Causes of kidney stones - Kidney stones

Kidney stones usually form when certain chemicals build up in the body.

You're more likely to develop kidney stones if you:

• have a condition that leads to high levels of these chemicals in your pee - for example, parathyroid disease or gout
• do not drink enough water and other fluids

Types of kidney stones

Kidney stones can have different sizes, shapes and colours. Some are like grains of sand. In rare cases, stones can grow to the size of a golf ball.

The main types of kidney stones are:

• calcium stones, the most common type of stone
• struvite stones, usually caused by an infection, such as a urinary tract infection (UTI)
• uric acid stones, usually caused by a large amount of acid in your pee

Recurrent kidney stones

You are more likely to keep getting kidney stones if you:

• eat a high-protein, low-fibre diet
• are inactive or bed-bound
• have a family history of kidney stones
• had several kidney infections or UTIs
• had a kidney stone before - especially if you had a stone before you were 25

Medicines that increase your risk of kidney stones

Some medicines may increase your risk of developing recurrent kidney stones.

These include:

• aspirin
• antacids
• diuretics (used to reduce fluid build-up)
• some antibiotics
• some antiretroviral medicines (used to treat HIV)
• certain anti-epileptic medicines