Kidney stones are hard deposits of minerals and acid salts that stick together in concentrated urine.
Types of Kidney Stones
- Calcium Stones: The most common type, often in the form of calcium oxalate. Oxalate is a naturally occurring substance found in food and is also produced daily by your liver.
- Struvite Stones: Form in response to an infection, such as a urinary tract infection. These stones can grow quickly and become quite large.
- Uric Acid Stones: Form in people who lose too much fluid because of chronic diarrhea or malabsorption, those who eat a high-protein diet, and those with diabetes or metabolic syndrome.
- Cystine Stones: Form in people with a hereditary disorder that causes the kidneys to excrete too much of certain amino acids (cystinuria).
What Causes Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are formed when your urine contains more crystal-forming substances, such as calcium, oxalate and uric acid, than the fluid in your urine can dilute. At the same time, your urine may lack substances that prevent crystals from sticking together, creating an ideal environment for kidney stones to form.
The most common causes of kidney stones include:
- Diet: Consuming a diet high in protein, sodium, and sugar can increase the risk of some types of kidney stones. This is especially true with a high-sodium diet, which can increase the amount of calcium your kidneys must filter and significantly increase your risk of kidney stones.
- Dehydration: Not drinking enough water can lead to higher concentrations of substances that form stones in the urine.
- Medical Conditions: Certain conditions like renal tubular acidosis, cystinuria, hyperparathyroidism, and some urinary tract infections can increase the risk of kidney stones.
- Obesity: High body mass index (BMI), large waist size, and weight gain have been linked to an increased risk of kidney stones.
- Digestive Diseases and Surgery: Gastric bypass surgery, inflammatory bowel disease, or chronic diarrhea can affect your digestion and increase the risk of kidney stones.
Preventive measures may include staying hydrated, eating a diet low in sodium and animal protein, and sometimes taking medications prescribed by your healthcare provide to prevent future stones from forming.
Symptoms of Kidney Stones
- Severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs
- Pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin
- Pain that comes in waves and fluctuates in intensity
- Pain or burning sensation while urinating
- Pink, red or brown urine
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- Nausea and vomiting
- Persistent need to urinate
- Urinating more often than usual
- Fever and chills if an infection is present
Diagnosing and Treating Kidney Stones
Diagnosis typically involves a combination of medical history, physical examination, imaging tests (like CT scans or X-rays), and urine/blood tests. Treatment depends on the type of stone. Depending on the type of stone, the treatment may include:
- Drinking up to 3 quarts of water per day to flush out the urinary system
- Over-the-counter pain relievers or prescription medications to manage pain
- Medication to help pass the kidney stone(s)
- If stones are too large to pass naturally, procedures such as Triangle Lithotripsy’s Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) may be the first “go to” procedure as it is the only totally non-invasive and least traumatizing of all kidney stone treatment procedures.
- Ureteroscopy or percutaneous nephrolithotomy may be used to remove or break up the stones, but they are invasive and require more downtime.
REMEMBER: Triangle Lithotripsy’s Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) is the only totally non-invasive kidney stone treatment procedure.