Types of Kidney Stones

Knowing the type of kidney stone may help you determine the cause and may give you clues on how to lower your risk of getting more kidney stones. Although there are many forms of kidney stones, doctors have found four main types.

There are many shapes and sizes of kidney stones.

Types of kidney stones:

Calcium stones

·         The most common type of stones contain calcium.

·         Calcium is needed in a healthy diet for strong bones and muscles.

·         The kidneys flush out any excess calcium with the rest of your urine.

·         Calcium in your kidneys are usually in the form of calcium oxalate.

·         Oxalate is natural substance and can be found in some fruits, vegetables, nuts, and chocolate. It is also produced in the liver.

·         Calcium that stays in the kidneys can build up and form a kidney stone.

Uric acid stones

Uric acid stones.

·         Commonly found in men than in women.

·         Can occur with gout or chemotherapy.

·         Forms when your urine contains too much acid (low pH).

·         If too much acid is excreted, or the acid level in the urine is high, the uric acid may not dissolve and uric stones may form.

·         Eating a high-protein diet may increase your chances of getting this stone.

·         Unlike calcium stones, this stone can be "dissolved" with medical treatment.

Struvite stones

·         Commonly found in women.

·         Tends to form after you have a kidney infection, such as a urinary tract infection.

·         Grows quickly and can become quite large with little warning or symptoms.

Cystine stones

·         Commonly forms in people who have cystinuria, a genetic disorder. This disorder causes cystine (an amino acid) to leak through the kidneys and into the urine.

What Stone Do You Have?

Finding out the type of kidney stone you have will help with treatment measures and decisions to prevent it from reoccurring. 

Tests include:

·         A physical exam and a medical history.

·         Your doctor may ask you to collect stones by straining your urine so that he/she may analyze it. This is called a stone analysis.

·         To measure pH, calcium, oxalate, and other substances, a urine collection may be done. This is a test you may do at home.

·         A blood chemistry screen measures kidney function and levels of substanes that may have caused the stone to form.

·         Imaging tests such as X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans may reveal small stones in your kidney and bladder.

By knowing what kind of stone you have, you can take steps in reducing your chances of getting another stone, which I will talk about in my upcoming post!


Sources:
National Kidney and Urologic DiseasesInformation Clearinghouse (NKUDIC). (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2014, from http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/kidneystonediet/

Kidney stones. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2014, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-stones/basics/prevention/con-20024829

Pinterest. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2014, from www.pinterest.com

Kidney stones: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2014, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000458.htm