Kidney Stones
Kidney stones (calculi) are hardened mineral deposits that form in the kidney. They originate as microscopic particles of crystals and develop into stones over time. The medical term for this condition is nephrolithiasis, or renal stone disease.
Crystals and kidney stones may form when an imbalance of minerals occurs in the urine. About 1 in 10 Americans will suffer from kidney stones in their lifetime. Historically, men have stones three times as often as women, but this ratio has decreased over the last decade.
Causes of Kidney Stones
Several factors increase the risk for developing kidney stones, including inadequate fluid intake and dehydration, reduced urinary volume, increased excretion of certain minerals in the urine (e.g., calcium, oxalate, uric acid) or decreased excretion of others (magnesium, citrate). Normally, a balance is kept in the levels of these minerals. An imbalance can cause crystals to form, which then bind together into kidney stones. Several medical conditions such as medullary sponge kidney, renal tubular acidosis, hyperparathyroidism, and urinary tract infections (UTIs) may contribute to kidney stones.
Anything that blocks or reduces the flow of urine (e.g., urinary obstruction, congenital abnormalities) also increases the risk. For many Americans, our dietary habits play a very large role - particularly an excess of salt (sodium) and animal meat protein (beef, chicken, fish, pork, etc).
Symptoms of Kidney Stones
The discomfort caused by kidney stones can be the most agonizing pain ever experienced by a person. Women often state that renal colic pain is worse than labor. The pain usually begins in the flank region (between the ribs and hips) and radiates to the groin. It can become extremely intense, and then all of a sudden let up as a stone moves.
Other symptoms of kidney stones may include the following: blood in the urine, increased frequency of urination (urinary urgency), nausea and vomiting, pain during urination (stinging, burning), tenderness in the abdomen and kidney region.
Kidney stone complications include kidney damage and scarring, decreased kidney function, obstruction of the ureter, recurrent stones, infections, and renal colic (severe pain that radiates from the kidney region to the abdomen and groin).