Summertime is also the season of kidney stones. If you’ve ever had a kidney stone, you never want to have another one. If you’ve never had one, consider yourself lucky. Kidney stones are inconvenient and painful. Luckily, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing one.
Tips to Prevent Kidney Stones
Drink More Water – At least 6-8 glasses per day.
Decrease Your Caffeine Intake – Cut down on the coffee and especially the soda.
Don’t Eat Food That’s Rough On Your Kidneys – Oxalate-rich foods like spinach, nuts, chocolate and strawberries raise urinary oxalate levels and can increase kidney stone risk.
Eat More Fiber – This is good advice for everyone, but especially if you’re worried about kidney stones.
Add Lemon Juice to Your Water – Refreshing and good for your kidneys.
Don’t Worry About Calcium – There’s no need to decrease your dietary calcium levels.
Kidney Stone Treatment
Treatment for kidney stones varies based on size, location and the amount of pain it’s causing. For small stones inside the kidney, the doctor will recommend observation and defer any action. If the stone is causing you pain and is less than 6mm in diameter, you can choose to pass it on your own with the help of medication. Stones that are causing uncontrolled pain, are too large to pass, or have not passed after medical treatment will need to be removed with surgery. There are two different types of surgery, one which uses external shockwaves and another that uses a laser to break up the stone.
Dr. Koushik Shaw and the team at Austin Urology Institute are happy to help with any kidney stone questions you may have or treatment you may need. Book an appointment today at: https://austinurologyinstitute.com/contact/
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