Do you know that more than 0.5 million people visit emergency departments yearly due to kidney stone issues? In the United States, the prevalence of kidney stones formation grew from 3.8% in the late 1970s to 8.8% in the late 2000s.
One in ten people, according to statistics, will have kidney stones at some point in their life. However, the likelihood of kidney stones is 9% for women and 11% for males. Kidney stones might be more likely to develop in people who have additional conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity.
In this blog, you’ll learn what kidney stones are, how kidney stones form, their cause, and their symptoms.
What’s a kidney stone?
A kidney stone is basically a hard deposit of minerals & salts that develop inside your kidneys and have an irregular shape. It can have a size from a grain of sand to a golf ball and is also referred to as nephrolithiasis, renal calculi, and urolithiasis.
Your kidney stone may be so small that you may be unaware you have one. Small stones can be painful as they pass through your urinary tract & leave your body.
Your kidneys are where kidney stones typically start to form. But they can appear anywhere along your urinary tract, which is made up of the following parts:
- Kidneys
- Ureters
- Bladder
- Urethra
How kidney stones form
Salts and minerals in large quantities are dissolved in urine. When urine becomes concentrated, minerals can crystallize and attach, frequently leading to stones. Kidney stones can start small and enlarge over time, eventually filling the hollow interior of the kidney. Some kidney stones remain there and do not cause any complications.
Kidney stones can occasionally pass through the ureter. Urine can carry the stone out of the body if it gets to the bladder. When a stone deposits in the ureter, it limits the kidney’s ability to excrete urine and causes pain.
Types of kidney stones
Kidney stones can be divided into four categories:
- Calcium oxalate (80% of stones): This is formed when calcium and oxalate mix in urine. Their development may be influenced by inadequate calcium intake, hydration, and other factors.
- Uric acid (5 – 10% of stones): Foods rich in purines can increase monosodium urate production, which could result in kidney stones under the proper circumstances.
- Struvite (10% of stones): Infections in the upper urinary tract cause these less common stones.
- Cystine (<1% of stones): These stones seem to run in families and are extremely rare.
Symptoms of kidney stones
Symptoms are typically not present until a kidney stone moves around or enters one of the ureters.
Sharp, cramping back and side pain are typical signs of kidney stones. This severe discomfort is named renal colic. This sensation frequently spreads to the groin or lower abdomen. The pain often comes in waves and begins quickly. As the body eliminates the stone, it may come and go.
Other symptoms are:
- Blood in the urine (red or brown urine)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Frequent urination or a burning feeling during urination
- Severe pain on either side of your lower back
- Urine that looks cloudy or smells bad
- Fever and chills
Causes of how kidney stones form
Some of the causes of kidney stones are:
- Dehydration (too little water)
- Diet (food with too much salt or sugar)
- High levels of calcium in the urine
- Obesity
- Exercise (too little or too much)
- Hyperparathyroid condition
- Infections
- gastric bypass surgery
- Some medications
Treatment options
After a diagnosis, your doctor will decide whether you require kidney stone therapy. When you urinate, some tiny kidney stones might pass from your body. You have a range of treatment choices, including medication and surgery, if your doctor determines you need it.
Your doctor may first investigate how kidney stones form before prescribing medication to manage nausea or vomiting and reduce pain. Some surgeries can also be performed to treat kidney stones, including ureteroscopy, shockwave lithotripsy, and open stone surgery.
