They are also extremely painful. Many stones wash out with the urine without any help from doctors. That leaves several options, including surgery, being removed through a tube, and being pulverized with shock waves. Since stones are most common in summer, dehydration probably has something to do with the problem. Doctors generally advise people who have had stones or who come from families with a history of kidney stones to drink 10 to 12 glasses of water a day.
Research suggests that the thiazides increase the calcium deposits in the bones.
There is evidence from previous studies that a diet high in salt, sugar or meat may increase the risk for stone formation, and that a diet rich in foods containg potassium and magnesium ay decrease the risk. Meat consumption didn't seem to have any effect on risk of stones. However, the researchers say they aren't confident of that finding because of some inadequacies in the 1980 questionnaire. Not, necessarily, that they should stop taking calcium supplements,the researchers say. An editorial writer in Annals of Internal Medicine, where the kidney stone report appears, said the study reinforces the trend to avoid low-calcium diets.