Causes of kidney stones based on their type & bull; hello healthy

Most cases of kidney stones have no definite cause. However, there are several factors that are thought to trigger the formation of kidney stones. Some conditions can even increase a person's risk of developing this disease.

Come on, get to know how kidney stones can form and why they can make someone feel so bad.

Causes of kidney stones

Kidney stones are deposits that form when the crystalline-forming mineral content in the urine is more than the diluting liquid. The condition when the urine lacks a substance that can prevent the formation of crystals that supports the formation of kidney stones

You can have this kidney stone problem for years without knowing it because the symptoms of kidney stones are often invisible. Therefore, recognizing what causes this disease based on its type is important.

1. Calcium stones

One type of stone that causes a person to experience kidney stones is calcium stones, which are quite common. Calcium stones can form as a result of too much calcium oxalate in the urine.

Calcium oxalate is a natural compound commonly found in fruits and vegetables such as spinach and tomatoes. Oxalates are also commonly found in nuts and chocolate. If the urine contains too much oxalate than the liquid, this can lead to the formation of kidney stones.

No wonder some people say eating too much spinach can cause kidney disease. Spinach is indeed one of the vegetables that contains a lot of calcium oxalate. Even so, consuming one serving of spinach does not cause kidney stones.

In 100 grams of paid vegetables it is estimated that it only contains 0.97 grams of calcium oxalate. While the calcium oxalate threshold in the body that can cause kidney stones is 5 grams.

Therefore, as long as you don't eat too many foods that contain oxalates, these foods will not harm the body.

2. Struvite stone

Apart from calcium, struvite stones can also be a cause of kidney stone disease. Struvit is not produced by the kidneys, this substance is caused by bacteria that usually come from the soil.

If you are a fan of raw foods, you may need to be careful as some of them contain struvite-forming bacteria. How did it happen?

Food that is not thoroughly cooked may still contain bacteria. These bacteria can enter the urinary tract, especially in women who have shorter urethra.

Urine that has been filled with urea turns out to be broken down into ammonia due to soil bacteria entering the urinary tract. This turned out to be able to form struvite stones.

Urinary tract infection cannot be avoided because it is the body's response to the presence of bacteria. In fact, the bacteria that produce struvite can also infect calcium stones and create mixed stones.

3. Uric acid stones

This type is more common in men than women. Uric acid stones form when the uric acid level in the urine is too high or the urine pH is too acidic (below 5.5).

As one of the causes of kidney stone disease, there are several things that increase the acidity of the urine to form uric acid stones. One of them is the consumption of foods that contain too much purine.

Purines can be found in animal protein, such as beef, poultry, pork, and fish. If you eat too much of these foods, uric acid can build up in your urine. As a result, uric acid buildup occurs and forms stones or is mixed with calcium.

Apart from a diet high in protein and purines, there are several other factors that put a person at risk of developing uric acid stones, namely:

• a family history of gout (gout),
• diabetics and obesity, as well
• never had chemotherapy.

4. Cystine stones

Cystine is a type of rock that is formed from a chemical called cystine and is produced from a condition called cystinuria. Quoted from the Cleveland Clinic, cystinuria is a congenital condition that causes the chemical cystine, an amino acid in the body, to build up in the urine.

This buildup of cystine in the urine can eventually cause kidney stones to form. Unlike the previous three types, cystine stones can only occur in people who have family members who have cystinuria.

Risk factors for kidney stones

The four types of kidney stones above actually show that there are other conditions that can increase the risk of stone formation, namely as follows.

1. Family history

This disease will be easier to occur when you have a similar family history. You are likely to be at risk for this condition if a parent or sibling has a kidney stone condition.

In addition, if you have had kidney stones once or twice, then you are also more likely to have them again.

2. The body lacks fluids

Another reason why you are more at risk is a lack of fluids in your body. Everyone needs to meet their daily fluid needs, especially for those who sweat easily.

If this happens to you, the urine will pass less than usual. As a result, chemical compounds that should be excreted through urine actually accumulate and form kidney stones.

3. Live a certain eating or drinking pattern

Who would have thought, doing a diet or drinking (diet) that you thought would be healthy, could actually be one of the factors that increase the risk of kidney stones?

For example, consuming too many foods high in salt and sodium can cause kidney stones. A high-salt diet can increase the amount of calcium your kidneys have to process. As a result, this excess calcium runs the risk of creating kidney stones that can block your urinary tract.

In addition, often drinking soft drinks can also form kidney stones. Compared to water that is easily processed by the kidneys, soft drinks contain additional compounds that make the kidneys work harder.

Fructose (an artificial sweetener) and phosphoric acid are two of the many additives that can form clumps of calcium rock. When this happens, calcium rocks can cause problems with your urinary tract.

4. Certain digestive problems

For those of you who are experiencing digestive problems, such as diarrhea, you may need to be careful. The reason is, diarrhea can be a cause for a person to be more at risk of developing this disease.

When a person has diarrhea, the body will lose a number of fluids from the body and decrease the volume of urine. In addition, your body will also absorb too much calcium oxalate from the intestines, thereby removing more oxalate in the urine.

5. Use of certain drugs

Basically, something that is excessive is certainly not for the health of the body, including the consumption of drugs and supplements. Several medications and supplements of calcium and vitamin C have been found to increase the risk of developing kidney stones.

Therefore, try to consult your doctor before using certain drugs or supplements. The reason is, the substances in the drug can affect the process of forming kidney stones.