What chemical abnormalities are known to cause kidney stones?
The chemical abnormalities relate to the type of stones that form in the kidneys. These four types of stones and the chemical abnormalities that cause them are: • Calcium Stones: people who form this type of stone either have too much of one type of three chemicals in their urine, or not enough of another. In particular, they have either too much calcium, oxalate, or urate in their urine, or too little citrate. Eating too much salt may cause too much calcium to stay in the urine A few patients will have kidney stones from overproduction of the calcium controlling hormone, parathormone. Drinking milk does not cause kidney stones. • Struvite Stones: Chronic infection of the urine generally causes these stones. The bacteria responsible for the infection cause a chemical alteration of urine which leads to this type of stone. • Uric Acid Stones: This type of stone forms when the urine is too acidic, which causes excessive uric acid production. • Cystine Stones: These stones form because of
