Urologic Diseases

Listen

Kidney Stones

Overview:

Stones are usually found in the kidneys or in the ureters, and they are more common in men than women.
They can be extremely painful, and can lead to kidney infections or the kidney not working properly if left untreated.
Drinking fluids, especially water, is the best means of preventing kidney stones.

Introduction:

Waste products in the blood can occasionally form crystals that collect inside the kidneys. Over time, the crystals may build up to form a hard stone-like lump. Kidney stones come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. Some resemble grains of sand, and in rare cases, can be the size of a golf ball. The stone may accumulate inside one or both kidneys, or in the ureter, which is the tube that connects the kidneys to the bladder. They most often affect people between the age of 30 and 60. Men are more likely to get kidney stones.

Most kidney stones are made up of calcium, usually in the form of calcium oxalate. Oxalate is a natural substance found in food and is produced daily by the liver. Many types of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and chocolate contain large amounts of oxalate.

Causes:

Not drinking enough fluids
Taking some types of medications, like diuretics
Some diseases, such as: UTIs, gout, and some genetic disorders.

Risk factors

Personal medical history, like having had kidney stones before
Family history. You're more likely to have kidney stones if someone in your family had them
Not drinking enough water
Following a diet rich in protein, sodium, and/or sugar
Being overweight or obese
Having a gastric bypass surgery, or another intestinal surgery
Having kidney cysts
Having high levels of cysteine, oxalate, uric acid, or calcium in your urine
Swelling or irritation of the intestines or joints
Some medicines, such as: diuretics, or calcium-based antacids

Symptoms:

Very small kidney stones are unlikely to cause many symptoms. They may even go undetected and pass out painlessly when you pee. Larger kidney stones can cause symptoms, including:

Pain in the side of your tummy (abdomen) and below your ribs;
Painful urination;
Blood in your urine;
Feeling sick or vomiting;
Cloudy, or foul-smelling urine;
Fever and chills in the case of an inflammation.

When to see a doctor?

Severe pain
Fever and chills
Blood in your urine
Difficulty urinating

Complications:

Abscess
Severe kidney infection
Scarring and narrowing of the ureter
Perforation of the ureter
loss of kidney function from stone blockage

Diagnosis:

Your doctor will diagnose kidney stones based on your symptoms and medical history. Your doctor may also perform some tests, such as:

Urine and blood tests.
Imaging exams (e.g. plain abdominal X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound, and intravenous urography through dye injection into the arm vein). Ultrasound imaging is used for pregnant women, children, and young adults under the age of 16.

Treatment:

You pass kidney stones in your urine. The condition can be treated at home, but can be painful. Often, the pain does not last for more than two days. Your doctor may advise you to wait until the stone has passed into your urine. Meanwhile, he may recommend the following:

Drinking enough liquids throughout the day
Taking painkillers (e.g. ibuprofen)
Taking alpha-blockers. These are medications that help pass kidney stones.

Large kidney stones that do not travel normally through the urethra are usually removed by surgery:

Ultrasound lithotripsy
Ureteroscope
Surgical removal the kidney stones through the skin.

Prevention:

Drink plenty of water every day, (8-12 glasses) to avoid dehydration. Drink enough fluids when you’re exercising to replace fluids lost through sweat.
Avoid soft drinks.
Reduce salt intake.
Monitor the color of your urine. Dark urine means there is less fluids in your urine and that other substances are more concentrated. In the morning, urine is usually characterized by a dark yellow color as a result of the accumulation of substances that are filtered during sleep.

FAQS:

Can certain diets cause kidney stones?

Overeating proteins (e.g. Red meat) or food that is rich in oxalate. Also, not drinking enough fluids can put you at risk of developing kidney stones. Although the nutritional aspect matters when it comes to kidney stones, it cannot be the only cause of kidney stones if every other aspect is well-taken care of.