Kidney stones are on the rise - in children.
This has been in the news recently due to the tainted dairy products from China that contained melamine - and one of the symptoms of melamine contamination is kidney stones.
The main reason cited in the rise of kidney stones in general, including those seen in children - is too much salt in our diet. Pre-packaged meals, drinks and snacks are now staples of many children's diets and these processed foods are loaded with sodium. Drinking plenty of water is vital in preventing kidney stones and most of us prefer sports drinks, soda pop and fancy caffeinated drinks that can be instrumental is seeing kidney stones on the rise.
So what exactly are kidney stones?
They are minerals and calcium that form a kind of stone - ranging in size from pebbles to marbles to golf balls. They form in the kidneys (people can get them from poor diet, lack or water, a medical condition - or there can be a genetic component or even no clear reason) and can remain in the kidneys or leave them and pass through the urinary system - often in a very painful way.
How can they be avoided?
Sometimes they can't be - but a diet low in sodium and overly processed foods, as well as high in water intake will serve a person well.
How do I know if I have a kidney stone?
Pain in the side or back, as well as pink urine and possible nausea/vomiting are all signs of possible kidney stones. X-rays and a urinalysis can let you know if you have stones.
Kidney stones will often pass on their own or a doctor uses a kind of 'shock' treatment to break up the stone (s) in order to let them pass more easily. Sometimes a stent is used to open the urethra up enough to let the stone pass through.
So keep up with the fresh veggies, fruits and less processed foods and make sure 8-10 glasses of water are a part of your daily diet.
Tell Us
Have you had kidney stones? What was the experience like?
All user-generated information on this site is the opinion of its author only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. Members and guests are responsible for their own posts and the potential consequences of those posts detailed in our Terms of Service.
Add a Comment4 Comments
i am plagued w kidney stones.i just passed one on my own a few weeks ago.it was very painful.thought i was out of the woods w it but the pain has not gone away.i ended up in er and was given pain med and ct scan.the doctor said i had an "event"and go see an urologist.i did and i have 2 more stones one in ureter and one in kidney.both on left side which has birth defects already.i am missing left upper pole of kidney,and have had to go through alot of surgery as a child.i am supose to get lazer treatment and uretal stent in a week and a half.dont know if i can hold out that long and i do not tolerate stents well at all.this will be the sixth stent i have had.goodtimes!i am worried its really hurting that kidney.i feel really sick to along w extreme pain.also,no insurance.
October 11, 2013 - 6:20amThis Comment
I am 22 years old and had my first bout with kidney stones when I was 15. The pain is unbearable, and I just recently found out that I have more than 10 small stones in each kidney.
The only other person in my family with kidney stones is my grandfather on my mom's side of the family.
Every time I have started hurting, it has been on either side, almost like the pain from a cramp from your period. Except much, much worse. I also experienced nausea and vomiting. I have also been rushed to the emergency room several times because we couldn't get the pain to stop. I now have to carry around prescription Percacet (sorry about the spelling).
I have only passed 2 stones on my own, neither one of them were big enough to test. I was put on a low oxalate diet for about a year, but the kidney specialist I was seeing basically told me nothing would help at this point. I have since given up on trying to prevent/pass the stones.
I'm always worried they could potentially fill up in my kidneys and cause them to shut down. I have no idea if this is possible, or something silly my imagination has come up with. I'd love to know if anyone else has been successful in passing the stones, or if anyone knows how these can affect your kidneys in the long run.
So glad I stumbledupon this site, sometimes it seems like no one understands the pain I go through with these tiny misfortunes.
May 9, 2009 - 12:47pmThis Comment
I am one of the unfortunate people that endured kidney stones. I was 21 years old and the pain was horrendous. I do not have children and cannot compare it to child birth but the pain was unbearable. I woke up in the morning and thought I had to use the bathroom. In the early stage, it felt like a horrible stomach ache as if I ate something bad. After about an hour, the pain increased and I tried to ignore it and attempted to go into work. Once I got into my vehicle, I proceeded to the emergency room doubled over in pain. Once I made it to the hospital, I was crawling into the hospital where they immediately gave me a shot of pain medication. The pain medication did not touch the pain and they ended up injecting me with morphine that finally subsided the pain.
Needless to say, I spent five days in the hospital on a morphine drip and passed the stone on my own but the stone was never tested to find out the reason there was a build up. I am now 31 years old and have not had a re-occurrence but I can certainly say that they are very painful.
At the time, I was drinking a lot of soda and have since stopped. I am not sure if that was the reason since they never tested the stone, but I have not had any issues since.
November 8, 2008 - 10:11amThis Comment
My husband has a history of kidney stones, and was told to eat food with low oxalate, and avoid high oxalate foods.
The reason, is that excess oxalates in the body can form calcium/oxalate stones in the kidney. Also, eating calcium-rich foods may help, as the calcium is thought to bind with oxalates, and therefore, can not be absorbed into the body. In fact, calcium supplements have been used successfully to decrease the elimination of oxalate in the urine.
Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=1887
For a complete list of foods and beverages that are low, medium and high oxalate, visit the website:
November 6, 2008 - 2:04pmhttp://www.branwen.com/rowan/oxalate.htm
This Comment