What are 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 can start small but can grow larger in size, even filling the inner hollow structures of the kidney. Some stones stay in the kidney and do not cause any problems. Sometimes, the kidney stone can travel down the ureter, the tube between the kidney and the bladder. If the stone reaches the bladder, it can be passed out of the body in urine. If the stone becomes lodged in the ureter, it blocks the urine flow from that kidney and causes pain.
Types of Kidney Stones
Kidney stones come in many different types and colors. How you treat them and stop new stones from forming depends on what type of stone you have.
Calcium stones (80 percent of stones)
Calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stone. There are two types of calcium stones: calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate. Calcium oxalate is by far the most common type of calcium stone. Some people have too much calcium in their urine, raising their risk of calcium stones. Even with normal amounts of calcium in the urine, calcium stones may form for other reasons.
Uric acid stones (5-10 percent of stones)
Uric acid is a waste product that comes from chemical changes in the body. Crystals do not dissolve well in acidic urine and instead will form a uric acid stone. Having acidic urine may come from:
- Being overweight
- Chronic diarrhea
- Type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar)
- Gout
- A diet that is high in animal protein and low in fruits and vegetables
Struvite/infection stones (10 percent of stones)
Struvite stones are not a common type of stone. These stones are related to chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs). Some bacteria make the urine less acidic and more basic or alkaline. Magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) stones form in alkaline urine. These stones are often large, with branches, and they often grow very fast.
People who get chronic UTIs, such as those with long-term tubes in their kidneys or bladders, or people with poor bladder emptying due to neurologic disorders (paralysis, multiple sclerosis, and spina bifida) are at the highest risk for developing these stones.
Cystine stones (less than 1 percent of stones)
Cystine is an amino acid that is in certain foods; it is one of the building blocks of protein. Cystinuria (too much cystine in the urine) is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder. It is when the kidneys do not reabsorb cystine from the urine. When high amounts of cystine are in the urine, it causes stones to form. Cystine stones often start to form in childhood.
Kidney Stones Symptoms
A kidney stone may not cause symptoms until it moves around within your kidney or passes into your ureter — the tube connecting the kidney and bladder. At that point, you may experience these signs and symptoms:
- Severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs
- Pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin
- Comes in waves and fluctuates in intensity
- Pain on urination
- Pink, red or brown urine
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- Nausea and vomiting
- Persistent need to urinate
- Urinating more often than usual
- Fever and chills if an infection is present
- Urinating small amounts
Pain caused by a kidney stone may change — for instance, shifting to a different location or increasing in intensity — as the stone moves through your urinary tract.
Kidney Stones Causes
Low Urine Volume
A major risk factor for kidney stones is constant low urine volume. Low urine volume may come from dehydration (loss of body fluids) from hard exercise, working or living in a hot place, or not drinking enough fluids. When urine volume is low, urine is concentrated and dark in color. Concentrated urine means there is less fluid to keep salts dissolved. Increasing fluid intake will dilute the salts in your urine. By doing this, you may reduce your risk of stones forming.
Adults who form stones should drink enough fluid to make at least 2.5 liters (⅔ gallon) of urine every day. On average, this will take about 3 liters (100 ounces) of fluid intake per day. While water is likely the best fluid to drink, what matters most is getting enough fluid.
Diet
Diet can affect the chance of forming stones and possibly help prevent kidney stones altogether. One of the more common causes of calcium kidney stones is high levels of calcium in the urine. High urine calcium levels may be due to the way your body handles calcium. It is not always due to how much calcium you eat. Lowering the amount of calcium in your diet rarely stops stones from forming. Studies have shown that restricting dietary calcium can be bad for bone health and may increase kidney stone risk. Healthcare providers usually do not tell people to limit dietary calcium in order to lower urine calcium. But calcium intake should not be too high.
Instead of lowering dietary calcium intake, your health care provider may try to reduce your urine calcium level by decreasing your sodium (salt) intake. Too much salt in the diet is a risk factor for calcium stones. This is because too much salt is passing into the urine, keeping calcium from being reabsorbed from the urine and into the blood. Reducing salt in the diet lowers urine calcium, making it less likely for calcium stones to form.
Because oxalate is a component of the most common type of kidney stone (calcium oxalate), eating foods rich in oxalate can raise your risk of forming these stones.
A diet high in animal protein, such as beef, fish, chicken, and pork, can raise the acid levels in the body and in the urine. High acid levels make it easier for calcium oxalate and uric acid stones to form. The breakdown of meat into uric acid also raises the chance that both calcium and uric acid stones will form.
Bowel Conditions
Certain bowel conditions that cause diarrhea (such as Crohn's Disease or ulcerative colitis) or surgeries (such as gastric bypass surgery) can raise the risk of forming calcium oxalate kidney stones. Diarrhea may result in the loss of large amounts of fluid from the body, lowering urine volume. Your body may also absorb excessive oxalate from the intestine, resulting in more oxalate in your urine. Both low urine volume and high levels of urine oxalate can help to cause calcium oxalate kidney stone formation.
