Can Kidney Stones Be Avoided?

Getting Your Kidney Stone Looked At 

The initial step in prevention is to know which chemical type of kidney stone you're making. So it is crucial to send your stone or stone piece to the lab for testing. When you are seeking to pass a kidney stone, you should employ a strainer cup to trap any stone or gravel that appears and bring it to your urologist’s office. When you have had your stone taken out with an extraction operation, your urologist will dispatch it to the lab for investigation. Finally, people who undergo shockwave lithotripsy, a procedure that breaks the stone up with sound waves, should carefully strain their urine in the days (and even weeks) after the procedure and bring any fragments or gravel that come out to their urologist.

Lab Tests

Depending on the chemical composition of your stone and the number of stones you have had in earlier times, your physician may indicate that you undergo specific medical tests. These tests are designed to measure the amount of certain chemicals in your blood and urine and detect the specific imbalance or excess that may be causing stones to form. The results of these lab tests may indicate the need for daily use of a nutritional supplement or prescription medication to promote normal urine chemistry and reduce the risk of stone recurrence.