Higher risk of kidney stones in summer: Doctor shares preventive tips

Step outside on a peak summer afternoon and you can feel the water leaving your body. It’s in the sweat on your neck, the dry lips, the sudden craving for something cold. But what most people don’t realise is that this quiet, everyday dehydration is also setting the stage for something far more painful, kidney stones.
Doctors tend to see a clear seasonal pattern. Cases rise as temperatures climb. And it’s not just because people forget to drink water. It’s also because the body, under heat stress, behaves differently.
Dr. Ankur Bhatnagar, Senior Consultant and Head, Urology and Kidney Transplant, Accord Super Speciality Hospital, Faridabad NCR, explains it simply: “Kidney stones are more common in summers. The risk of stone formation increases because of dehydration from heat and sweating, which reduces urine volume and makes it more concentrated and thus prone to forming stones.”

The body is constantly trying to cool itself in summer. And sweating is its main tool. But here’s the catch, when you sweat more and don’t replace those fluids, your kidneys get less water to work with.
So urine output drops. And what little urine is produced carries a higher concentration of calcium, oxalate, and uric acid. These are the usual culprits behind stones.
But hydration isn’t the only factor. Eating habits shift in summer too. People often reach for salty snacks, packaged drinks, or protein-heavy meals, especially if they’re trying to stay fit. And these choices, when combined with dehydration, quietly increase the risk.
Dr. Bhatnagar puts it this way: “Risk of stone formation is higher in following individuals: People who do not drink enough water, especially in hot climates. Individuals with a past history of kidney stones or a family history of stones. Those people who consume diets high in salt, animal protein, or who eat lots of oxalate-rich foods like spinach, nuts, chocolates. Obesity, metabolic syndrome, urinary tract infections also increase the risk.”
So it’s rarely just one thing. It’s a mix of heat, habits, and sometimes, plain genetics.

Kidney stones don’t always announce themselves early. In fact, many people don’t know they have one until it starts moving.
And when it does, the pain can be sharp, sudden, and hard to ignore. It usually begins in the lower back or side and may travel towards the abdomen or groin. Some people feel nauseous. Others notice burning while urinating or even see blood in their urine.
But here’s where people slip up, they wait it out. They assume it’s acidity, a pulled muscle, or just something they ate.
And that delay can make things worse, especially if the stone is large or causes a blockage.

Ask any urologist, and they’ll say prevention is far easier than treatment. But prevention isn’t about doing something dramatic. It’s about being consistent with a few simple habits.
Dr. Bhatnagar advises, “Various preventive measures include: Drinking 3–4 liters of water daily with urine colour serving as a guide to adequate hydration. Limiting excess salt intake, and fried foods; reducing animal protein and avoiding excess oxalate-rich food items. Choose citrate-rich foods such as lemon water, oranges, and other citrus fruits.”
That bit about urine colour is worth remembering. Pale or almost clear urine usually means you’re well hydrated. Dark yellow? That’s your cue to drink more water.
And then there’s exercise. While staying active is always good, pushing too hard in extreme heat can backfire.
He adds, “Be cautious with intense exercise in the heat, avoid very hot yoga or saunas; sipping water regularly during exercise to maintain proper hydration.”
It sounds obvious, but it’s easy to overlook when you’re focused on a workout.

Not all kidney stones need surgery. In fact, many small ones pass on their own, though not always comfortably.
Dr. Bhatnagar explains, “Small stones (usually <5.5 mm) often pass on their own with painkillers, plenty of fluids, and sometimes medications to relax the ureter.”
But larger stones are a different story. They may get stuck, cause persistent pain, or lead to infection.
And that’s when medical intervention becomes necessary.
“Larger stones, blocked stones or stones with concurrent infection may need procedures such as retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS), extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL), ureteroscopy, or percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) to break or remove the stone,” he says.
These procedures sound intimidating, but many are minimally invasive and quite effective today. Still, no one really wants to get to that stage.

One of the frustrating things about kidney stones is that they tend to come back. If you’ve had one before, your chances of getting another are higher.
That’s why doctors don’t just treat the stone and move on. They often look deeper—at your diet, lifestyle, and even your body chemistry.
Dr. Bhatnagar notes, “Doctors may also recommend diet and some blood/urine tests (for calcium, uric acid, oxalate, citrate) to monitor and prevent stone formation and reduce recurrence.”
It’s a bit like detective work. Understanding why the stone formed in the first place helps prevent the next one.

People often reduce kidney stone prevention to one line: drink more water. And yes, that’s a big part of it.
But it’s also about how you live through the summer. The food you eat, the way you exercise, even how long you stay out in the sun without hydration.
And then there’s awareness. Many people still think kidney stones are a one-time problem or something that only affects older adults. That’s not true anymore. Younger people, even those who consider themselves healthy, are showing up with stones.
Maybe it’s the diet. Maybe it’s the long hours in air-conditioned spaces without enough water. Or just the habit of ignoring thirst until it’s too late.

Medical experts consulted
This article includes expert inputs shared with TOI Health by:
​Dr. Ankur Bhatnagar, Senior Consultant and Head, Urology and Kidney Transplant, Accord Super Speciality Hospital, Faridabad NCR
Inputs were used to explain the risk of kidney stones during summer season. The doctor has shared preventive tips to stay safe.