Different Types of Kidney Stones
There are four basic types of kidney stones... which are classified according to their chemical composition. Once a patient has passed a kidney stone, it is important for the stone to be analyzed to determine its chemical composition. This helps the physician to understand the deficiencies or conditions within the patient's body which may have caused the stone to develop. With this information, an appropriate course of treatment, including diet, can be prescribed.
Different Types of Kidney Stones Kidney stones can be made up of a variety of substances, but there are four basic types... Calcium stones, Stuvite stones, Uric Acid stones, and Cystine stones.
CALCIUM STONES High levels of calcium in the blood can be as a result of other health conditions. These include parathyroidism (malfunction of the parathyroid glands, which control the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus), and multiple myeloma (bone cancer). A diet heavy in refined carbohydrates (especially sugar), meat (especially red meat), and poultry, are among the main contributing factor of calcium stones. Another contributing factor is dehydration. This causes the urine to be concentrated, thus increasing the likelihood of stone formation.
STRUVITE STONES The bacteria that causes urinary tract infection produces a substance which makes the urine less acidic... which indicates that not enough acid is being excreted in the urine. When the urine becomes less acidic, struvite is then able to settle and form stones.
URIC ACID STONES These types of stones only account for about 5% of all kidney stones. Uric acid stones result from high concentration of uric acid in the urine, and are often associated with gout. (Gout is a disorder caused by an excess of uric acid in the bloodstream, which is deposited in joints... causing inflammation and destruction of joints.) Uric acid stones are formed when bits of uric acid begins to bond together. Over time, a solid mass develops, resulting in the formation of kidney stone.
CYSTINE STONES Only about 2% of all kidney stones are cystine stones. This type of kidney stones is usually caused by a condition known as cystinuria. This condition is usually present at birth and affects the patient's ability to process amino acids properly. This causes the formation of stones composed of cystine (a type of amino acid) to develop in the kidney or bladder. Most types of kidney stones can be prevented by proactively adopting a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle habits. Persons with a personal or family history of kidney stones should be aware of the types of kidney stones to which they are prone. This helps with the formulation of appropriate measures (such as diet, exercise, water consumption, etc.) which can assist in preventing recurrence.
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