Want To Avoid Painful Kidney Stones? These Foods Can Help.

Changing your diet can make a huge difference in kidney stone formation and recurrence.

Having a kidney stone is considered one of the most painful experiences you can have, even worse than childbirth. While the stones may be physically tiny, often measured in millimeters, they can feel like tiny little mines exploding as the stone makes its way through the urinary tract. Sometimes, these stones can lead to complications, like kidney infections, urinary tract infections and even sepsis, that require medical intervention.

Kidney stones are tiny accumulations of minerals and salts that form in the kidney. The most common type of kidney stone are calcium stones, which fall into two different subcategories ― calcium oxalate stones and calcium phosphate stones. The pain occurs when the stone tries to pass through the ureter to the bladder and urethra (for men).

Unfortunately, it’s a fairly common disease. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reported that in the U.S. around 11% of men and 6% of women have had at least one kidney stone. And unfortunately, if you’ve had one stone, there’s about a 50% possibility of it recurring, noted Dr. John Hollingsworth, attending urologist and chief of acute care quality and patient safety at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals.

Dr. Amy Krambeck, a urologist at Northwestern Memorial, points out that kidney stones are not to be taken lightly. Not all stones pass, Krambeck said, and complications can occur, including kidney infection and even sepsis. So seek treatment to deal with stones and work to prevent stone formation.

But here’s some good news: Changing your diet can make a huge difference in kidney stone formation and recurrence.