Kidney Stones
Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Kidney Stones

What are Kidney stones?

Kidney Stones are hard, stone-like masses that can form in one or both kidneys. Kidney stones may occur when salts or minerals normally found in urine become solid crystals inside the kidney. In some cases, the crystals are too tiny to be noticed, and passes soundly outside the body. Other than, they can construct inside your kidney and form much larger stones.

Kidney stones are generally painless when within the kidney but can cause harsh pain as they travel from the kidneys to the bladder. An attack of this pain is identified by the name of renal or uteric colic. Kidney stones are not a creation of modern life, scientists have found verification of kidney Stones in a 7,000-year-old Egyptian mummy. Unfortunately kidney stones are much common problem of disorders of the urinary tract. In 2000, patients made 2.7 million visits to health care providers and more than 600,000 patients went to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems. Men tend to be affected more frequently than women.

Types of kidney stones
Different categories of kidney stones develop from different salts in the urine.

Calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stone. They are either spiky or large and smooth, and are made up of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate. It can be formed by the excess amount of vitamin D or an overactive parathyroid gland. People who have diseases such as cancer, some kidney diseases, are also more likely to develop calcium stones.

Uric acid stones are soft and brown. These can be originated by eating excess amount of meat. Peoples having conditions such as gout and treatments such as chemotherapy can also raise the risk of getting uric acid stones.

Struvite stones (infection stones) are generally large and in the horn-like shape. They can develop by the excess quantity of ammonia in the urine also can happen if someone’s have urinary tract infection (UTI), because the bacteria that cause these infections can produce ammonia. This kind of disease is most common in women.

Cystine stones are yellow and crystalline. They can be developed by having high levels of cystine in urine, which happens if you have a hereditary disorder called cystinuria. Only one in a hundred kidney stones are caused by this condition. Cystine stones extend earlier in life than other kidney stones, usually between the ages of 10 and 30 years.

Causes of kidney stones

Doctors do not always know what causes a stone to form. Kidney stones may form when your urine becomes too concentrated with certain substances.these substaces may create small crystals that become stones. Even the researches shows some risk factors such as family history of kidney stones, taking certain medicines such as antacids and thyroid medications, having only one kidney, or an abnormally shaped kidney, eating a diet high in protein, having only one kidney, or an abnormally shaped kidney, being regularly dehydrated, having a disease of the small intestine or a small intestinal bypass. A person who has had kidney stones often gets them again in the future. Kidney stones are common in premature infants.

Symptoms and diagnoses of kidney stones

Kidney Stones may not produce symptoms until they begin to move down the ureter, causing pain. The pain is usually severe and often starts in the flank region, then moves down to the groin. People who have kidney stones report the sudden onset of excruciating cramping pain in their low back and/or side, groin, or abdomen. Changes in body position do not relieve this pain. It may be so severe that it is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Kidney stones also characteristically cause blood in the urine. If infection is present in the urinary tract along with the stones, there may be fever and chills.

Treatments of kidney stones

The main opproach of the treatment is to relieve symptoms and prevent further symptoms. Usually kidney stones pass on their own. Treatment varies depending on the type of stone and the Stage of symptoms or complications. Hospitalization may be required if the symptoms are severe. When the stone passes, the urine should be strained and the stone saved for analysis to determine the type.

Depending on the type of stone, medications is given to decrease stone formation and/or aid in the breakdown and excretion of the material causing the stone. These may include such medications as diuretics, phosphate solutions, allopurinol (for uric acid stones), antibiotics (for struvite stones), and medications that alkalinize the urine such as sodium bicarbonate or sodium citrate.

In many cases, you can prevent kidney stones simply by drinking more water and making a few dietary changes. Pain relievers may be needed to control renal colic (pain associated with the passage of stones). Severe pain may require narcotic analgesics. If the stone is not passed on its own, surgical removal may be required. Lithotripsy ( it is the procedure in which shock waves are used to break up a large stone into smaller pieces that can pass through the urinary system) may be an alternative to surgery.