Is a Vasectomy Reversible?
If you’re not ready to have kids, or you’ve already had them, a vasectomy can be a long-term option. But once you’ve had one, can it be reversed?
What Causes Kidney Stones?
Your kidneys work nonstop. These bean-shaped organs sit on both sides of your lower abdomen, balancing electrolyte levels, regulating blood pressure, and removing waste and toxins from your body. They convert waste into urea, which flows through your urinary tract and exits your body through your genitals.
Healthy kidneys preserve the proper function of your urinary system, but conditions like kidney stones can trigger other complications. If you live near Brooklyn, New York, and are managing kidney issues and other urological conditions, Dr. Himansh Khanna and his experienced medical staff can help.
Treating this urinary problem starts with understanding the underlying causes, so let’s take a closer look at what kidney stones are, why they form, and how we can treat them.
Facts about kidney stones
The material in kidney stones, or renal calculi, consists of crystals and other compounds, and comes in different types:
- Struvite: caused by bacterial infections, leading to large stones that often need surgery
- Uric acid: caused by eating excessive animal protein
- Cystine: caused by an inherited medical illness where two cystine amino acids bind together
- Calcium-based: caused by a diet lacking calcium or filled with high oxalates
These substances appear in your urine in tiny doses and usually pass without problems. But when the amount of liquid and minerals in your urine is out of balance, the materials can stick together and form kidney stones, making urination painful.
Common causes of kidney stones
Many different conditions and other factors lead to kidney stones, such as:
Obesity
The risk of kidney stones increases in overweight people due to oxidative stress, inflammation, dietary patterns, and its effect on urine composition, according to research.
Dehydration
A lack of water in the body makes urine more concentrated, which can make minerals in the urine clump together and increase the chance of developing kidney stones.
Diet
Eating large amounts of animal protein contributes to this condition, but a diet high in salt and glucose also plays a role.
Hyperparathyroidism
When your parathyroid gland produces excessive hormones, it increases calcium levels in the body, potentially leading to the formation of calcium-based kidney stones.
Gastric bypass
Research shows that after people had gastric bypass surgery, 11% developed kidney stones within six years. This is due to decreased urine production and increased levels of oxalates and calcium after surgery.
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD)
Several intestinal disorders fall under IBD, and many of them increase calcium absorption, raising the risk of kidney stones.
Medications
Many drugs can heighten your chances of this condition, such as antiseizure, diuretics, and calcium-based antacid medications.
Treatment and prevention of kidney stones
After identifying the type of kidney stone you have using X-rays, ultrasound, or other imaging, we offer treatments tailored to the stone’s size and severity. Smaller stones are easily managed by drinking more water and using medications, while larger ones may require laser surgery or shockwave treatments. We also perform a surgery called percutaneous nephrolithotomy that uses a minor back incision to treat the problem.
Several issues can lead to kidney stones, but Dr. Khanna provides practical solutions to treat them. Take control of your kidney health and make an appointment with us today.
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