symptom of kidney stones : Treatment

There are several treatment options on offer to rid you of the excruciating kidney stone pain.


The most drastic of these is surgery, which, whilst effective in the removal of the stones, will do little to address the cause and thus prevent a most unwelcome return of the symptom.


Surgery will often be offered as an option if the stone is too large to pass of its own accord or is blocking the flow of urine from the kidney or if it is causing an infection.


Until about 20 years ago, surgery was the only treatment to remove a large stone. It was very invasive and required a recovery period of up to six weeks.


Nowadays, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a frequent alternative to surgery. With this method, shockwaves are generated which travel through the body until they reach the denser material of the stones, where they shatter them into fine particles, which can easily be flushed out of the body.


This procedure is normally done on an out-patient basis and recovery only takes a few days. The side effects include bruising, minor discomfort and blood in the urine. To reduce this unwelcome sign, doctors usually recommend avoid taking Aspirin and other blood thinning medications.


Sometimes shock wave treatment can be used directly on a stone lodged in the ureter. This is achieved by passing a small fiberoptic device, called a ureterscope, through the urethra and bladder and on into the ureter. Here the stone can either be shattered at close quarters by a shock wave or captured and pulled down the ureter and out of the body.


Sometimes, because the stone is too large, neither of these methods are selected and the surgical removal option is used. This involves a tiny incision in the back, creating access to the kidney. Then, using a device called a nephroscope, the surgeon locates the stone and grabs the stone with the device. This allows removal of the stone. If the stone is particularly large shock, wave treatment might also be used.


This procedure involves a hospital stay of a few days, with the possibility of a drain tube inserted in the kidney, to assist clean healing.


Less drastic treatments can sometimes be obtained with pharmaceuticals, but it should be remembered these also are generally not without side effects. This can sometimes require even more medication to deal with these side effects.


The medication prescribed, depends on the type of stone:


Calcium stones: these account for about 85% of all kidney stones and can be caused by an excess of calcium in the bloodstream.


To combat this you may be prescribed a preparation containing phosphate or a thiazide diuretic, to combat the excess calcium.


Uric acid stones: The medication for the less common uric stones involves keeping the urine alkaline. For this a mild allopurinol preparation is used. In some cases this can be used to directly dissolve the uric stones.


Struvite stones: These are caused by infection in the urine. So, in addition to antibiotics the doctor may also prescribe acetohydroxamic acid.


Cystine stones: Fortunately, these stones are very rare and arise from an inherited condition. Cystine is an amino acid in protein that does not dissolve well. This condition – cystinuria – is difficult to treat and requires life-long attention.


Apart from surgery or medications, there are a number of methods that involve a more natural cure. These include a simple home remedy that is proving a very effective way to dissolve kidney stones, allowing you to sidestep the inconvenience and pain of surgery and the possible side effects of pharmaceuticals.


In addition, prevention being better than a cure, closer attention to your diet and lifestyle in future will do much to avoid an unwelcome repetition of kidney stones.


Paul Hooper-Kelly owns http://www.Kidney-Stones-Dissolved.com/ and has just released a report about a simple home remedy, using regular household items, to painlessly dissolve kidney stones in hours, without surgery or pills.

He also reveals some simple steps for kidney stone prevention. Grab your copy now at Dissolve Your Kidney Stones Fast

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Hooper_-_Kelly

symptom of kidney stones : Liver Disease Symptoms

Liver disease may not show any symptoms at first, as symptoms can be vague. This includes weakness and loss of energy.

Other symptoms include jaundice that is a disease of the gall bladder. Jaundice is one of the main symptoms of liver disease. Jaundice can turn the skin color to yellow. Another symptom is related to digestion and appetite. Poor appetite is a very common symptom. It leads to loss of weight and anemia. Along with this vomiting, nausea or diarrhea can also manifest.

Another important symptom is light colored stool. Due to the lack of bile production, the stool will appear light and can be gray colored or pale.

Distention and bloating can be considered as another symptoms to watch out for and can cause a pain during breathing.

Polyuria or excess urination and polydypsia or excess thirst are the other symptoms typical of the liver disease.

Liver cancer has symptoms that include weight loss and loss of appetite. Abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, enlarged liver, change of color (yellowing) of the skin and the whites of the eyes are also noticed. Bile duct obstruction has symptoms like pale stools, dark urine, abdominal pain, jaundice, vomiting, nausea and fever.

Portal hypertension that is a high blood pressure in the portal veins has no symptoms. But complications due to this disease can result in bloody vomiting and black, loose stools from varices, ascites; and signs of brain disease called encephalopathy.

Alcoholic liver disease has symptoms like loss of appetite, nausea, swollen abdomen, jaundice, abdominal pain, ascites, weight gain, mental confusion, excessive thirst, dry mouth and fatigue. Additional symptoms include vomiting blood or black, paleness, light-headedness or fainting, fluctuating mood and altered level of consciousness.

Liver Disease provides detailed information on Liver Disease, Liver Disease Symptoms, Fatty Liver Disease, Alcoholic Liver Disease and more. Liver Disease is affiliated with Kidney Stones In Women.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Stith

symptom of kidney stones : How Caffeine Can Affect Your Health

In a regular cup of coffee there are about 170 mg of caffeine and in decaffeinated coffee there are about 30/40 mg of caffeine.

On the stock market, Coffee is a 90 billion dollar industry but what is significant is that just in North America 85%+ drink 3 to 5 cups of coffee per day. A huge number of people are at risk for many of the issues surrounding coffee consumption.

