John Richgels, MD
Kidney stones are a very prevalent medical condition. In fact, it's estimated that more than 500,000 people will go to the emergency room for kidney stones every year. Close to 10% of people will, at some point in their lives, have a kidney stone.
Interestingly, the prevalence of kidney stones are on the rise. No one knows for sure why the rate is increasing, although the rising rate of obesity and warmer temperatures encouraging dehydration may be to blame.
But what are kidney stones and how can they be prevented?
What is a kidney stone?
A kidney stone is made from chemicals in the urine. The specific chemical determines the type of the kidney stone: calcium oxalate, uric acid, struvite and cysteine.
Urine is waste within liquid. When the waste is too much inside too little liquid, crystals begin to grow. These crystals start to attract other substances, joining and molding into a solid that will continue to grow until it is passed through urine. Usually, the kidney does a great job at removing these chemicals
from urine, especially if the person is consuming enough liquid.
For the most part, causes of kidney stones include not consuming enough water, exercising too much or too little, having surgery for weight loss or consuming food with too much salt or sugar. There is also evidence to suggest that consuming too much fructose can also cause kidney stones.
After a kidney stone is formed, it will either stay in the body or move through the urinary tract. If the stones aren’t expelled, they can cause a blockage in the bladder or urethra which causes pain.
What are the symptoms of kidney stones?
Due to the varying sizes of kidney stones, symptoms can change depending on the size. In general, the larger the kidney stone, the more severe the symptoms. Some kidney stones can be as small as a grain of sand and others are as large as a pebble.
Some of these symptoms include:
- severe pain on either side of your lower back
- stomach ache that doesn't go away
- blood in the urine
- nausea or vomiting
- fever and chills
- urine that smells bad or looks cloudy
When you experience pain, it's most likely caused by the kidney stone causing irritation or blockage. This can quickly lead to extreme pain if not treated. In many cases, kidney stones will pass without damage but will cause quite a bit of pain. Thankfully, ibuprofen or other pain relievers may be the only treatment needed.
The four main types of kidney stones
In general, there are four main types of kidney stones, determined by the primary chemical used to create the stone.
1. Calcium oxalate is the most common type, created when calcium comes together with oxalate in the urine. It's possible that not consuming enough calcium and fluids leads to this combination.
2. Another common type of kidney stone is uric acid. High purine is the main cause of this type. Large amounts of purine can lead to the creation of monosodium urate which, in turn, can form stones under the right conditions. Foods like organ meats and shellfish have high levels of purine.
3. Struvite kidney stones are much less common and are primarily caused by infections in the
upper urinary tract.
4. Another rare type of kidney stone, cysteine, usually runs in families.
How are kidney stones treated?
Whether a child or adult has a kidney stone, the treatment is similar. You may be asked to drink much more water, allowing the stone to pass without surgery. Medication may also be recommended to help make your urine less acidic.
However, if the stone is too large, it's blocking the flow of urine or symptoms of an infections start to appear, surgery may be the best option for removal. One such surgery is a shock-wave lithotripsy, a noninvasive procedure where high-energy sound waves literally blast the stones apart so they can pass
through your urine. Another common surgery is an ureteroscopy. In this surgery, an endoscope is inserted through the ureter and destroys the stone.
If you believe that you have a kidney stone, see your doctor as soon as possible. While some kidney stones may pass on their own, it's important that they don't block your urethra or other areas as this can
lead to infection.
Simply drinking extra fluid can flush out the stone, but waiting too long can lead to surgery.