What is Kidney Stone
A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or urinary tract. Kidney stones are a common cause of blood in the urine (hematuria) and often severe pain in the abdomen, flank, or groin. Kidney stones are sometimes called renal calculi. The condition of having kidney stones is termed nephrolithiasis. Having stones at any location in the urinary tract is referred to asurolithiasis, and the termureterolithiasis is used to refer to stones located in the ureters.
What Causes Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones form when there is a decrease in urine volume and/or an excess of stone-forming substances in the urine. Dehydration from reduced fluid intake or strenuous exercise without adequate fluid replacement increases the risk of kidney stones. Obstruction to the flow of urine can also lead to stone formation
Kidney stones can also result from infection in the urinary tract; these are known as struvite or infection stones. A number of different medical conditions can lead to an increased risk for developing kidney stones:
- Gout Hypercalciuria (high calcium in the urine).
- Calcium
- Other electrolytes
- Animal protein
- Alcohol can lead to systemic dehydration
Who is at risk for kidney stones?
Most urinary stones develop in people 20-49 years of age, and those who are prone to multiple attacks of kidney stones usually develop their first stones during the second or third decade of life. In residents of industrialized countries, kidney stones are more common than stones in the bladder. A family history of kidney stones is also a risk factor for developing kidney stones Uric acid kidney stones are more common in people with chronically elevated uric acid levels in their blood. A small number of pregnant women (about one out of every 1,500-3,000 pregnancies) develop kidney stones