Top Ten Reasons why you should consider switching to a "Healthy Coffee"

Top 10 Caffeine-Related Health Problems

Cardiovascular Problems

Caffeine increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure, and can contribute to the development of heart disease. Both decaf and regular coffee increase your cholesterol and homocysteine, the biochemical that science has linked to increased risk for heart attack. Caffeine is also linked to coronary vasospasms, the cause for 20% of all fatal heart attacks which kill otherwise perfectly healthy people. Stress

Caffeine stimulates the excretion of stress hormones which can produce increased levels of anxiety, irritability, muscular tension and pain, indigestion, insomnia, and decreased immunity. Increased levels of stress from caffeine can keep you from being able to make healthy responses to the normal daily stress everyone is subjected to in their lives.

Emotional Disturbances

Anxiety and irritability are hallmark mood disturbances associated with caffeine consumption, but equally important is depression and attention disorders. Depression may occur as part of the let down after the stimulant effects of caffeine wears off. It may also appear during the recovery period after quitting caffeine while the brain's chemistry is readjusted. Caffeine rather than increasing mental activity actually decreases blood flow to the brain by as much as 30% and negatively effects memory and mental performance.

Blood Sugar Swings

Diabetics and hypoglycemics should avoid caffeine because it stimulates a temporary surge in blood sugar which is then followed by an overproduction of insulin that causes a blood sugar crash within hours. If you're trying to loose weight, this rollercoaster will actually cause weight gain since insulin's message to the body is to store excess sugar as fat.

Gastrointestinal Problems

Many people experience a burning sensation in their stomach after drinking coffee because coffee increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid leading to an increased risk for ulcers. Coffee, including decaf, reduces the pressure on the valve between the esophagus and the stomach so that the highly acidic contents of the stomach pass up to the esophagus leading to heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux disease. With America 's high consumption of coffee, its no wonder the best selling over-the-counter drugs are the so-called antacids.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Caffeine inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace minerals, all essential elements necessary for good health. Male Health Problems

Male Health Issues

Coffee is an irritant to the urinary tract and bladder. It is also a diuretic that aggravates conditions associated with frequent urination. Eliminating coffee and caffeine often relieves symptoms associated with frequent urination due to enlarged prostate glands.

Dr. Milton Krisiloff, M.D. has found that in the majority of cases, men can significantly reduce their risk for urinary and prostate problems by making dietary changes which include eliminating coffee and caffeine.

Female Health Problems

Fibrocystic breast disease, PMS, osteoporosis, infertility problems, miscarriage, low birth weight infants, and menopausal problems such as hot flashes are all exacerbated by caffeine consumption. Women on birth control pills are particularly at risk since they have a decreased ability to detoxify caffeine.

Adrenal Exhaustion

Caffeine consumption leads to eventual adrenal exhaustion which can leave you vulnerable to a variety of health disorders related to inflammation, autoimmunity, and fatigue. Aging

Many people find in their forties that they can no longer tolerate the same level of caffeine consumption as they could in their twenties and thirties. The production of DHEA, melatonin, and other vital hormones start to decline and caffeine speeds up that downhill drop. Caffeine dehydrates the body and contributes to the aging of the skin and kidneys. It has been shown to inhibit DNA repair and slow the ability of the liver to detoxify foreign toxins.

Exhausted Adrenal Glands

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It causes the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline, the hormone your body depends on in emergencies to elevate your heart rate, increase your respiration and blood pressure for a rapid flight-or-fight response. When you overuse stimulants, the adrenals become exhausted. If your caffeine sensitivity has diminished or you're one of those who claims you can drink 3 shots of espresso and go right to sleep, guess what? Your adrenals have given up responding. This means you have less resistance to stress, which leaves you vulnerable to health hazards such as environmental pollutants and disease pathogens

Severe Blood Sugar Swings

Caffeine forces the liver to release glycogen into the blood stream. The pancreas responds to the sudden rise in blood sugar by releasing insulin, the hormone which causes excess carbohydrates to be stored as fat. Within the span of an hour or two, the result is a sharp blood sugar drop resulting in a state of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). That's when you think it's time for another cup of coffee and the whole cycle starts up again.

Acid Imbalance

Over 208 acids in coffee can contribute to indigestion and a wide variety of health problems resulting from over-acidity associated with arthritic, rheumatic and skin irritations. Many people experience a burning sensation in their stomach after drinking coffee because coffee increases the secretion of acid in the stomach. Optimal health calls for an alkaline pH balance in the body.

Essential Mineral Depletion

Coffee inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace minerals, all essential elements necessary for good health. Women need to be concerned about osteoporosis as menopause sets in. Studies show that women who drink coffee have an increased incidence of osteoporosis compared to non-coffee drinkers. Men are not immune to osteoporosis either.

These are a number of health conditions for which doctors advise their patients to eliminate coffee and all caffeine from their diet.

Acid indigestion Anxiety, irritability and nervousness Candida or yeast problems Colitis, diverticulitis, diarrhea and other irritable bowel symptoms Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other auto-immune disorders Diabetes or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) Dizziness, Meniere's syndrome or tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Gout (Elevated Uric Acid levels) Heart disease or heart palpitations High blood pressure High cholesterol Insomnia and interrupted or poor quality sleep Liver disease and gallbladder problems such as gallstones Kidney or bladder problems including kidney stones Migraines or other vascular headaches Osteoporosis Skin irritations, rashes and dryness Ulcers, heartburn, and stomach problems such as hiatal hernias Urinary tract irritation

IS THERE A HEALTHY COFFEE, BECAUSE I LIKE MY COFFEE?!?

Gano Healthy Coffee Products reduce the caffeine to about 7 or 8 mg per cup and give you the same energy boost without the health risks. De-caf Gano Cafe, Cafe Mocha and Tea, all blended with Ganoderma Mushroom extract, are available online at www.Healthy-Coffee-Shop.com. Ask for a free sample and try it for yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Colcy

symptom of kidney stones : Beryllium

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have determined that beryllium is a human carcinogen. The EPA has determined that beryllium is a probable human carcinogen. EPA has estimated that lifetime exposure to 0.04 µg/m³ beryllium can result in a one in a thousand chance of developing cancer.

