8 Causes of Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are hardened salt and mineral deposits that are formed in the kidneys. These stones can then travel to all parts of the urinary tract. These stones can occur in a variety of sizes and can become a very serious health issue.As stones continue their movement the pain associated with these stones can change both in location and in intensity.Single, definitive causes for kidney stones are often difficult to determine when an outbreak of kidney stones occur. However, there are many identifiable factors that are known to contribute to the development of stones.

1. Genetics

It has long been observed that individuals from families that have a history of kidney stones are more pre-dispositioned to experience stones themselves. Also, individuals that have endured prior bouts with stones are more likely to face this challenge again later in life.The report of a recent study done at Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis seems to provide some insight into genes that provide causes for the tendency of some individuals to be more susceptible to suffering from stones than others.A genetic variation in the genes claudin-14 is blamed for increasing an individual’s chances of developing kidney stones by 65%. Claudin-14 is typically not active in the kidney but individuals that possess this gene variation can activate claudin-14 in the kidneys by consuming a diet high in calcium or salt and then not drink enough water.Next