Overview
The four main types of kidney stones are:
- Calcium stones.
Most kidney stones are made of calcium compounds. Conditions that cause high calcium levels in the body, such as hyperparathyroidism, increase the risk of calcium stones.
- Uric acid stones.
Some kidney stones are made of uric acid, a waste product in urine. You're more likely to have uric acid stones if you have:
- Low urine output.
- A diet high in animal protein, such as red meat.
- An increase in how much alcohol you drink.
- Gout.
- Inflammatory bowel disease.
- Struvite stones.
Some kidney stones are struvite stones. These can be serious, because they are often large stones and may occur with an infection.
- Cystine stones.
Stones made of a chemical called cystine are less common. They're more likely to occur in people who have a condition that results in too much cystine in the urine (cystinuria).
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Current as of: April 30, 2024