Kidney stones appear to be as old as history itself. They've been identified in a mummified Egyptian. For unknown reasons, this painful urologic condition is on the rise. The number of people in the United States with kidney stones has been increasing over the past 20 years.
Although they've been around for centuries, no one knows for sure what triggers minerals normally present in urine to form stones. What is known is that kidney stones are not related to gallstones and that by having one you increase your chances of developing more.
How a Kidney Stone Forms
Dissolved minerals float freely in the wastes that have been filtered from your blood. The wastes combine with excess water that has also been filtered from your blood to form urine. A kidney stone develops from mineral crystals that separate from the urine and build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney.
Normally, certain chemicals in the urine prevent crystals from forming. But sometimes the chemicals don't work. Family history, gender, urinary tract infections, kidney disorders such as cystic kidney diseases, and metabolic disorders such as hyperparathyroidism are linked to stone formation. Sometimes stones can be caused by gout, excess intake of vitamin D, or not drinking enough water.
In the beginning stages, the tiny crystals can pass easily through your urinary system and out your body. These kidney crystals are said to be "silent stones," meaning they do not cause symptoms. Some silent stones are found on x-rays taken during a general health exam. They would likely pass unnoticed.
Shapes of Kidney Stones (larger-than-life size)
This, Too, Shall Pass (Painfully)
Unfortunately, the crystals seldom remain tiny. They enlarge to form "gravel" and then full-scale "stones." In some people, the stones are small enough to pass through the urinary tract and out with urine, often accompanied by pain and bleeding.
For many people, the crystals do not easily pass, but instead block the tiny tubes in the urinary tract. Typically, the first clue that they have a kidney stone is extreme pain. In this instance, you would feel a sharp, cramping pain in the back and side in the area of the kidney or in the lower abdomen. Sometimes nausea and vomiting occur. Later, pain may spread to the groin.
If you wait long enough and if the stone is too large to pass easily, pain continues as the muscles in the wall of the tiny ureter try to squeeze the stone along into the bladder. As a stone grows or moves, blood may appear in the urine. As the stone moves down the ureter closer to the bladder, you may feel the need to urinate more often or feel a burning sensation during urination.
You could experience urine blockage, and kidney damage if untreated (which is uncommon since there's so much pain associated with kidney stones). If fever and chills accompany any of these symptoms, an infection may be present. In this case, you should contact a doctor immediately.
Surgery?
Fortunately, surgery is not usually necessary. Most kidney stones can pass through the urinary system with plenty of water (two to three quarts a day) to help move the stone along. You usually don't have to be treated in a hospital or medical clinic. Often, you can stay home, drinking fluids and taking pain medication as needed. The doctor usually wants you to save the passed stone(s) for testing. (You can catch it in a cup or tea strainer used only for this purpose.) |
