Commonly called kidney stones, urinary calculi are calcifications in the urinary system. They are typically asymptomatic until they pass into the lower urinary tract. Stones are usually managed by your urologist. Many people pass stones spontaneously with only minor manifestations while others need medical attention in severe cases.
Causes of Kidney Stones
Infection, foreign bodies, failure to empty the bladder completely, metabolic disorders and obstructions in the urinary tract contribute to the formation of kidney stones. Certain medications may also induce stone formations such as calcium and sodium bicarbonate
and aluminum hydroxide to name a few.
“Why do some people form calculi or stones while others do not?”
Take note of some risk factors involved in the formation of these stones as cited – sedentary lifestyle, dehydration, previous history of kidney disease, high mineral content in drinking water, UTI or Urinary Tract Infection and other metabolic disturbances like increase in calcium.
Types of Kidney Stones, or Crystals
The exact mechanism of kidney stone formation has not been clearly defined. However, researchers agree that crystallization appears to be the primary factor. Crystals form larger particles and one of these particles may travel down the urinary tract until it is trapped at some narrow point where stone formation occurs.
Calcium stones are usually composed of calcium phosphate or calcium oxalate. They range from very small particles called “sand” or “gravel” to giant stones, which may fill the entire renal pelvis. You may have these in your 20’s, especially if you’re a male. An increased load of calcium in the urine is called hypercalciuria.
Oxalate stones, the second most frequent type, are insoluble in urine and are closely related to diet. The disease is most common in areas where cereals are a major dietary component and least common in dairy farming regions.
Struvite stones, also called triple phosphate, are caused by Proteus bacteria which contain the enzyme urease. Urease makes your urine alkaline. These stones are difficult to eliminate because they form around a nucleus of bacteria, protecting them from antibiotic therapy.
Uric acid stones are caused by increased urate excretion, fluid depletion and low urine ph found in people with gout.
Cystine stones appear during childhood and adolescence; development in adults is very rare.
Xanthine stones are found in acidic urine and occur as a result of a rare hereditary condition in which there is a xanthine oxidase deficiency.
Kidney Stone Symptoms
The most characteristic manifestation in people with kidney stones is a sharp, severe pain of sudden onset in the lumbar region towards the testicle in male and bladder in female, and one towards the genitalia and thigh. Severe pain will have you experience nausea, vomiting, elevated blood pressure and anxiety.
Kidney Stone Management and Prevention
Medical management is viable if there is no obstruction, if the pain can be managed and if the stone is less than 5 mm. If the disease is at the acute stage, invasive treatment or surgery is the best option.
The most effective management of kidney stones is to increase fluid intake to ensure increased urine volume to prevent stone formation.