While solid beryllium is not harmful, the dust created as result of working with beryllium metal, metal oxides, alloys, ceramics, or salts can be deadly. If ingested into the lungs the dust can cause scarring leading to beryllium disease and lung cancer. Beryllium disease is. An estimated 2-6% of workers exposed to beryllium eventually develop beryllium disease and up to one third will die as a result. Once exposed to beryllium there is a lifelong risk of developing Acute Beryllium Disease (ABD). It usually has a quick onset and resembles pneumonia or bronchitis.

One to fifteen percent of all workers occupationally exposed to beryllium dust develop Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD), a painful incurable lung disease. Symptoms of Chronic Beryllium Disease, also known as berylliosis, include breathing difficulties, chest pain, coughing, and general weakness. While the average latency period is about eight to ten years, Chronic Beryllium Disease can develop as late as thirty years after last exposure. CBD in some people progresses slowly, but in others much more rapidly.

Chronic Beryllium Disease Chronic beryllium disease was first described in 1946. Symptoms usually include:

• labored breathing • shortness of breath • cough • fever • anorexia • weight loss

Other effects that have been observed in individuals with severe cases of chronic beryllium disease include damage to the right heart ventricle, hepatic necrosis, kidney stones, granulomatous hepatitis and hypercalcemia.

Skin lesions are the most common external indicators of chronic beryllium disease. and kidney stones can also occur. Chronic beryllium disease will continue to progress if left untreated. While there is no cure for chronic beryllium disease, it can be treated. The disease does not progress in all patients. If it does, some patients' disease progresses faster than others. While some die within a few years of diagnosis, others experience a downhill course extending over decades.

Diagnosing Chronic Beryllium Disease

Chest X-rays and blood tests known as the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test, are used to diagnose chronic beryllium disease.

Acute Beryllium Disease

Symptoms of acute beryllium disease include shortness of breath, chest pain, cough and acrocyanosis. Two types of the acute disease have been identified. The "fulminating" or rapid type develops within three days of an exposure to high concentrations of beryllium particles.

Beryllium (atomic number 4) discovered in 1797 by French chemist Louis Nicolas Vauquelin (1763-1829), is a naturally occurring metallic element found in rocks, coal, oil, volcanic dust and even the soil in your backyard. Beryllium gets its name from the mineral beryl in which it can be found.

Beryllium's physical and mechanical properties are unmatched by any other metal. Beryllium is non-magnetic, lightweight, hard, and can withstand extreme heat, remain stable over a wide range of temperatures, allowing it to function as an excellent thermal conductor. These attributes make beryllium a unique material suitable for a host of modern demanding industrial applications. For many important industries, beryllium is the only suitable material for the job.

A brief list of products dependent on beryllium or a combination of beryllium and copper would include:

• Battery contacts
• Electronic connections
• Cell phones and base stations
• Underwater fiber optic cable
• Air bag sensors
• Power steering
• Fire extinguishers
• Sprinkler heads
• Pacemakers
• Lasers for blood testing
• High resolution x-rays
• Mammography equipment
• Infrared countermeasure systems
• Radar navigation systems
• Surveillance satellites, and
• Aircraft landing gear components.
• Microprocessor connectors
• Ultra-high speed optical laser
• Airport luggage handling
• Apache helicopters
• Fighter aircraft
• Tanks
• Nuclear weapons
• Dental work
• Bicycle frames
• Tools
• Dyes

Reacting to many cases of what was known as “chemical pneumonia", OSHA adopted community ambient air standards in 1949 for beryllium that remain intact today. The EPA classifies beryllium dust and fumes as toxic air pollutants.

Approximately 800,000 workers in the United States work with and around beryllium. The industries in which beryllium can be found include:

•Electronics (transistors, heat sinks, x-ray windows)
•Atomic energy (heat shields, nuclear reactors, nuclear weapons)
•Laboratory work (research and development, metallurgy, chemistry)
•Metal working (pure beryllium, copper and aluminum alloys, jet brake pads, aerospace components)
•Ceramic manufacturing (semi-conductor chips, ignition modules, crucibles, jet engine blades, rocket covers)
•Extraction (Smelting and refining of ore and scrap metal)
•Dental work (alloys and crowns, bridges, dental plates)
•X-ray tube manufacturing
•Plastic molding
•Precision machining
•Rocket parts and heat shields

If you have been exposed to beryllium and have any symptoms consult your physician immediately.

You may also have damages recoverable in a lawsuit. Consult an attorney experienced in beryllium litigation.

© Copyright 2005 Capital Transaction Group Inc

Wayne Walker, President of Capital Transaction Group Inc http://www.captran.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wayne_Walker

symptom of kidney stones : The Calcium Myths

If you pay attention to the various misleading ads in the media, you are probably aware that calcium is not only important to health, but it's critical to women to avoid osteoporosis as they age. Playing on fear about health is one way to sell things. There's a little truth in those ads, but not much, as the whole truth doesn't sell the product. Let's look at the whole story.

In order to change calcium from blood calcium into bone calcium takes a complex chemical change requiring several chemical catalysts in lots of steps. In the body, these chemical catalysts are actually enzymes, and each of these steps requires a particular enzyme to do this job. Enzymes are basically protein - differing combinations of amino acids - along with a vitamin or a mineral as well.

This means that if you are short in any vitamin or mineral or particular amino acid required for this complex process, at any step in the process, it may not happen. Thus, you don't just need lots of calcium, but you also have to have every vitamin and mineral needed at each step in this complex process. And, to complicate it further, your ability to digest foods changes as you age.

