How To Avoid Kidney Stones

You may have heard a friend talking about how passing a stone was more painful than childbirth, and immediately you begin to think about how to avoid kidney stones. The secret behind keeping those agonizing little crystals out of your system is pretty simple too. Before we check out how to avoid kidney stones, let’s look at just what those stones are made of and how they form.

1. Drink, Drink, Drink. A kidney stone is an accumulation of substances in the urine that do not get properly flushed from the body, and the primary cause of kidney stones is dehydration. That being said, there is definitely a benefit in drinking those recommended eight glasses of water a day. This might mean needing to empty your bladder frequently, but just about anyone will tell you that a bathroom break every fifteen minutes is far less inconvenient than kidney stones being passed. Speaking of frequent bathroom usage, be sure you listen to your bladder when it sends that signal to your brain saying “Full! Empty now!”; delaying emptying your bladder can sometimes cause a urinary tract infection, which can occasionally lead to struvite kidney stones.
2. Don't hold it. The most common kind of kidney stones are those made of calcium, which often bonds with other substances to form that painful little rock. Once you’ve got a stone, you’ll likely know about it since it will hurt. Pain in the groin, back and lower abdomen are all typical signs of kidney stones, and other signs may include bloody urine, chills, a fever, and nausea. Believe it or not, kidney stones can actually increase your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. Those little pebbles are serious business, so it’s best to take them seriously.
3. Eat a healthy diet. Limiting your salt and sugar intake can help you avoid kidney stones. Eat healthy and you will be healthy. Changing your diet to be more fruit and vegetable heavy will not only help you avoid kidney stones, it will make you a healthier person all around.
4. Medication. If you have a history of kidney stones, visit your doctor and see what kind of medicine you can take to prevent them from returning.
5. Let it pass. If you couldn’t avoid kidney stones and ended up with one growing and the stone is small enough, you will just have to wait for it to pass. This process is by far one of the most painful things the average person will have the displeasure of experiencing – in other words, not very fun unless you’re a masochist. You should see a doctor if you suspect kidney stones since, if the stone is too big to pass or still growing, it could block the flow of urine and cause a kidney infection. These kinds of larger stones will require surgery to remove, unfortunately.

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Healthy Diet

Kidney Stones