Kidney stones: causes, symptoms and treatment

 

A kidney stone can be an uncomfortable and painful condition. Kidney stones can be as small as a grain of sand or as big as a ping pong ball. You may have a kidney stone and not even know you have one in some cases.

Kidney stones are solid masses of minerals and salts that form in one or both kidneys. These stones can sometimes cause excruciating pain until they pass through your urinary tract and out of the body. However, kidney stones usually don’t cause permanent damage to the kidneys or urinary tract if caught early.

How common are kidney stones?

Nearly 10% of people get a kidney stone once in their lifetime. Men in their 30s and 40s are more likely to develop kidney stones, yet anyone can have them. Children are less likely to develop kidney stones than adults but do so for the same reasons.

Causes of kidney stones

Kidney stones are caused by a buildup of chemicals and wastes in your kidneys. Your kidneys filter substances out of your blood such as minerals, waste products and excess water-soluble vitamins. When these substances accumulate in the kidneys they form a stone-like mass. These stone-forming substances include:

• Calcium
• Cystine
• Oxalate
• Phosphate
• Uric acid
• Xanthine

Common causes of kidney stones include:

• Not drinking enough water
• A diet consisting of foods that can cause kidney stones such as food that's high in animal protein, salt and sugar
• A family history of kidney stones
• Medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and hypercalciuria (high calcium levels in urine)
• Some medications, such as diuretics, calcium-based antacids and certain antibiotics

Types of kidney stones

The type of kidney stone you have depends on what substance accumulates in the kidneys. When stone-forming substances accumulate in the kidneys, they can form one of five types of kidney stones:

• Calcium oxalate stones: These are the most common type of kidney stone and form when the kidneys have low levels of citrate and elevated levels of calcium, uric acid and oxalate (a chemical found in plants and animals).
• Calcium phosphate stones: Calcium phosphate kidney stones are caused by an abnormally functioning urinary tract and often form at the same time as calcium oxalate stones.
• Cystine stones: These rare kidney stones are caused by a genetic disorder that leads to excessive levels of the amino acid cystine in the urine.
• Struvite stones: These types of kidney stones are more common in women and form because of frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
• Uric acid stones: Uric acid stones are more common in men and in people who eat a diet high in animal protein or don’t drink enough water.

Symptoms of kidney stones

There are times when you may have a kidney stone and not have any symptoms. Other times, you may experience severe pain from kidney stones that comes in waves. Kidney stones symptoms include:

• Abnormal color of urine
• Blood in urine (hematuria)
• Chills
• Fever
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pain in your groin area
• Pain in the stomach, side or back

If you’re experiencing any kidney stone symptoms, contact your doctor. Seek emergency care if your symptoms get worse.

Diagnosis of kidney stones

During an appointment with your Aurora urologist, they'll review your potential kidney stone symptoms and perform a physical examination. They may also order tests for kidney stones such as a urinalysis, blood tests and digital imaging. The urine test checks for red blood cells and minerals in your urine, while the blood tests check levels of electrolytes, calcium and uric acid. An X-ray, CT scan or ultrasound helps your urologist locate and determine the size of the kidney stone.

Kidney stone treatment

If it’s determined that you have a kidney stone, your doctor will recommend the next steps in your treatment plan. If you have smaller kidney stones, they may pass on their own and won’t need further treatment. Your doctor will recommend drinking plenty of water to help move the kidney stone into the bladder and taking pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen to manage pain.

How long does it take a kidney stone to pass?

How long it takes for a kidney stone to pass through the urinary tract depends on how big it is. Smaller kidney stones may pass within a couple of weeks. A larger kidney stone could take up to three weeks to reach the bladder. Once in the bladder, the kidney stone leaves the body in a few days.

Other kidney stone treatments

Larger kidney stones that block your urinary tract or cause pain, kidney damage or bleeding may require additional treatment, including surgery. Procedures to treat kidney stones include:

• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy: If your kidney stones are too large or there are too many stones, your doctor may consider percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Your doctor makes a small incision in your back, inserts a tube and removes the stones through suction.
• Shockwave lithotripsy: High energy shockwaves are used to break apart the kidney stones, making them easier to move through your urinary system.
• Ureteroscopy: A small tube is inserted into your urethra, through the bladder and into the ureter. It collects the kidney stones and breaks them apart using a laser so they can pass through the urinary system.

Kidney stone prevention

Kidney stones can be painful, but are preventable. Here are some kidney stone diet tips that could prevent them from forming:

• Avoid foods that can cause stones to form: Beans, beets, chocolate, spinach and tea are high in oxalate that could cause kidney stones.. If you’re at risk for developing kidney stones, you should avoid these foods.
• Drink a lot of water
• Eat calcium-rich foods: Calcium in food binds to oxalate in the intestines and decreases the amount that reaches your bloodstream and then your kidneys. Calcium-rich foods include dairy foods, leafy green vegetables, fish and fruit juices.
• Limit animal protein: Eating too much red meat, poultry, seafood and eggs can cause kidney stones to form.
• Reduce sodium: Foods high in sodium include processed meats, condiments and instant foods such as instant rice and noodles.