One of the most used minerals in enzyme making is magnesium, and it is also used in the body to "balance" the calcium. The ideal balance is about 2/1, and that's what most nutritionists recommend as a supplement. (I used to do the same.) Calcium and magnesium also make up the "battery" the powers the heart, and these two minerals are ones required in the largest amounts of all.

Surprisingly enough, most people in our culture of milk, cheese, and ice cream etc get plenty of calcium. It's rare for a real calcium deficiency in an individual, although it certainly is possible. What is much more probable is that a magnesium deficiency is present, and the top priority (triage in doctorese) of the body is keeping the heart beating, along with all the other enzymes necessary that need magnesium (over 6000 at last count) . Making bone just isn’t that high on the priority scale.

A common result is that we wind up with much more calcium than magnesium for good balance. So, what happens to the excess calcium?

1. The body tries to take it out the kidney/urine pathway, but without enough vitamin C to make it water soluble, it might cause kidney stones. (There's absolutely no truth to the idea that too much vitamin C causes kidney stones. The opposite is actually true.)

2. Excess calcium may be deposited in bone spurs or cysts in various spots on the skeleton. Arthritis and back problems are often to due to this.

3. It can also be deposited in lungs, breasts and other various body tissues, causing calcareous spots on x-rays in these areas. Sarcoidosis is a possible lung problem.

4. Calcium is the "backbone" of plaque found in blood vessels, and on teeth. Remove excess calcium and these problems lessen. Another way that vitamin C helps health.

Where is magnesium found, and why do we not get enough? One of the prime sources of magnesium is green vegetables. I hate them, from early childhood, and as a result, I have been plagued with bone spurs, cysts, and back problems. (They taste extremely bitter to me for no good reason). Vegetables are excellent for health in three ways - fiber, magnesium and folic acid.

Much of the water in the world flows thru limestone (dolomite) which is mostly composed of a 2/1 mix of calcium and magnesium. This makes the local water in many areas “hard”, because the soft dolomite is dissolved into the water as calcium and magnesium carbonate. Many local water systems are so loaded with this “hard” water that they have to use an ion exchange system to wash clothes. (Along with various other minerals found locally - but that's another issue).

By the way, drinking “hard” water is actually better for you. The ion exchange method of “softening” water exchanges sodium ions for the calcium and magnesium ions. This adds sodium to the water, usually not very good for persons with heart problems.)

So, a BALANCE between magnesium and calcium is required. How can you, as an individual different in many ways than anyone else, obtain that balance?

1. Make sure you take sufficient vitamin C to help get rid of excess calcium. I recommend and take 4 grams per day (4000 mg) in two doses 2 grams in AM, and 2 in PM.

2. Eat lots of green leafy vegetables, and take a good vitamin/mineral supplement. (Better than those cheap once daily types.)

3. This is a bit tricky - How much milk product do you consume every day? These only have calcium so you have to supplement with magnesium to keep the balance. A hair mineral analysis (not very accurate, but it will show balance) may help.

There are a few useful symptoms that may help:

1. Do you have bone spurs, kidney stones, calcareous cysts or spots, etc? If so, you have or have had excess calcium. More vitamin C will gradually take this out.

2. How about cramps? They are a very useful symptom of either a shortage of calcium or magnesium. You have to decide which. Look at your recent diet for few days or weeks.

3. How fast are your hair and your fingernails growing? Hair and fingernails are pretty good indicators for most people. It is an often overlooked excretion route, and both use calcium. If very fast, perhaps you have too much calcium. If very slow, perhaps too little.

YOUR nutrition needs are somewhat different from everyone else. You uptake vitamins and minerals at least somewhat differently, even from those in your immediate family. This idea of INDIVIDUALITY is very important and needs to be more fully understood.

Very few enlightened persons in our culture get enough Vitamin C. The RDA is a joke, and while 75 mg will prevent outright scurvy, it just isn't enough for good health in this polluted world. (By the way, the zoo vets know that a 150 lb ape requires a minimum of 4000 mg (4 grams) of Vitamin C per day, and our body requirements are exactly the same.)

Oh, also by the way, don't fall for the hype in the health food stores. Any source of calcium or magnesium works. The cheapest forms work almost as well as the most expensive. (Another myth, dolomite does NOT contain lead, and if you want a 2/1 mix, it works well.)

For more free info on vitamin/mineral requirements and recommendations, go to: http://www.alternate-health.com/vitmin.html. Good luck and better health.

Dr Phil Bate is the inventor of the new (Patent Pending) Auditory Brain Wave Training system which does the same thing as EEG Biofeedback/neurofeedback - solving brain problems such as ADD/ADHD. Depression, Insomnia, etc. Dr Bate is a retired Orthomolecular Psychologist who helps people at free advice websites at: http://Alternate-health.com,http://ADHD-biofeedback.com, http://AuditoryBrainWaveTraining.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phil_Bate_PhD

symptom of kidney stones : Gout Symptoms

Gout is a common disease and often presents suddenly with a painful joint. The most common and well-recognized symptom is swelling of the joint in the big toe where it joins the foot. This can be extremely painful and enlarged and if not treated the pain will last about 10 days and can cause lasting damage with repeated attacks. The area can be red, hot, inflamed and very painful or tender.

Kidney stones can form due to gout and can cause back pain. Other joints such as the knee, fingers and heel can also be affected. Some people get lumps on the rim of the ear or other parts of the body near joints under the skin and these are called tophi.

Over the long term there can be deformity of joints and there can be many large lumps under the skin. Nowadays with proper treatment this is less likely. The symptoms can last from three to ten days and often get better even without treatment. The next attack may occur many months or even years later. Usually (and fortunately) only one joint is affected at a time and the symptoms of the swelling and pain start within a day.

The definite diagnosis or determining if the arthritis is due to gout may involve drawing fluid from the joint and looking for crystals of uric acid.

