Under normal conditions a person produces more urine during the day while active, and less at night. However, some elderly people have to get up frequently at night, possibly because of mild heart failure. A healthy kidney is usually able to eliminate almost any chemical not needed by the body, provided one takes enough water and other fluids. When people take too little water, the urine becomes concentrated and this is inturn may lead to chronic infections of the kidneys and bladder so keeping up fluids can cure kidney stones. We are fortunate in having two kidneys, even though we can get along quite well with only one or even part of one. So if a person has a badly diseased kidney, it can be removed and he can still live fairly well.

Various forms and sizes of stones may occur in any part of the urinary tract. They are most frequently found in the kidneys, and may cause considerable pain as they attempt to pass down the muscular tube or ureter on their way to the bladder. Although we still do not know what causes kidney stones, they do seem to occur more frequently when the urine is highly concentrated from heavy sweating, or when a person is not taking sufficient fluids.

Kidney and bladder stones are formed from the usual chemical found in the urine, such as uric acid, phosphate, calcium, oxalic acid, and many more. Too little vitamin A or too much vitamin D, because of overactivity of the parathyroid glands, may also produce kidney stones. Such patients should avoid taking to much milk because of the high calcium content. Patients with gout are likely to develop uric acid stones. Kidney stones are three times as common in males as in females and they also come on more frequently in middle life.

Small stones the size of gravel may sometimes pass down the ureter, causing obstruction and severe pain. This pain is first felt in the patient's inside and then seems to radiate down into the groin and thigh. The patient may also suffer from nausea, vomiting, sweating, chills, and shock, and the urine may remain in the kidney for years and never cause any trouble. Smaller stones should be removed if they are too large to pass normally. To be sure a stone has passed, strain all the urine through fine cloth for several days and watch carefully for the presence of a gravel-sized stone. It is often good to get the right information to cure kidney stones.