Kidney stones are one of the most painful diseases of the day. It is the kidney stones that are capable to make a person stop his every work due to the extreme pain in the stomach and back. The pain is always felt in extreme that is mostly intolerable. Kidney stones, also known as nephrolithiases, urolithiases or renal calculi, are solid accretions (crystals) of dissolved minerals in urine found inside the kidneys or ureters. They vary in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball. Kidney stones typically leave the body in the urine stream; if they grow relatively large before passing (on the order of millimeters), obstruction of a ureter and distention with urine can cause severe pain most commonly felt in the flank, lower abdomen and groin.

It was stated that kidney stones are uncommon in the people under the age group of 30 however, the studies have proved that the soldiers in the Iraq most of them in their 20s have an increased risk of developing kidney stones due to their unique lifestyle. Since 1991, Linda Massey, professor of human nutrition at WSU Spokane, has studied the effects of variables such as milk, meat, soy protein, caffeine, salt and vitamin C on the formation of kidney stones.

It is seen that here the soldiers are more reliant on caffeine to keep them awake for long hour duty. The high intake of caffeine increases urinary calcium, which contributes to kidney stones formation. Moreover during the war times these soldiers rally get very less to eat and hardly spare time to get rest. Iraq Soldiers are more prone to get dehydrated, the main reason for this dehydration has been started to be long working in the hot climate in Iraq and the protective clothing that keeps their sweat from evaporating. Moreover, it has been seen that the soldiers here take fewer calories in comparison to what they burn. Even the intake of water and other fluids have been seen to be minimum that results in urinating quite often.

Iraq being more war prone area the soldiers here have really required to work quite hard. Hence, it becomes really difficult for them to guard themselves from Kidney stones. Taking more amount of caffeine and less amount of water leads to more concentrate and acidic urine that leads to formation of kidney stones gradually. In all it can be said that the soldiers in Iraq are on higher risk of developing kidney stones from other people due to their working conditions and atmosphere.