People may have an elevated uric acid also called hyperuricemia but have no symptoms. Later they may develop acute gouty arthritis where the joint is affected. Almost three fourths of people with gout will develop it in the big toe at some point of time. In between attacks the gout is said to be in an interval or intercritical phase and finally some people get chronic tophaceous (with the tophi) gout.

Gout provides detailed information about gout, foods that cause gout, and more. Gout is affiliated with Osteoarthritis Treatment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Marlborough

symptom of kidney stones : Preventing Kidney Stones Naturally

Kidney stones are hard painful lumps which can grow from crystals formed in the kidneys; they cause pain in the back or the flanks which can radiate down into the groin area. Sometimes other symptoms of chills, blood in urine, fever and upset stomach occur with Kidney stones. Kidney stones are a condition that affects men rather than women who are typically over the age of 30 years. Kidney stones are made up of over 75-80% of calcium oxalate and are caused by a high concentration of calcium in the urine. Many conditions can lead to this high concentration but most common is diet, a diet that is low in fibre, high in refined carbohydrates, alcohol, animal protein, fats, salt and calcium and vitamin D rich foods is linked with the formation of kidney stones.

Diet can help in the prevention of kidney stones, if your family health history shows that you may be prone to kidney stones then it is best to avoid oxalate-rich foods such as beets, beans, blueberries, celery, grapes, chocolate, strawberries, spinach, rhubarb, tea, nuts, bran, almonds and peanuts. It is also best to avoid calcium supplements and foods which cause increased levels of urinary calcium such as animal protein from meat, dairy products, fish and poultry. It is for this reason that vegetarians suffer less from kidney stones and if your are prone to kidneys stones it may well be wise to keep to a vegetarian style diet. Potassium reduces urinary calcium excretion and by eating fruit and vegetables which are high in potassium the risk of suffering from kidney stones is reduced.

It is also best to keep to a low salt diet, as salt increases urinary calcium. Drinking plenty of citrus fruit juices especially lemon juice will help to avoid kidney stones, this is because citric acid (citrate) protect against kidney stone formation. The only rule against this is grapefruit juice, it is not exactly known why but grapefruit juice actually increases the risk of kidney stones, the other fruit juice to avoid is apple juice, it is not known why but it also increases the risk of kidney stones. Drinking water, tea and coffee, milk will reduce the risk of kidney stones.

Good supplements to take are magnesium combined with vitamin B6; this will help to reduce kidney stone formation.

The following supplements may help if you are suffering from Kidney Stones.

Chondroitin sulphate

IP-6 (phytic acid)

Magnesium citrate and Potassium citrate together Vitamin B6

Vitamin E

Pumpkin seeds

Stewart Hare C.H.Ed Dip NutTh

Advice for a healthier natural life

website: http://www.newbeingnutrition.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stewart_Hare

symptom of kidney stones : An Eagle's Eye View of Chicken Allergy

Lisa was at a birthday party of one of her dear officemates. She has not been fond of attending parties at her age, which is 23. As a child, she was not really into attending parties even of her friends, neighbors and relatives.

No, don’t get it wrong. It is not that Lisa is virtually and practically not sociable. She is very friendly and very outgoing. Lisa admits that she has been afraid of attending parties, especially children’s parties when she was still a kid.

Lisa has a deep dark secret. Don’t get it wrong again. This girl is not a character to judge. Lisa has chicken allergy. It means she can never take in chicken meat because adverse reactions occur in her body whenever she does that.

So that explains why she was not fond of parties, especially when she was just a kid. Most children parties cater or serve fast foods and one of the most popular food served is chicken meat.

It is because more people prefer chicken meat than any other because it is considered to have less fat.. Besides, it is one of the more flexible edible meat around.

Chicken allergy

If you have the symptoms that would be described later, then, you are positive to have chicken allergy. Take note that allergy to chicken is somehow similar to allergy to other meat.

Just like there are people allergic to pork and beef, there are also people allergic to chicken meat. Some people, however, are allergic to chicken but are not allergic to chicken eggs. There are those, on the other hand, that are allergic to both.

In the United States, statistics have it that about 0.6% to 5% of overall reported food allergies annually are chicken meat allergy.

Manifestations of chicken meat allergy

Among the most common and prevalent manifestation or symptom of chicken allergy are frequent infections like ear infections and bladder infections; asthma attack; bed-wetting; eczema; skin rashes; acne; unusual fatigue; insomnia; migraine; depression and chronic disturbance in the gastrointestinal system.

Some people with chicken allergy even develop sinusitis which is somehow unusual if they don’t really have the history. Hives and joint pains are also prevalent to them.

Symptoms of chicken meat allergy occur or show up after several minutes of in take. To some people, the reaction could surface in as fast as at least ten minutes, while in others it can be as slow and prolonged to take up to 24 to 48 hours.

Treatment and prevention of chicken allergy

Chicken meat contains allergens or allergy-producing substances that are called purines. These substances are mainly cited for the onset of several other diseases like gout. Gouts are characterized by the formation or onset of kidney stones.

Purines in chicken meat may lead to excessive uric acid accumulation in the body that can possibly lead to what is called kidney stones.

Thus, if chicken allergy symptoms show up, it is important to immediately consult or seek your doctor’s help. That would prevent further ailments or disease from coming out.

The doctor will have to prescribe several medications to treat or help curtail chicken allergy.

The best prevention would be to avoid eating chicken meat. Allergies to substances, you should remember, is not curable but only treatable.

There are a lot of other meat that could taste better than chicken meat, right?

Charlene J. Nuble 2006.

