KIDNEY FAILURE—See Aging diseases

KIDNEY INFECTION—See Cystitis

KIDNEY STONES—Formation of calcified urine stones in the urinary tract.

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Symptoms

Kidney stones are asymptomatic unless the stone is large or causes a blockage or infection. Then, the most common symptoms include:

• Intense, cramping pain (abdominal spasms) radiating from the lower back down to the groin

• Bloody, cloudy, or foul-smelling urine

• Nausea and vomiting

• Persistent urge to urinate

• Fever and chills if an infection is present

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Urine flows from the kidney through the ureter into the bladder.

About Kidney Stones

Kidney stones occur when urine becomes too concentrated. This causes minerals and other substances in the urine to form crystals on the inner surfaces of the kidneys. Over time these crystals may combine to form a small, hard, stone-like mass. Sometimes this mass, or stone, breaks off and passes into the ureter, one of the two thin tubes that leads from the kidneys to the bladder. Kidney stones are asymptomatic unless the stone is large or causes a blockage or infection.

There’s evidence these stones have plagued humans for millennia—scientists have found traces of kidney stones in mummies more than 7,000 years old. Today, more than 1 million cases are reported each year in the United States, and that number is steadily increasing, perhaps related to poor dietary practices.

General Causes and Risk Factors

There is a strong familial risk factor in the development of kidney stones. Other possible causes include frequent urinary tract infections, poor dietary habits, inadequate fluid consumption, and limited physical activity. Some thyroid medications and calcium-based antacids may increase the risk of developing kidney stones.

Blood Group Links

Blood group A individuals tend to have higher levels of calcium in their urine when compared to the other ABO groups. In one study, stone-formers underwent a metabolic investigation and ABO blood group determination. The incidence of blood groups in patients was similar to the ABO phenotype distribution in the general population. Patients with blood group A displayed hypercalciuria in 54% of the cases. Among these, group A patients with positive family history showed higher mean values of calcium excretion and lower ones of GAGs. These results indicated a link to ABO phenotypes as well as a familial risk factor‘.

Therapies, Kidney Stones

ALL BLOOD GROUPS:

Reduce your intake of oxalate from food as a way to reduce urinary oxalate. Although many foods contain oxalate, only a few appear to increase urinary oxalate. These foods are spinach, rhubarb, beet greens, nuts, chocolate, tea, bran, almonds, peanuts, and strawberries.

1. Urinary Tract Health Protocol

1. Urinary Tract Health Protocol

BLOOD GROUP AB:

1. Urinary Tract Health Protocol

1. Urinary Tract Health Protocol

Related Topics

Bacterial disease (general)

REFERENCES

1. Caudarella R, Malavolta N, Rizzoli E, Stefani F, D‘Antuono G. Idiopathic calcium urolithiasis: genetic aspects. Ann Med Interne (Paris). 1986;137:200-202.

KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE—See Bacterial disease, Klebsiella pneumoniae