India, April 9 -- With summer setting in, cases of kidney stones - hard, pebble-like deposits formed when urine becomes too concentrated - are on the rise. A common belief is that drinking 10-12 glasses of water daily can help pass them, but how accurate is that? "Kidney stones are becoming more common, especially if you live somewhere hot and risk getting dehydrated," explains Dr Amit Saple, senior consultant urologist and executive director at AINU Hospitals, Visakhapatnam. He stresses that hydration plays a key preventive role: "Water basically keeps your urine diluted, so those stone-forming particles don't get a chance to stick together." However, water isn't a cure-all. "The extra water means more urine, which can carry the tiny stone out of your system. But this works only if the stone is small, usually under 5mm," he says. Larger stones often need medical intervention. "If you've got serious pain, an infection, or you're blocked up, you need real medical treatment. That might be prescription meds, shock wave therapy, or even a minor procedure," he adds. The recommended baseline is 10-12 glasses a day. Dr Amit also advises monitoring urine colour - it should be clear or pale yellow - and aiming for at least two to two-and-a-half litres of urine output daily. Beyond hydration, cutting down on salt, limiting high-oxalate foods like spinach and nuts, and maintaining balanced calcium intake can help reduce risk. As Dr Amit sums up, "Water is your first line of defence, not your entire battle plan against kidney stones."...