A stone or renal calculi is a mass of solid material that forms in the kidney due to substances present in urine.
Risk factors. Affects more men than women. Being overweight, kidney infections, family history, eating lots of protein (meat, eggs) and not drinking enough fluids all increase chances of having kidney stones.
Prevention. Drink a lot of liquids, eat foods containing fibre and Vitamin A and B, consume more fish than meat, reduce the amount of fat in the foods you eat and stay active by exercising.
Treatment. Pain medications. The stones that produce cramps can be removed with minimally-invasive techniques.