Kidney Stone Prevention

Your kidneys help you get rid of liquid waste through urine. Substances in your urine can build up forming solid nuggets (kidney stones) that cause severe pain.

We help prevent kidney stones with personalized care that often includes the kidney stone diet. Even if you’ve experienced kidney stones in the past, we can help you avoid future kidney stones.

Kidney stone prevention at AHN: Why choose us?

Our kidney disease doctors (nephrologists) specialize in preventing kidney stones. They take time to explain why you may be at risk and help you steer clear of kidney stones by changing your diet. Our personalized approach gives you the best chances for good results.

If we detect signs of kidney stones, we refer you to an AHN urologist. These physicians are specially trained to treat conditions affecting your bladder and kidneys. Our nephrologists work closely with our urologists. They share important information about your health history, including previous test results, so you can get the care you need. Read more about urology.

What causes kidney stones?

Kidney stone prevention starts by determining your risk. You may be at risk for kidney stones if you:

• Have arthritis or kidney disease
• Are overweight (obese)
• Eat a diet with too much sodium, sugar, or protein
• Have a family member who experienced kidney stones
• Take antacids for reflux
• Are dehydrated (not getting enough water) on a regular basis

Kidney stone screening

If you are at risk for kidney stones or have had kidney stones in the past, we order lab tests to learn more. Using a sample of your blood or urine, we check levels of substances such as calcium or uric acid.

If they are higher than normal, you face a higher risk for kidney stones. But this information does not always mean you will develop them. To help you understand your results, our nephrologist talks them through with you and explains what they mean for your health.

Kidney stone prevention

We often prevent kidney stones using the kidney stone diet. We track your progress through regular follow-up visits.

Here’s what to expect:

Kidney stone diet

We help many people avoid kidney stones by changing what they eat. We tailor recommendations based on your individual needs.

On a kidney stone diet, you can expect to:

• Drink more fluids, especially water
• Avoid food such as nuts, certain beans, and spinach
• Lower the level of salt (sodium) in your diet, which means eating fewer processed foods
• Limit animal-based proteins, including beef, eggs, fish, and dairy products
• Make sure to get enough calcium through certain vegetables, including broccoli

Follow-up visits

During these visits, our nephrologists address any challenges you may be experiencing with the kidney stone diet. We also perform a kidney stone assessment. If your calcium or uric acid levels continue to rise, we may recommend additional diet changes. We may also refer you to a urologist.

Contact us

Call (412) DOCTORS (412) 362-8677 or request an appointment to learn more about AHN nephrology services.