Target fluid intake about 2 litres a day for those who are at risk of stone formation. A good way to gauge whether you are drinking enough is when your urine is colourless.

Depending on your condition, your doctor may request for you to reduce intake of particular types of food:

• Reduce salt intake
• Reduce High-Purine* Foods (e.g. Red meat, organ meats, shellfish)
• Reduce High-Oxalate^ Foods (e.g. Spinach, peanuts, chocolate, black tea, sweet potatoes)
• Reduce Medium-Oxalate^ Foods (e.g. Celery, green pepper, raspberries, strawberries, grapes, liver)

* A purine-rich diet can raise uric acid levels in the body, leading to conditions such as urinary stones.

^ Oxalate is naturally found in some foods and exits the body through urine. Too much oxalate can cause urinary stones.

Diagnosis

Imaging of the urinary tract could be done via:

• X-ray
• Ultrasound
• Intravenous Urogram (IVU)
• Computerised Tomography (CT) scan
• Additional urine and blood tests may also be done.

• Observation and Medical Therapy (Dissolution/Medical Expulsion Therapy)
• Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy: Involves focused shock waves that passes through the body to hit the stones, breaking the stones into smaller pieces.
• Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy and Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery: Both involve minimal invasive surgery to treat stones in the ureter.
• Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy: This is done under general anaesthesia with a small incision in the back for insertion of a tube into the kidney. Through the tube a scope can be inserted to fragment and remove the stone.
• Cystolitholapaxy
• Laparoscopic/Open Surgery