By: Jennifer Nerkie Kenney
Kidney stones are formed within the human body due to an imbalance between water and solid substances in urine, a urologist at the Tema General Hospital, Dr. Lemuel Davies Bray, has explained. He said the condition is largely linked to lifestyle habits, especially inadequate water intake and excessive consumption of sugar and salt.
Dr. Bray made this known on Tuesday, December 24, 2025, during a discussion on the GTV Breakfast Show, where he spoke about the causes, symptoms, treatment options, and prevention of kidney stones, with practical tips tailored to everyday life.
“Kidney stones are not something that enters your body from outside. They are formed within your body due to an imbalance between water and solid particles in the urine,” he said.
He explained that the urinary system consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, and that urine is made up of water and dissolved solids. When there is too little water to dilute these solids, the urine becomes concentrated, allowing crystals to form.
Using a sugar-and-water analogy, Dr. Bray said that once a solution becomes supersaturated, excess particles settle at the bottom, adding that a similar process occurs in the kidneys when urine remains concentrated for long periods.
“If you keep adding sugar to water, at a point it cannot dissolve anymore. That is exactly how kidney stones begin to form when urine becomes too concentrated,” he explained.
Dr. Bray said the most common kidney stones are calcium-based stones, accounting for about 70 to 80 percent of all cases. He noted that these stones begin as tiny crystals which gradually grow larger and harder over time.
He added that kidney stones usually become symptomatic when they move into the ureter, the narrow tube connecting the kidney to the bladder, causing intense pain, nausea, and vomiting.
“The pain from kidney stones can be extremely severe. Some women who have experienced both labour and kidney stones say the stone pain is worse,” he said.
According to him, whether a kidney stone can pass naturally depends mainly on three factors: the size of the stone, whether it is freely floating or impacted, and whether the ureter is open or narrowed. He explained that stones smaller than about five millimetres are more likely to pass on their own.
Dr. Bray cautioned against placing patients on medication without properly assessing these factors, warning that such an approach amounts to guesswork rather than evidence-based medicine.
“Treating kidney stone disease should not be based on hope or faith. It is medical science. If you don’t consider these factors and still tell a patient the stone will pass, that is not proper treatment,” he warned.
On treatment options, he explained that small stones may be managed with medical expulsive therapy, which includes drinking plenty of water and using medication to help the stone pass naturally.
For larger stones, he said shockwave therapy can be used to break softer stones into smaller pieces, while harder or larger stones may require laser fragmentation or surgical procedures such as percutaneous nephrolithotomy.
“The treatment depends on the size, hardness, and location of the stone. Some stones will never pass on their own, no matter how long you wait,” he noted.
Dr. Bray also addressed diagnosis, noting that while ultrasound scans are commonly used, they have limitations. He said CT scans provide more accurate information about stone size, position, and whether it is impacted.
He stressed that proper imaging is essential for choosing the right treatment approach and avoiding prolonged suffering for patients.
“If you really want to understand the nature of a stone and treat it properly, a CT scan gives you the full picture,” he advised.
On prevention, Dr. Bray emphasised that kidney stone disease is closely linked to lifestyle. He advised reducing salt and sugar intake, limiting sugary drinks, especially darker sodas, and maintaining adequate calcium intake through diet.
He also encouraged people to drink enough water to produce at least two litres of urine daily, noting that in Ghana’s hot climate, this may require drinking up to four litres of water a day.
“Prevention is always better than treatment. Drink enough water, watch what you eat, and you can significantly reduce your risk of kidney stones,” he added.
