Did you recently get your kidney stone removed ?
Kidney stones come in many different types and colors. How you treat them and stop new stones from forming depends on what type of stone you have. Get the stone analysis done to know the type of stone you are having. And, then go back to your doctor to ask for more detailed advise to prevent the same.
There are 4 main stone types, discussed below.
Calcium stones (80 %)
- Most common type of kidney stones. They can be calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate.
- Calcium oxalate is by far the most common type of calcium stone
- Some people have too much calcium in their urine, raising their risk of calcium stones
- Even with normal amounts of calcium in the urine, calcium stones may form for other reasons
Uric acid stones (5–10 %)
- Uric acid is a waste product that comes from chemical changes in the body.
- Uric acid crystals do not dissolve well in acidic urine and instead will form a uric acid stone.
- Having acidic urine may come from
- Obesity
- Chronic diarrhoea
- Type 2 diabetes
- Gout
- A diet that is high in animal protein and low in fruits and vegetables
Struvite/infection stones (10 %)- Uncommon type of stones.
- Related to chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs).
- Some bacteria make the urine less acidic and more basic or alkaline
- Magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) stones form in alkaline urine.
- These stones are often large, with branches, and they often grow very fast.
- People who get chronic UTIs, such as those with long-term tubes in their kidneys or bladders, or people with poor bladder emptying due to neurologic disorders are at the highest risk for developing these stones
Cystine stones (<1 %)- Cystine is an amino acid that is in certain foods;
- It is a building block of protein
- Cystinuria (too much cystine in the urine) is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder. It is when the kidneys do not reabsorb cystine from the urine When high amounts of cystine are in the urine, it causes stones to form Cystine stones often start to form in childhood
Stone analysis is only one part of understanding why stones form. For a detailed advise for prevention the patient will also need to undergo urine and blood tests to help decide the need for any specific advise for the same.
Ask your Urologist about it in in your next visit.