Obesity
Obesity is a risk factor for stones. It may change the acid levels in the urine, leading to stone formation.
Medical conditions
Some medical conditions have an increased risk of kidney stones. Abnormal growth of one or more of the parathyroid glands, which control calcium metabolism, can cause high calcium levels in the blood and urine. This can lead to kidney stones. Another condition called distal renal tubular acidosis, in which there is acid build-up in the body, can raise the risk of calcium phosphate kidney stones.
Some rare, inherited disorders can also make certain types of stones more likely. Examples include cystinuria, which is too much of the amino acid cystine in the urine, and primary hyperoxaluria, in which the liver makes too much oxalate.
Medication
Some medications, and calcium and vitamin C supplements, may increase your risk of forming stones. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider all the medications and supplements you take, as these could affect your risk of stone formation. Do not stop taking any of these unless your healthcare provider tells you to do so.
Family History
The chance of having kidney stones is much higher if you have a family history of stones, such as a parent or sibling.
Kidney Stones Treatment Options
Treating kidney stones is primarily focused on symptom management. Passing a stone can be very painful.
Treatment depends on the type of stone, how bad it is and the length of time you have had symptoms. There are different treatments to choose from. It is important to talk to your healthcare provider about what is best for you.
Wait for the Stone to Pass
Often you can simply wait for the stone to pass. Smaller stones are more likely than larger stones to pass on their own.
Waiting up to four to six weeks for the stone to pass is safe as long as the pain is bearable, there are no signs of infection, the kidney is not completely blocked and the stone is small enough that it is likely to pass. While waiting to pass a kidney stone, you should drink normal amounts of water. You may need pain medication when there is discomfort or shock waves of pain.
Medication
Certain medications have been shown to improve the chance that a stone will pass. The most common medication prescribed for this reason is tamsulosin. Tamsulosin (Flomax) relaxes the ureter, making it easier for the stone to pass. You may also need pain and anti-nausea medicine as you wait to pass the stone.
Surgery
- Surgery may be needed to remove a stone from the ureter or kidney if:
- The stone fails to pass.
- The pain is too great to wait for the stone to pass.
- Stone is affecting kidney function. Small stones in the kidney may be left alone if they are not causing pain or infection. Some people choose to have their small stones removed. They do this because they are afraid the stone will unexpectedly start to pass and cause pain.
Kidney stones should be removed by surgery if they cause repeated infections in the urine or because they are blocking the flow of urine from the kidney. Today, surgery usually involves small or no incisions (cuts), minor pain and minimal time off work.
Kidney Stones FAQs
What is the prognosis for kidney stones?
Most kidney stones will pass on their own, and successful treatments have been developed to remove larger stones or stones that do not pass. People who have had a kidney stone remain at risk for future stones throughout their lives.
Can kidney stones recur?
Yes, unfortunately. Once you've had a kidney stone, you are more likely to develop another one in the future. However, adopting preventive measures such as staying hydrated and following a kidney-friendly diet can help reduce the risk of recurrence.
When should I seek medical attention for kidney stones?
If you experience severe pain, persistent nausea and vomiting, fever and chills, difficulty urinating, or blood in the urine, it's crucial to seek immediate medical attention. These symptoms may indicate a serious complication that requires prompt treatment.
Are there any long-term complications of kidney stones?
Kidney stones can lead to complications such as recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney damage or infection, and in severe cases, kidney failure. It's essential to follow up with your healthcare provider for monitoring and preventive care after experiencing kidney stones.
Adult Pediatric Urology & Urogynecology, PC | Urologist Omaha & Council Bluffs, IA
Adult Pediatric Urology, PC have 7 board-certified physicians and an attentive, dedicated staff. We have served Nebraska and Iowa since 1982 with two locations in Omaha and Council Bluffs. Our Omaha location includes an accredited outpatient surgical center with state-of-the-art equipment and a comfortable waiting area just minutes from Interstate 680. Our physicians successfully perform hundreds of traditional and no-scalpel vasectomies every year.
CARE THAT COUNTS | BEST UROLOGIST IN OMAHA
The attentive, compassionate physicians, providers and staff at Adult Pediatric Urology & Urogynecology are committed to providing innovative, quality patient care in our state-of-the-art facility. From screening and prevention to treatment and recovery, we will be there for you.
WE MAKE THE PROCESS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE
At Adult Pediatric Urology & Urogynecology, we don’t want the billing and insurance system to stand in the way of getting the care you or a loved one needs.
OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:
We specialize in urological disorders, including conditions, diseases, and urological cancers of the prostate, bladder, and kidney; female urology; pediatric urology; sexual medicine, and clinical research.