For answers to All your frequently asked questions about chicken allergy, please go to: http://chicken-allergy.allergyanswers.net/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charlene_Nuble

symptom of kidney stones : Renal Tubular Acidosis

Your body's cells use chemical reactions to carry out tasks such as turning food into energy and repairing tissue. These chemical reactions generate acids. But too much acid in the blood—acidosis—can disturb many bodily functions. Healthy kidneys help maintain acid-base balance by excreting acids into the urine and returning bicarbonate—an alkaline, or base, substance—to the blood. This "reclaimed" bicarbonate neutralizes much of the acid that is created when food is broken down in the body.

Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) is a disease that occurs when the kidneys fail to excrete acids into the urine, which causes a person's blood to remain too acidic. Without proper treatment, chronic acidity of the blood leads to growth retardation, kidney stones, bone disease, and progressive renal failure.

One researcher, pediatric neurologist Donald Lewis, has theorized that Charles Dickens may have been describing a child with RTA when he created the character of Tiny Tim in his famous story, "A Christmas Carol." Tiny Tim's small stature, malformed limbs, and periods of weakness are all possible consequences of the chemical imbalance caused by RTA. Among the evidence cited to support this theory is the fact that Tiny Tim's condition, while fatal in one scenario, is reversible when Scrooge pays for medical treatments, which in those times would likely have included sodium bicarbonate and sodium citrate, which are alkaline agents that would neutralize the acid in Tiny Tim's blood. Whether the literary diagnosis of Tiny Tim is correct or not, the good news is that medical treatment can indeed reverse the effects of RTA.

Diagnosis
To diagnose RTA, your doctor will check the acid-base balance in samples of your blood and urine. If the blood is more acidic than it should be and the urine less acidic than it should be, RTA may be the reason, but additional information is needed first to rule out other causes. If RTA is suspected, additional information about the sodium, potassium, and chloride levels in the urine and the potassium level in the blood will help identify which of the three types of RTA you have. In all cases, the first goal of therapy is to neutralize acid in the blood, but different treatments may be needed to address the different underlying causes of acidosis.

NIDDK Health Information

symptom of kidney stones : Hope Through Research

The Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) funds research on the causes, treatments, and prevention of kidney stones. NIDDK is part of the Federal Government's National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

New drugs and the growing field of lithotripsy have greatly improved the treatment of kidney stones. Still, NIDDK researchers and grantees seek to answer questions such as

Why do some people continue to have painful stones?


How can doctors predict, or screen, those at risk for getting stones?


What are the long-term effects of lithotripsy?


Do genes play a role in stone formation?


What is the natural substance(s) found in urine that blocks stone formation?
Researchers are also working on new drugs with fewer side effects.


Prevention Points to Remember
If you have a family history of stones or have had more than one stone, you are likely to develop more stones.


A good first step to prevent the formation of any type of stone is to drink plenty of liquids—water is best.


If you are at risk for developing stones, your doctor may perform certain blood and urine tests to determine which factors can best be altered to reduce that risk.


Some people will need medicines to prevent stones from forming.


People with chronic urinary tract infections and stones will often need the stone removed if the doctor determines that the infection results from the stone's presence. Patients must receive careful followup to be sure that the infection has cleared.


NIDDK Health Information

symptom of kidney stones : Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) is the most frequently used procedure for the treatment of kidney stones. In ESWL, shock waves that are created outside the body travel through the skin and body tissues until they hit the denser stones. The stones break down into sand-like particles and are easily passed through the urinary tract in the urine.
There are several types of ESWL devices. In one device, the patient reclines in a water bath while the shock waves are transmitted. Other devices have a soft cushion on which the patient lies. Most devices use either x rays or ultrasound to help the surgeon pinpoint the stone during treatment. For most types of ESWL procedures, anesthesia is needed.

In most cases, ESWL may be done on an outpatient basis. Recovery time is short, and most people can resume normal activities in a few days.

Complications may occur with ESWL. Most patients have blood in their urine for a few days after treatment. Bruising and minor discomfort in the back or abdomen from the shock waves are also common. To reduce the risk of complications, doctors usually tell patients to avoid taking aspirin and other drugs that affect blood clotting for several weeks before treatment.

Another complication may occur if the shattered stone particles cause discomfort as they pass through the urinary tract. In some cases, the doctor will insert a small tube called a stent through the bladder into the ureter to help the fragments pass. Sometimes the stone is not completely shattered with one treatment, and additional treatments may be needed. ESWL is not ideal for very large stones.

copyright NIDDK Health Information

symptom of kidney stones : Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy

Sometimes a procedure called percutaneous nephrolithotomy is recommended to remove a stone. This treatment is often used when the stone is quite large or in a location that does not allow effective use of ESWL.

In this procedure, the surgeon makes a tiny incision in the back and creates a tunnel directly into the kidney. Using an instrument called a nephroscope, the surgeon locates and removes the stone. For large stones, some type of energy probe (ultrasonic or electrohydraulic) may be needed to break the stone into small pieces. Generally, patients stay in the hospital for several days and may have a small tube called a nephrostomy tube left in the kidney during the healing process.

One advantage of percutaneous nephrolithotomy over ESWL is that the surgeon removes the stone fragments instead of relying on their natural passage from the kidney.

Ureteroscopic Stone Removal
Although some kidney stones in the ureters can be treated with ESWL, ureteroscopy may be needed for mid- and lower-ureter stones. No incision is made in this procedure. Instead, the surgeon passes a small fiberoptic instrument called a ureteroscope through the urethra and bladder into the ureter. The surgeon then locates the stone and either removes it with a cage-like device or shatters it with a special instrument that produces a form of shock wave. A small tube or stent may be left in the ureter for a few days to help the lining of the ureter heal. Before fiber optics made ureteroscopy possible, physicians used a similar "blind basket" extraction method. But this outdated technique should not be used because it may damage the ureters.

copyright NIDDK Health Information

symptom of kidney stones : Medical Therapy

The doctor may prescribe certain medications to prevent calcium and uric acid stones. These drugs control the amount of acid or alkali in the urine, key factors in crystal formation. The drug allopurinol may also be useful in some cases of hyperuricosuria.

