RENAL CALCULI[KIDNEY STONE]
Kidney stones also called renal calculi, nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys.
Kidney stones 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.
Types of kidney stones
Calcium stones. Most kidney stones are calcium stones, usually in the form of calcium oxalate. Oxalate is a substance made daily by your liver or absorbed from your diet. Certain fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and chocolate, have high oxalate content.
Dietary factors, high doses of vitamin D, intestinal bypass surgery and several metabolic disorders can increase the concentration of calcium or oxalate in urine.
Struvite stones. Struvite stones form in response to a urinary tract infection. These stones can grow quickly and become quite large, sometimes with few symptoms or little warning.
Uric acid stones. Uric acid stones can form in people who lose too much fluid because of chronic diarrhea or malabsorption, those who eat a high-protein diet, and those with diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Certain genetic factors also may increase your risk of uric acid stones.
Cystine stones. These stones form in people with a hereditary disorder called cystinuria that causes the kidneys to excrete too much of a specific amino acid.
SYMPTOMS
- The most common symptom of kidney stones is pain in your lower back, belly or side (flank pain).
- It might feel like it extends from your groin to your side.
- It can be a dull pain or sharp and severe.
- It’s sometimes called colicky pain because it can get worse in waves.
Other kidney stone symptoms include:
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Bloody urine
- Pain when you urine
- Inability to urine
- Feeling the urge to urine a lot.
- Fever or chills.
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
Causes
Your urine contains minerals, acids and other substances, like calcium, sodium, oxalate and uric acid. When you have too many particles of these substances in your urine and too little liquid, they can start to stick together, forming crystals or stones. Kidney stones can form over months or years.
Risk factors
Factors that increase your risk of developing kidney stones include:
Family or personal history. If someone in your family has had kidney stones, you’re more likely to develop stones, too. If you’ve already had one or more kidney stones, you’re at increased risk of developing another.
Dehydration. Not drinking enough water each day can increase your risk of kidney stones. People who live in warm, dry climates and those who sweat a lot may be at higher risk than others.
Certain diets. Eating a diet that’s high in protein, sodium (salt) and sugar may increase your risk of some types of kidney stones. This is especially true with a high-sodium diet. Too much salt in your diet increases the amount of calcium your kidneys must filter and significantly increases your risk of kidney stones.
Obesity. High body mass index (BMI), large waist size and weight gain have been linked to an increased risk of kidney stones.
Digestive diseases and surgery. Gastric bypass surgery, inflammatory bowel disease or chronic diarrhea can cause changes in the digestive process that affect your absorption of calcium and water, increasing the amounts of stone-forming substances in your urine.
Other medical conditions such as renal tubular acidosis, cystinuria, hyperparathyroidism and repeated urinary tract infections also can increase your risk of kidney stones.
Certain supplements and medications, such as vitamin C, dietary supplements, laxatives (when used excessively), calcium-based antacids, and certain medications used to treat migraines or depression, can increase your risk of kidney stones.
