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Kidney
Stones
Kidney stones are one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract. They
are an ancient health problem that has tormented people throughout history.
Scientists have even found evidence of kidney stones in Egyptian mummies believed
to be thousands of years old. It is estimated that one in 10 people in the United
States will develop a kidney stone at some point in their lives. Kidney stones
tend to be a recurrent problem. About 60% of the people treated for a stone
develop another within 10 years.Your kidneys are located in the back of the
abdominal cavity just above the waist. Each kidney is about four or five inches
long and about two or three inches wide in a shape very similar to a kidney
bean. One of their main jobs is to clean your blood by filtering out extra water
and wastes and converting it to urine. Your kidneys filter approximately 150
liters of blood per day. Kidney stones, or calculus, develop from crystals that
separate from urine and build-up on the inner surfaces of the kidney. Calculus
contain various combinations of chemicals. The majority of kidney stones consist
mainly of calcium oxalate and phosphate. These chemicals are a part of a normal
diet and play an important role in the bones and muscles of the body. When oxalate
combines with calcium, it forms a type of salt that dissolves poorly. If these
crystals remain small enough, they pass through the urinary tract and out of
the body without any problems. Larger stones can be very painful. About 20%
of calculi linked with chronic infections of the urinary tract. These stones
are called struvites or infection stones. They consist of a combination of calcium,
magnesium, and ammonium phosphate. This type of stone is created due to a high
ammonium content and alkalinity of urine produced by the bacteria on a substance
in the urine called urea. A small percent of stones consist mainly of uric acid.
This type of stone is common in people with gout, cancer, or chronic dehydration.In
the majority of cases, the exact cause of kidney stones is not known, but there
are several known risk factors. These risk factors include age, sex, diet, genetics,
infections, and the amount of liquid consumed. An inadequate daily water intake
may lead to mild chronic dehydration, which is believed to play a part in stone
formation. Certain foods are also known to promote stone formation in people
who are susceptible, but researchers do not believe that eating specific foods
will cause the formation of stones in people who are not susceptible.The kidneys
collect the byproducts of metabolism, such as calcium, oxalate, and uric acid,
and mix them with urine so they can pass through the ureter to the bladder,
where the urine is stored and eventually eliminated through the urethra and
out of the body. Kidney stones usually are passed unnoticed. Kidney stones can
range from a millimeter to a half-inch or more. Once a stone grows larger than
5 millimeters- about the size of a pencil tip- it becomes hard to pass.Usually,
the first symptom of a kidney stone is excruciating pain. The pain occurs as
the stone moves in the urinary tract. A sharp cramping pain occurs in the back
and side as the muscles in the wall of the ureter try to push the stone along
to the bladder. This pain may spread to the groin. Large stones may cause blood
in the urine.Kidney stones are diagnosed by x-ray or ultrasound scanning. A
blood and urine test generally are conducted to determine if a metabolic disorder
is the cause of the stone. Most kidney stones are treated with bed rest, pain
relief medication, and an adequate intake of fluid consisting of at least 2
to 3 quarts of water each day to encourage passage of the stone. If an infection
is present, or if the stone is so large that it obstructs urine flow, surgery
may be necessary.One of the more common surgical methods used today is extracorporeal
shockwave lithotripsy which involves the use of sonic shockwaves created outside
of the body that travel through the skin and tissues to the dense stones. The
shockwaves break-up the stones into smaller fragments that can be easily passed
out of the body. The recovery time for this procedure is short and people can
resume normal daily activities within a few days.