Doctors usually try to control hypercalciuria, and thus prevent calcium stones, by prescribing certain diuretics, such as hydrochlorothiazide. These drugs decrease the amount of calcium released by the kidneys into the urine by favoring calcium retention in bone. They work best when sodium intake is low.

Very rarely, patients with hypercalciuria may be given the drug sodium cellulose phosphate, which binds calcium in the intestines and prevents it from leaking into the urine.

If cystine stones cannot be controlled by drinking more fluids, your doctor may prescribe drugs such as Thiola and Cuprimine, which help reduce the amount of cystine in the urine.

For struvite stones that have been totally removed, the first line of prevention is to keep the urine free of bacteria that can cause infection. Your urine will be tested regularly to be sure that no bacteria are present.

If struvite stones cannot be removed, your doctor may prescribe a drug called acetohydroxamic acid (AHA). AHA is used with long-term antibiotic drugs to prevent the infection that leads to stone growth.

People with hyperparathyroidism sometimes develop calcium stones. Treatment in these cases is usually surgery to remove the parathyroid glands (located in the neck). In most cases, only one of the glands is enlarged. Removing the glands cures the patient's problem with hyperparathyroidism and with kidney stones as well.

National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse

symptom of kidney stones : Urinary Tract

The urinary tract, or system, consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located below the ribs toward the middle of the back. The kidneys remove extra water and wastes from the blood, converting it to urine. They also keep a stable balance of salts and other substances in the blood. The kidneys produce hormones that help build strong bones and help form red blood cells.

Narrow tubes called ureters carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, an oval-shaped chamber in the lower abdomen. Like a balloon, the bladder's elastic walls stretch and expand to store urine. They flatten together when urine is emptied through the urethra to outside the body.

National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse

symptom of kidney stones : Epicurus

Epicurus was born into an Athenian émigré family — his parents, Neocles and Chaerestrate, both Athenian citizens, were sent to an Athenian settlement on the Aegean island of Samos. According to Apollodorus (reported by Diogenes Laertius at X.14-15), he was born on the seventh day of the month Gamelion in the third year of the 109th Olympiad, in the archonship of Sosigenes (about February 341 BC). He returned to Athens at the age of 18 to serve in military training. The playwright Menander served in the same age-class of the ephebes as Epicurus.

He joined his father in Colophon after the Athenian settlers at Samos were expelled by Perdiccas after Alexander the Great died (c. 320 BC). He spent the next several years in Colophon, Lampsacus, and Mytilene, where he founded his school and gathered many disciples. In the archonship of Anaxicrates (307 BC-306 BC), he returned to Athens where he formed The Garden, a school named for the garden he owned about halfway between the Stoa and the Academy that served as the school's meeting place.

Epicurus died in the second year of the 127th Olympiad, in the archonship of Pytharatus, at the age of 72. He reportedly suffered from kidney stones, and despite the prolonged pain involved, he is reported as saying in a letter to Idomeneus:

"We have written this letter to you on a happy day to us, which is also the last day of our life. For strangury has attacked me, and also a dysentery, so violent that nothing can be added to the violence of my sufferings. But the cheerfulness of my mind, which arises from their collection of all my philosophical contemplation, counterbalances all these afflictions. And I beg you to take care of the children of Metrodorus, in a manner worth of the devotion shown by the youth to me, and to philosophy"

Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

symptom of kidney stones : Urinary retention

Urinary retention also known as ischuria is a lack of ability to urinate. It is a common complication of benign prostatic hypertrophy (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH), although anticholinergics may also play a role, and requires a catheter. Various medications (e.g. some antidepressants) and recreational use of amphetamines are notorious for this.
Signs and Symptoms
Urinary retention is characterised by poor urinary stream with intermittance, straining, a sense of incomplete voiding and urgency. As the bladder remains full, it may lead to incontinence, nocturia (need to urinate at night) and high frequency.

In the longer term, obstruction of the urinary tract may cause:

Bladder stones
Loss of detrusor muscle tone (atonic bladder is an extreme form)
Hydronephrosis (congestion of the kidneys)
Hypertrophy of detrusor muscle
Diverticula in the bladder wall (leads to stones and infection)
Causes
Benign prostatic hypertrophy
Prostate cancer and other pelvic malignancies
Congenital urtheral valve abnormalities
Detrusor muscle dyssynergia

Diagnostic tests
Uroflowmetry may aid in establishing the type of micturition abnormality. A post-void residual scan may show the amount of urine retained. Determination of the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) may aid in diagnosing or ruling out prostate cancer. Urea and creatinine determinations may be necessary to rule out backflow kidney damage.


Treatment
In acute urinary retention, urinary catheterization or suprapubic catheterization instantly relieves the retention. In the longer term, treatment depends on the cause. Benign prostatic hypertrophy may respond to alpha blocker and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor therapy, or surgically with prostatectomy or transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).

Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

symptom of kidney stones : First Stone Episode

Approximately 80 percent of kidney stones contain calcium. The majority of these stones are composed of calcium oxalate, with a minority containing calcium phosphate or admixtures of oxalate and phosphate salts. About 10 percent of stones are composed of uric acid (sometimes associated with a history of gout) or mixed uric acid and calcium. Another 10 percent are struvite stones, which develop exclusively in patients with urinary tract infections caused by urease-producing organisms, most typically Proteus species. Cystine accounts for no more than 1 percent of all stones. Cystine stones arise only in patients with cystinuria, an autosomal recessive disorder.1

Stone analysis is inexpensive (about $25) and is worth performing for first stones, those formed during preventive treatment and those occurring in conjunction with infection. If no stone is available for analysis, qualitative screening for urinary cystine should be performed at least once in younger patients.

