Kidney stones are hard deposits consisting of minerals and salts that develop inside your kidneys. They are also known as renal calculi, nephrolithiasis, or urolithiasis.
Kidney stones can be caused by a variety of factors, including diet, excess body weight, various medical conditions, specific supplements, and drugs. Any section of your urinary tract, from your kidneys to your bladder, might be impacted by kidney stones. When urine becomes concentrated, minerals can crystallise and adhere to one another and frequently lead to stones.
Although passing kidney stones can be extremely painful, if they are caught early enough, they typically don’t result in permanent harm. You might only need to take painkillers and drink a lot of water to clear a kidney stone, depending on your circumstances. Surgery might be required in other situations, such as when stones become trapped in the urinary tract, are linked to an infection, or result in problems.
If you have a higher chance of getting kidney stones again, your doctor may suggest preventive care to lower your risk.
Symptoms
Until a kidney stone moves around or enters one of the ureters, symptoms are typically not present. The tubes that link the kidneys and bladder are known as ureters.
A kidney stone that becomes stuck in the ureters can restrict the urine’s flow, inflame the kidney, and cause the ureter to spasm, all of which can be excruciatingly painful. You can then experience the following signs:
- Severe, stabbing pain below the ribcage on the side and back
- Radiating discomfort in the groyne and lower abdomen
- Pain that is intermittent and varies in severity
- When urinating, there may be pain or burning
Other warning signs and symptoms could be:
- Red, pink, or brown urine
- Cloudy or stench-filled pee
- A constant want to urinate, urinating more frequently than normal, or urinating infrequently
- Nausea and diarrhoea
- If there is an infection, fever and chills
As the kidney stone passes through your urinary path, the pain it causes may alter, such as moving to a different spot or becoming more intense.
Causes
Several factors may raise your risk of developing kidney stones, although there is frequently no one specific explanation.
Kidney stones develop when your urine contains more crystal-forming components than the fluid in your urine can dissolve, such as calcium, oxalate, and uric acid. The conditions for kidney stones to form are favourable if your urine lacks chemicals that keep crystals from adhering to one another.
Various kidney stones
Finding out what kind of kidney stone you have can assist identify its source and may provide information on how to lower your risk of developing additional kidney stones. If you pass a kidney stone, attempt to keep it if you can so you may give it to your doctor for analysis.
The following kidney stone types:
Calcium crystals. Calcium stones, typically in the form of calcium oxalate, make up the majority of kidney stones. Your liver produces oxalate every day, and you can also get it from food. The oxalate level of some fruits, vegetables, nuts, and foods like chocolate is high.
The amount of calcium or oxalate in urine can rise due to dietary factors, excessive vitamin D dosages, intestinal bypass surgery, various metabolic illnesses, and dietary factors.
Calcium phosphate stones are another type of calcium stone that can develop. This kind of stone occurs more frequently in metabolic disorders such renal tubular acidosis. Additionally, topiramate (Topamax, Trokendi XR, Qudexy XR), which is used to treat migraines and seizures, may be linked to it.
Stones of struvite. Urinary tract infections can cause the formation of struvite stones. Sometimes with few symptoms or little warning, these stones have the potential to grow swiftly and become extremely huge.
Urate crystals. People with chronic diarrhoea or malabsorption, those who consume a high protein diet, those who have diabetes or metabolic syndrome, and those who lose too much fluid can all develop uric acid stones. Your risk of uric acid stones may also be increased by specific genetic variables.
Stone crystals. People who have a hereditary condition called cystinuria, in which the kidneys expel an excessive amount of a certain amino acid, develop these stones.
Treatment
Kidney stones are treated similarly in adults and children. You could be instructed to consume a lot of water. Without performing surgery, doctors try to let the stone pass. You can also be prescribed medicine to lessen the acidity of your urine. However, surgery is required to remove it if it is too large, obstructs the passage of urine, or shows signs of infection.
With the help of high-intensity sound waves, the stones are broken up during the noninvasive technique known as shock-wave lithotripsy, making them easier to flow through the urine. In ureteroscopy, the stone is removed or destroyed by inserting an endoscope through the ureter. Rarely, clinicians will utilise percutaneous nephrolithotomy/nephrolithotripsy for particularly large or difficult stones.
