Urinary stones, also known as urolithiasis and urinary tract stones, are one of the most common diseases in urology. Depending on the location of the stone, urinary stones can be divided into kidney stones, ureteral stones, bladder stones and urethral stones. We often hear people talking about urinary tract stones: “If the stones are not painful, you don’t need to treat them” or “If the stones are painful, you don’t need to worry about them”. Is this really true? The more painful a urinary tract stone is, the worse it is. Myth 1: Stones never hurt, so no treatment is needed? Small stones in the kidney will slowly become bigger, and if you drink too little water and do not have active checkups, the stones will eventually become larger antler-shaped stones over time. When the size of the stone matches the space of the kidney, it can be asymptomatic for a long time if it does not cause obstruction or secondary infection in the renal calyces or pelvis. However, this does not mean that the stones do not need to be treated because they are not painful. Because when symptoms appear, the stone may be too large or the stone is embedded for too long causing severe hydronephrosis, long-term hydronephrosis compression can cause kidney atrophy and permanent loss of kidney function. Myth 2: You don’t need to worry if the painful stone is no longer painful? Some people think that the stone has been discharged, so they don’t need to worry about it anymore. In fact, this idea is also very dangerous. It is possible that the stone is not discharged, but may cause urinary tract obstruction. Once the obstruction causes fluid accumulation, it will seriously affect the kidney function. Why do stones come to you? There are many factors that affect the formation of urinary stones, such as age, gender and race. What habits in our daily life make us easy to get stones? 1, sedentary, drink less water. The development of urinary stones and occupation is related. For example, pilots, office workers, etc. because of work, often sitting in the office, plus usually drink less water, urine is not diluted, urine concentration increases, urine stone crystals deposited in the stone is easy to form stones. Likewise, people who do not like to move if there are small stones or sediment-like stones in the kidneys, because of the lack of exercise, these small stones are not easily discharged from the body, and over time, it is easy to slowly grow. 2. Irrational diet structure. As the saying goes, “disease enters through the mouth”, so does stone disease. Excessive consumption of foods containing oxalic acid such as spinach, beans, tea, grapes, etc. can easily cause calcium oxalate stones in daily life. Foods rich in purines, such as animal offal and seafood, should not be consumed by patients with urate stones. Calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate stones are also easily formed when protein and fat are consumed in excess. In addition, soft drinks such as soft drinks contain high sugar and calories, which tend to accelerate water loss in the body and increase the burden on the kidneys. 3. Geographical environment and climate differences. There are obvious geographical and climatic differences in urinary tract stones. The incidence is higher in mountainous areas, deserts and tropics, and more in the south than in the north; summer and working in a hot environment are factors that cause a high incidence of stones. 4. Secondary factors. Urinary tract obstruction and infection are also the main factors that induce stone formation. Common urinary tract obstruction are congenital urinary tract malformation and senile prostatic hyperplasia. Urinary tract infections often exist in combination with obstruction and stones. In addition, hyperparathyroidism, hyperthyroidism, increased cortisol and prolonged bed rest can also contribute to the development of stones. How can stones be prevented? Urinary tract stones have a high recurrence rate because of their complex causes. Therefore, stone disease is important to prevent, the following measures can help you to stay away from the trouble of stones. 1. Scientific drinking water. If you drink too little water every day will make the urine is oversaturated, causing the formation of stones. It is generally recommended to have a daily fluid intake of 2,5 to 3L and a urine volume of 2 to 2,5L, keeping the urine color clear and light yellow. Avoid excessive consumption of Coca-Cola, caffeine, grape juice, etc. People with poor kidney function and heart function should drink moderate amounts of water. 2. Adjust the diet structure. Change the bad eating habits, maintain the balance of diet and nutrition, and increase the intake of fruits and vegetables appropriately. 3. Maintain a good state of mind and increase exercise appropriately. Being overweight can increase the risk of stones. Proper exercise, weight reduction and timely hydration when water loss is excessive are all ways to prevent the occurrence of stones. 4. Stone composition analysis to guide stone prevention. If you have a past history of stones, the discharged stones should be analyzed for composition to clarify their composition and develop effective preventive measures. For example, patients with calcium oxalate stones should eat less oxalic acid-rich foods such as spinach, parsley, peanuts and black tea; patients with uric acid stones should eat less animal offal and seafood, limit high-protein foods and drink less beer; patients with calcium phosphate or phosphate stones should eat less egg yolk, beans and milk. Patients with infected stones should be relieved of the problem of urinary tract infection. 5. Treat urinary tract infections, hyperparathyroidism and other primary diseases in a timely manner. In conclusion, urinary tract stones, prevention is important. We should receive ultrasound examination at least once a year, and we should pay attention to drinking water, exercising more and having a balanced diet in our life. Small kidney stones (less than 0,6cm) can mostly be chosen for observation if there is no fluid and pain. For larger stones, we should choose different individualized treatment plans according to different sites and sizes. We should not receive extracorporeal lithotripsy or blind open stone extraction too often, and we should try to choose minimally invasive surgical treatment for stones.