Risk factors for nephrolithiasis are summarized in Table 2. Identifying a familial incidence of stones is useful because it indicates an increased risk of recurrence. Environmental or occupational factors and bowel surgeries such as ileostomy may be predisposing factors because of low urine volumes. Residents of the "stone belt" in the southeastern part of the United States also appear to be at higher risk for stone formation.3 In the stone belt, two mechanisms have been implicated: the hot climate causes increased perspiration and reduced urine volume, and exposure to sunlight activates vitamin D, stimulating the absorption of dietary calcium.

Drugs associated with stone formation include triamterene (Dyrenium) and the sulfonamides, which have low solubility. Calcium and vitamin D supplements cause hypercalciuria, and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, which are used to treat glaucoma, increase the urinary pH and precipitate calcium phosphate. Indinavir (Crixivan), a protease inhibitor, can also crystallize and form stones in the urinary tract.4

Other important risk factors for calcium stones include hypercalciuria, hyperoxaluria and hypocitraturia. The major risk factors for uric acid stones are a low urinary pH and hyperuricosuria. Several dietary factors may contribute to these abnormalities and should be sought in the history.5,6

Animal protein is a major dietary constituent responsible for the relatively high prevalence of stones in populations of developed countries. Several mechanisms have been identified. Protein ingestion increases renal acid excretion. This, in turn, increases renal reabsorption of potential base, such as citrate, which is an endogenous inhibitor of calcium stone formation. Acid loads may be buffered in part by bone, which releases calcium to be excreted by the kidney. Finally, acid loading directly inhibits renal calcium reabsorption.5

http://www.aafp.org/afp/991115ap/2269.html

symptom of kidney stones : Prevention of Recurrent Nephrolithiasis

The first episode of nephrolithiasis provides an opportunity to advise patients about measures for preventing future stones. Low fluid intake and excessive intake of protein, salt and oxalate are important modifiable risk factors for kidney stones. Calcium restriction is not useful and may potentiate osteoporosis. Diseases such as hyperparathyroidism, sarcoidosis and renal tubular acidosis should be considered in patients with nephrolithiasis. A 24-hour urine collection with measurement of the important analytes is usually reserved for use in patients with recurrent stone formation. In these patients, the major urinary risk factors include hypercalciuria, hyperoxaluria, hypocitraturia and hyperuricosuria. Effective preventive and treatment measures include thiazide therapy to lower the urinary calcium level, citrate supplementation to increase the urinary citrate level and, sometimes, allopurinol therapy to lower uric acid excretion. Uric acid stones are most often treated with citrate supplementation. Data now support the cost-effectiveness of evaluation and treatment of patients with recurrent stones (Am Fam Physician 1999;60:2269-76.)

After an episode of acute urolithiasis, patients are particularly motivated to learn about preventive strategies. Because kidney stones affect as many as 15 percent of men and 7 percent of women in the United States,1 family physicians have frequent opportunities to dispense preventive advice. Compared with urology practices, family practice settings are more conducive to and appropriate for the dissemination of requisite recommendations on the prevention of kidney stones.

http://www.aafp.org/afp/991115ap/2269.html

symptom of kidney stones : Health Tip: Avoid Kidney Stones

(HealthDay News) -- A kidney stone is a hard mass developed from crystals that separate from urine and build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney.

Normally, urine prevents these crystals from forming, but not in all people, says the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

If the stones are small enough, they may pass through the urinary tract. But larger stones may lodge in the urinary tract and cause significant pain.

While doctors do not know precisely what causes kidney stones, certain foods may promote the formation of stones in people who are susceptible.

An easy way to prevent stones is to drink more liquids, optimally water. If you tend to form stones, you should try to drink enough liquids to produce at least two quarts of urine in a 24-hour period, the agency says.


Copyright © 2006 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

symptom of kidney stones : Secondary Prevention

Preventive strategies include dietary modifications and sometimes also taking drugs with the goal of reducing excretory load on the kidneys:[3]

Drinking enough water to make 2 to 2.5 litres of urine per day.
A diet low in protein, nitrogen and sodium intake.
Restriction of oxalate-rich foods and maintaining an adequate intake of dietary calcium is recommended. There is no convincing evidence that calcium supplements increase the risk of stone formation.
Taking drugs such as thiazides, potassium citrate and allopurinol depending on the cause of stone formation.
Certain foods may increase the risk of stones: spinach, chocolate, peanuts, cocoa, tomato juice, grapefruit juice, apple juice, soda (acidic and contains phosphorus), all types of tea, and coffee (high levels of oxalate). In the United States, the South has the highest incidence of kidney stones, a region where sweet tea consumption is very common. Other drinks are associated with decreased risk of stones, including wine, lemonade and orange juice. Although it has been said that the diuretic effects of alcohol can result in dehydration which is important for kidney stones sufferers to avoid, there are no data demonstrating an effect of it to increase the prevalence of stones. It is important to recognize that one of the recognized medical therapies for prevention of stones is thiazides, a class of drugs usually thought of as diuretic. These drugs prevent stones through an effect independent of their diuretic properties: they reduce urinary calcium. Nonetheless, their diuretic property does not preclude their successful use as stone preventive. Caffeine does acutely increase urinary calcium excretion, however coffee, with its high oxalate content, has been known to cause stones in some patients and should be used in extreme moderation.

A high protein diet may partly be to blame. Protein from meat and other animal products is broken down into acids. The most available alkaline base to balance the acid from protein is calcium from the bones. The kidney filters the blood and stores the calcium particles which have bonded with the acids. When more meat or dairy is eaten, more calcium is found in the kidneys. Over time, and when not properly removed, these particles bind together to form stones. One of the simplest fixes is to moderate animal protein consumption.

Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc