kidney stone is composed of calcium and oxalate. They’re sometimes referred to as “calcium” stones. However, you don’t get calcium oxalate stones because you eat too much calcium. In fact, you may need to consume more, not less, calcium.
Calcium oxalate stones develop when you don’t drink enough water, and calcium binds to oxalate during the process in which your kidneys produce urine. Without sufficient hydration to help flush them through the body, the clusters of calcium and oxalate form painful crystals that get stuck in your kidneys or ureters (i.e., the tubes between your kidneys and bladder).
The problem, then, isn’t too much calcium; it’s too much oxalate. You need to eat sufficient calcium so that the two minerals bind together in the digestive tract rather than in the kidneys. To prevent new stones, you cut down (but don’t cut out) oxalate-rich foods and add in more calcium. Recommendations could include:
Dr. Lesani may also recommend discontinuing any calcium supplements and getting your calcium through your diet alone. You may also need to avoid vitamin C supplements. You may be able to pass the stones or your own. Dr. Lesani breaks up and removes larger stones with shockwave therapy or minimally invasive surgery.
Uric acid stones are the next most common type of kidney stones. They’re caused by eating foods that are high in purines. A diet rich in purines can also cause gout, a painful form of arthritis that usually affects the feet, particularly the big toe.
When you eat a diet high in purines, your body can’t process the excess and eliminate it through the urine. Too many purines can cause your body to produce high levels of monosodium urate production, which may collect in clusters in your kidney, forming stones.
In addition to consuming more water and other healthy liquids, you should cut down on foods high in purines. Eliminate organ meats and consume modest amounts of red meat and seafood. You should also avoid alcohol, particularly beer, which is very high in purines.
You may pass small uric acid stones on your own by drinking at least three liters of healthy liquids daily. Larger stones may require shockwave therapy or surgery.
Struvite stones may complicate a urinary tract infection (UTI). Only 10%-15% of kidney stones are struvite stones. They’re composed of magnesium ammonium phosphate.
You can’t modify your diet to prevent struvite stones. They’re actually produced by the bacteria that cause a UTI. The bacteria themselves produce urease, which solidifies into a struvite stone.
Treatment may include a course of antibiotics to clear your UTI. Dr. Lesani may also prescribe urease inhibitors or acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) to dissolve the struvite stones. As with other stones, staying hydrated helps them pass more easily and reduces your risk of another UTI.
A fourth rare type of kidney stone is called a cystine stone. These tend to be large and may need to be removed surgically.
If you think you have a kidney stone, find out what type it is and how to treat it by phoning our friendly team for a consultation at 702-470-2579 today. You can also book your appointment online.
