Water A Big Boost For Kidney Stones Prevention Article

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Water A Big Boost For Kidney Stones Prevention

There are estimated figures of 1.3 million Americans who seek medical care for kidney stones each year. 80 percent of stone sufferers are men, and Caucasians are at greater risk than other ethnic groups.

Author: James Parker1

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Our kidneys are marvelous organs. Each day they filter 200 quarts of fluid, returning 198 quarts back to our circulation. The rest ends up as urine, made up mostly of water and urea with a smattering of other compounds, including calcium, the most common component of kidney stones. Normally these minerals and chemicals remain dissolved in the urine. But if there is not enough water to keep them dissolved, or if there is too much of a particular mineral around, crystals may form in the filtering mechanisms of the kidney.

And sometimes, these crystals become large enough to form stones in the kidney. Resting in the kidney, these stones don’t generally cause any problems. But when they begin to make their way down the ureter, that’s when the trouble begins.

Stones up to 6 millimeters will usually pass within three days. These stones can pass with the help of lots of fluids and a healthy dose of painkillers. About 10 percent of stones won’t pass on their own and will need to be removed. The most commonly used technique these days, and the least invasive, are called lithotripsy. Sound waves focused on the stone literally shatter it to pieces, and these remnants can pass easily. Since the procedure can cause some pain, a little dosing with some mind-altering drugs is often called for.

In a few cases, a surgery might be necessary to remove a large stone from the kidney if it is causing infection, blocking the flow of urine or causing damage to the kidney. There are lots of reasons that the minerals in urine can become so concentrated that stones can form. But according to urologists, drinking eight to 10 glasses of water a day can help keep stones from forming.

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