About the Kidneys and Kidney Stones

The kidney is really a filter for your blood. This not only removes wastes products but regulates electrolytes and of course makes urine. In the kidney, ureter and bladder chemicals within the urine can crystallize forming a stone if the urine is too concentrated. These stones are very tiny when they form but grow over time to an inch or larger.

Urolithiasis means stones in the urinary tract, while nephrolithiasis (nephro = kidney) refers to kidney stones and ureterolithiasis refers to stones within the ureter. The size of the stone and where it is located and whether it obstructs urine is most important. A stone in the kidney will not typically cause pain in the ureter unless it is blocking and causes a pressure back up into the kidney. The kidney will then swell, causing pain and nausea.

The stone-forming substances are:

Calcium
Oxalate
Urate
Cysteine
Xanthine
Phosphate

Pain in the lower back or flank of body
Nausea and/or vomiting
Blood in the urine
Pain when urinating
Unable to urinate
Feeling the need to urinate more often

Risks for developing kidney stones include:

Dehydration
Recurrent urinary tract infections
Blockage of urine in the urinary tract
Family history of kidney stones

Health conditions that affect the levels of the substances in the urine that can cause stones to form:

Hypercalciuria, which is high calcium levels in the urine
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Obesity
Osteoporosis
Gout
Kidney cysts
Cystic fibrosis
Parathyroid disease
Inflammatory bowel disease
Chronic diarrhea
Some surgical procedures, including weight loss surgery or other stomach/intestine surgeries