Kidney stones are one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract.
Both diet and genetics appear to increase the risk for kidney stones. People whose diets are high in animal protein and low in fiber and fluids are at higher risk, as well as those with high stress levels, people with a family history of kidney stones, patients who are immobilized or bedridden, and people with high blood pressure. For unknown reasons, the overall incidence in kidney stones has been increasing over the past 20 years. Overall, men have an incidence of one in 14 and women of one in 30, although the rate in women has been increasing in recent years. When kidney stones strike women, they are more apt to occur during pregnancy, usually in the late stages.