01/10/2024
KIDNEY STONES
Kidney stones are small, hard mineral deposits that form inside your kidneys. The stones are made of mineral and acid salts.
Kidney stones have many causes and can affect any part of your urinary tract from your kidneys to your bladder. Often, stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, allowing minerals to crystallize and stick together.
SYMPTOMS
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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 spreads to the lower abdomen and groin.
•Pain that 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 of urine.
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.
CAUSES
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•Kidney stones form when your urine contains more crystal-forming substances such as calcium, oxalate and uric acid — than the fluid in your urine can dilute. •At the same time, your urine may lack substances that prevent crystals from sticking together, creating an ideal environment for kidney stones to form.
Types of kidney stones
Types of kidney stones include:
Calcium stones. Most kidney stones are calcium stones, usually in the form of calcium oxalate. Oxalate is a naturally occurring substance found in food. Some fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and chocolate, have high oxalate levels. Your liver also produces oxalate. Dietary factors, high doses of vitamin D, intestinal bypass surgery and several metabolic disorders can increase the concentration of calcium or oxalate in urine.
