Kidney Stones Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and prevention

Dr.Vikas Agarwal, 4 mins read

The kidneys are the organs that take care of the body's fluids and chemical levels. Kidneys are around the size of a fist and most people will have two kidneys, one on either side of the spine just behind the area covering the liver, pancreas, stomach, and intestines. Urine carries with it a lot of dissolved minerals and salts and if their levels go up, people can form kidney stones. 

Urine contains many dissolved minerals and salts. When your urine has high levels of these minerals and salts, you can form stones. 

Kidney stones form in the kidney, and some move from the kidney into the ureter, the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. If a kidney stone travels down and gets stuck in the ureter, it will be a ureteral stone.

Kidney stones usually grow small but can also become larger, at times even filling the inner part of the kidney. Some stones remain in the kidney without causing any worries while some travel down the ureter. If a stone reaches the bladder, it can be passed out of in urine but if it gets stuck in the ureter, it will block the flow of urine from that kidney, causing pain.

Types of Kidney Stones

There are many types of stones and the treatment for kidney stones a person will require depend on the type of stone they have.

Calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stones and account for almost 80 of all cases, they are of two types- calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate. The former is the most common type of calcium stone. Too much calcium in the urine raises the risk of developing calcium stones, which can also fine with normal amounts of calcium in the urine. 

Uric acid stones are caused by uric acid, waste that comes from chemical changes in the body. Uric acid crystals don’t dissolve in acidic urine and instead form uric acid stones. Individuals who are overweight, have type 2 diabetes, gout, chronic diarrhoea, or a diet too heavy in animal protein and low in vegetables and fruit. 

Struvite stones are not common and are related to chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs). Some bacteria make the urine alkaline and these stones form in alkaline urine. They are usually large, branch out, and often grow rapidly. 

Cystine stones are caused by amino acids in certain foods. However, this is a very rare and inherited metabolic disorder. These stones often begin to form in childhood.

Symptoms of kidney stones

Kidney stone symptoms are usually very painful and won’t appear until a stone begins to travel down the ureters. There may be pain on one side of the back or abdomen.

Men may feel pain in the groin area which may come and go but is intense.

Other symptoms of kidney stones may involve pink, red, or brown-tinged blood in the urine, vomiting, nausea, chills, foul-smelling urine, fever, frequent need to urinate, and passing small amounts of urine. 

Small kidney stones may not cause any pain or symptoms as they will pass through the urinary tract.

What causes of kidney stones?

Kidney stones will likely occur in individuals aged 20-50, and more men develop kidney stones, as opposed to women. 

A family history of kidney stones can increase risk. Other factors like being dehydrated, obese, or having a diet with very high amounts of protein, salt, or glucose, or a hyperparathyroid condition, after getting gastric bypass surgery, taking certain medications, or having inflammatory bowel disease: can also increase the risk of kidney stones. 

How to treat Kidney Stones?

• Medical treatment 

Some pain relief medicine will be given if there is pain and naturally the presence of infection will require antibiotics. Other medications may be needed for the treatment of uric acid stones, the prevention of calcium stones forming, for making the urine less acidic, and for preventing the formation of calcium stones.

• Procedural options 

If medical intervention doesn’t work, shock wave lithotripsy can be done where sound waves are used for breaking up large kidney stones; allowing them to move more easily down the ureters into the bladder. 

This procedure is uncomfortable and may cause some bruises on the abdomen and back along with some potential bleeding. 

• Tunnel surgery (percutaneous nephrolithotomy)

A surgeon may choose to perform tunnel surgery for removing the stones via a small incision in the back. People who need this are those who have a stone that is obstructing and infecting the kidneys or a stone that is too big and if their pain is too severe. 

In case a kidney stone is lodged in the ureter or bladder, a doctor may use a ureteroscope for removing it, this is called ureteroscopy. 

A small wire with an attached camera is inserted into the urethra and to the bladder, where the doctor uses a small cage to grab the stone and remove it.

Pain passing kidney stones 

Passing a kidney stone can be painful and extremely uncomfortable, and an over-the-counter pain relief medicine, like ibuprofen, can help reduce symptoms.

For severe pain, your doctor may inject an anti-inflammatory medication. 

There are other home remedies for kidney stones that provide some short-term relief, taking a hot bath or applying a heating pad to the affected area can soothe some pain. 

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