RJV World

About 60% of all kidney stone calcium oxalate, 9 % contain calcium phosphate, while about 11% contain a combination of both. Less common stone are composed of uric acid, cystine, or magnesium ammonium phosphate. A stone that blocks the flow of urine or causes infection must be removed either surgically or by sound or shock waves to break up the stone into pieces that can be easily eliminated from the body. The person who has a kidney stone may experience recurrence but reports suggest that with proper treatment, a recurrence may be prevented.

Probable Causes

- Bowel disease (causing malabsorption)
- Cystinuria
- Glucocorticoid excess
- Gout
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Hyperthyroidism
- Immobilization
- Osteoporosis
- Paget’s disease
- Recurrent urinary tract infections
- Renal tubular acidosis
- Vitamin D intoxication (overdose)

Probable symptoms

- Mild pain. This occurs when small pieces of the stone break off and travel down with the urine through the ureters. The pain usually starts in the back, just below the ribs and follows the path of the stone. Once the stone reaches the blade the pain normally subsides.
- Severe stabbing pain, the result if the large stone enters an ureters.

Helpful Dietary Management

- Eat a diet low in sodium and low to moderate in protein plus a high fluid intake.
- Drink enough water –about 8 ½ glasses (eight ouch glass) spread within the day at regular intervals to maintain a urine volume of 2 liters per day. Maintaining a large urine volume ensures that mineral concentrations in the urine will be diluted, therefore reducing the risk of stone formation.
- Eat fresh, natural foods instead of processed canned meats.
- Avoid commercial chips and crackers.
- Reduce sodium in the diet, gradually
- Avoid tea, coffee, alcoholic and carbonated beverages
- Read labels. Sodium can be found in food, water, medicines, toothpastes, and mouthwash.