Kidney Stones
Show 1411: Could Your Kidneys Be Failing You? Th…
This week, our guest discusses how to prevent and treat a surprisingly common condition, chronic kidney disease. One in three Americans faces the risk factors for kidney disease; one in seven is actua…
PPIs and Kidney Damage | Nephrologist Spanks GI …
Many specialists live in silos. By that we mean they hang out with other experts just like themselves. They reinforce each other’s understanding of the world. These specialists may not spend a lot o…
Can Eating Beets Benefit Eyesight as Well as Blo…
Do you like beets? We do, but we've heard that a lot of people object to their earthy flavor. On the other hand, research demonstrates that people who eat beets regularly may have less trouble with hi…
Painful Kidney Stones Are Becoming More Common
Kidney stones can cause excruciating pain. For some patients, a kidney stone becomes a medical emergency. What causes painful kidney stones? How Often Do People Suffer from Painful Kidney Stones? A st…
Can Blood Pressure Pills Prevent Kidney Stones?
If you have ever had a kidney stone, you certainly do not long for the experience to recur. What can you do to prevent kidney stones? One reader found a simple prescription worked well. Using Diuretic…
Show 1148: What Can You Do About Kidney Stones? …
Kidney stones afflict an estimated three million Americans each year, resulting in at least half a million trips to the emergency department. But what are they and what can you do about them? How do t…
Will Blood Pressure Remedy Lead to Kidney Stones…
Hippocrates' warning that the physician should do no harm in the course of treating a condition should also apply to anyone treating themselves with home remedies. An astute reader searching for a blo…
How Can You Prevent a Kidney Stone?
People who have had a kidney stone will tell you the pain is excruciating. They would do almost anything to avoid a repeat performance. So we were not surprised to hear from a reader who wanted to red…
Do You Need to Take Calcium Supplements?
For decades, women and older adults were advised to take calcium supplements to help maintain bone strength. More recently, however, concerns have been raised about the possibility that calcium supple…
Is It Safe to Take Off Label Drugs for Unapprove…
Are you taking a medication off label? By that we mean, has your physician prescribed a drug for an unapproved indication? Off label drugs are prescribed far more often than most patients realize. One…
How to Pass a Kidney Stone Riding a Roller Coast…
This treatment definitely qualifies as one of the more bizarre (or if you wish "wacky") therapies we have encountered, but we assure you it has just been published in a medical journal. It won't appea…
Is Prostate Drug – Tamsulosin – Safe…
Q. My family doctor has prescribed tamsulosin for frequent urination at night. I am a 75-year-old woman, and after reading about the side effects of this drug, I am concerned. I can live with the freq…
Be Wary of Too Much Green Juice
Whenever you start doing something different because it is supposed to be good for your health, it makes sense to check out the possible consequences. Sometimes people find that the cure is worse than…
Are You in Danger of Kidney Stones if You Love B…
Q. I take beet juice powder and it has dropped my blood pressure to normal levels. But I hear that beets can cause kidney stones in some people. If so, am I putting myself at risk by taking the powder…
Controversy over Vitamin Benefits and Risks Just…
Q. I have read lately that vitamin and mineral supplements are a waste of money. I beg to differ. I am a firm believer in supplements. Magnesium and vitamin B6 have prevented a recurrence of kidney st…
Regular Exercise Lowers the Likelihood of Develo…
The benefits of exercise include a lower likelihood of kidney stones. An epidemiological study of more than 84,000 postmenopausal women found that those who were even modestly active, walking about th…
Vitamin D Supplements Don’t Increase Risk …
Vitamin D supplementation has received a lot of attention over the last few years because so many people appear to be low or deficient in this nutrient. Some experts worry, though, that vitamin D supp…
Should You Choose Lemonade over Iced Tea?
Hot weather is associated with a higher risk of kidney stones. Researchers have noted that there are more hospitalizations for kidney stone emergencies during the summer. Google searches for informati…
Dietary Calcium and Kidney Stones
Traditional advice to people who have already had one kidney stone has been to cut back on calcium to reduce the risk of another painful episode. New research shows that this common recommendation is …
Painful Stones Linked to Supplement Use
Scientists have been debating the relationship between vitamin C supplements and kidney stones for decades. In the 1970s the New England Journal of Medicine published heated correspondence about this …
Summertime and Kidney Stones
Hot weather is associated with a higher risk of kidney stones. Researchers have noted that there are more hospitalizations for kidney stone emergencies during the summer. Google searches for informati…
Iced Tea, Kidney Stones & Summer Suffering
Warning! Warm weather can be hard on your kidneys. That's because summer is associated with an increase in kidney stones. Doctors have a tongue twister name for kidney stones: nephrolithiasis or ren…
Do Supplements Cause Kidney Stones?
Q. I have a friend who was told she probably got her kidney stones from taking vitamin C and calcium supplements. There isn't a daily vitamin supplement out there that doesn't contain one or the other…
Will Calcium Supplements Cause Kidney Stones
Q. I am lactose intolerant and have to take calcium supplements since I don't drink milk. I have heard that these can cause kidney stones. Someone told me I should take Tums with calcium instead of ca…
HRT Boosts Risk of Kidney Stones
Menopausal hormone replacement therapy has come under a lot of scrutiny during the last ten years because of the Women's Health Initiative. This government-funded research was designed to determine th…
Lemon Juice Fights Kidney Stones
Q. I read a letter from someone who drank lemonade to prevent kidney stones. I've had kidney stones for six years. I've been through two lithotripsies and taken sodium bicarbonate for two years. One o…