Are you at Risk for Kidney Stones?

Chesapeake Urology Stone Disease Specialists Identify Risks and Promote Prevention of Kidney Stones During National Kidney Month

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Chesapeake Urology Associates

Mar 09, 2015, 03:28 ET

OWINGS MILLS, Md., March 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- March is National Kidney Month, helping raise awareness for diseases and conditions that affect the kidneys and urging people to take a proactive approach to their overall kidney health. The stone disease specialists at Chesapeake Urology are playing a leading role in helping patients take a more active role in kidney stone prevention, promoting a life that is virtually 100% stone free.

According to Julio Davalos, M.D., director of Chesapeake Urology's kidney stone disease program, anyone can produce kidney stones, but certain individuals are more prone to them either because of hereditary factors and/or diet.

"For many patients, kidney stones can be a lifelong problem, which is why our kidney stone specialists are focused on the long-term health of patients and helping patients become 100% stone free," says Dr. Davalos. "The passing or surgical removal of a kidney stone is only a part of our comprehensive treatment program that combines medical metabolic management and annual exams with carefully designed kidney stone prevention plans."

Are You at Risk For Kidney Stones?

Dr. Davalos says there are a number of risk factors and causes of kidney stones of which individuals should be aware:

A family history of stone disease, especially in first degree relatives.
Dehydration - Lack of fluids can cause salts and other minerals in the urine to stick together to cause kidney stones.
Certain diets - Diets high in protein, salt, oxalates (such as spinach, chocolate, nuts), excess vitamin C or D can increase your risk of developing kidney stones.
Certain medical conditions - Gastric conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease and chronic diarrhea affect the way the body absorbs water, calcium and oxalates, which increases levels of stone-forming substances in the urine.
Metabolic diseases (such as hyperparathyroidism or gout).
Obesity has been linked to higher incidences of stone formation.

Prevention Tips For Becoming 100% Stone Free
The first step in kidney stone prevention is to understand why the body is producing kidney stones. For the kidney stone disease and metabolic specialists at Chesapeake Urology metabolic evaluation and management are vital components to a well-designed kidney stone prevention plan. The metabolic evaluation includes several key components:

Urine tests
Blood work
Crystal analysis (when a stone or fragment of the stone is available)

Understanding the factors that caused the body to produce kidney stones ultimately helps the physician map out a comprehensive treatment and prevention plan to help ensure patients stay stone free.

Steps You Can Take Now To Help Prevent Kidney Stones in the Future
In addition to regular metabolic work-ups and close monitoring, Dr. Davalos recommends patients take the following steps to help prevent kidney stones from returning:

Stay well hydrated. Drink enough fluids (water is best) to make 2L or about 1/2 gallon of urine a day. Drink more water in the summer months when you're apt to lose more water through sweat. Lemonade made with real lemons has citrate which can be good for the urinary system.
Cut the salt. Limit the amount of sodium in your diet. The recommended daily allowance of sodium is 2,500 mg, yet the average American diet takes in about 5,000 mg of sodium a day. Don't add salt to food and take the salt shaker off the table to avoid temptation. Limit eating out and processed foods which also contribute to higher sodium intake. Decreasing urinary sodium also decreases urinary calcium, which are leading culprits in kidney stone formation.
Moderate calcium intake. If you have a history of stone formation, your doctor may recommend a moderate intake of calcium - about 800-1,200 mg a day. Calcium, however, is necessary in the diet; completely eliminating calcium is not advisable and can actually lead to more kidney stones.
Cut the protein. Your doctor may also recommend that you cut down on your protein intake.

For more information on Chesapeake Urology's kidney stone disease program or the kidney stone specialists, call 866-953-3111 or visit www.chesapeakeurology.com.

About Chesapeake Urology
Chesapeake Urology is a fully-integrated urology practice providing a comprehensive array of urologic services to its patients. The Company operates 21 medical offices and 14 AAAHC-certified ambulatory surgery centers in Baltimore, Harford, Howard, Carroll, Montgomery, Prince George's, Charles and Anne Arundel counties and in Baltimore City, and has a staff of more than 500 including 63 physicians. Chesapeake Urology has been named one of the top 100 places to work in healthcare nationally by Modern Healthcare magazine and locally by Baltimore magazine. For information about Chesapeake Urology, visit ChesapeakeUrology.com.