What are causes and symptoms of kidney stones? How to prevent kidney stones?

Kidney stones are composed of sand and chemicals that usually form in the kidneys when the urine is too concentrated.

There exist 2 major kinds of kidney stone:

Chromium chloride - typically affects an adult's urine.

Chromium(III)-containing minerals - usually a young adult's urine.

The cause of most stones is not yet known.

Factors such as genetics, family history, and obesity increase the chance of a person developing kidney stones.

Relation of high levels of potassium and calcium with kidney stones

Similarly, potassium is used as a regulator of calcium crystal formation. Potassium is inversely associated with kidney stone formation. Citrate and potassium are commonly used to increase urine pH with oral potassium citrate supplements and have been shown to be 96% effective in treating recurrent stone formation due to low blood citrate levels sex.

Citrate-rich foods have been shown to provide benefits similar to oral potassium citrate supplements. One study used lemon juice as a substitute for potassium citrate to alter citrate concentrations and found that it resulted in a 2.5-fold increase in initial urinary citrate levels and a 3.5-fold increase in potassium citrate.

This significant increase in urinary citrate levels has a direct effect on two major factors in stone formation, pH and ion concentration.

Data on the association between intake of potassium (a marker of dietary organic anions) and stone risk are also inconclusive. Higher dietary potassium intake reduces urinary calcium excretion, potentially preventing stone formation (7).

To date, no studies have examined the effect of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, a significant source of dietary potassium, on stone risk; however, potassium citrate has been observed to be effective in decreasing recurrence in stone makers (8).

Higher potassium intake was associated with a lower risk of kidney stones in NHS I and HPFS, but not in NHS II (4-6).

However, only lower dietary calcium intake was associated with higher risk of symptom recurrence, although lower dietary potassium intake was also associated with higher symptom recurrence in analyses of body mass index, body fluids and energy expenditure risk related.

Kidney stones form when a high amount of these minerals build up in the urinary tract

Urine contains many dissolved minerals and salts. When your urine is high in these minerals and salts, you can form stones. Kidney stones start out small, but can get bigger and even fill the hollow interior of the kidney.

Some stones remain in the kidneys and do not cause any problems. Sometimes kidney stones travel down the ureter, which is the tube between the kidney and bladder. When the stone reaches the bladder, it can be excreted through urine. When a stone gets stuck in the ureter, it prevents urine from flowing out of the kidney, causing pain.

Kidney stones occur when your pee contains high concentrations of minerals and other substances (such as calcium, oxalate, and uric acid) that combine to form crystals. The crystals stick together to form one or more stones. Stones occur when you don't have enough fluid and other substances in your urine to prevent them from forming.

Kidney stones form from substances in the urine. The combined stone-forming substances usually pass through your urinary system. If not, it's because the amount of urine is not enough, causing the substance to be highly concentrated and crystallized. This is usually due to not drinking enough water.

What are the risks and symptoms of kidney stones?

There is no single risk factor for developing kidney stones, but some common ones include:

being male

being over 30 years old

over 1.8 cm (0.75 inches) in height

consuming medications to decrease the quantity of uric acid in the body

having high levels of uric acid in the urine

not drinking enough fluid

lack of physical activity

constipation

high-protein diet

smoking

recreational drug use

Vomiting after passing a kidney stone

Dyshydrourea and magnesium hydroxide are formed when some types of stone pass.

The blockage causes mucus and other secretions in the body to swell and turn into a liquid. This can make the person feel like they are going to vomit.

Dyshydrourea and magnesium hydroxide are both water-soluble, so they tend to leave the body once the stone passes.

Mucus and other secretions in the abdominal area, which can turn to vomit, are usually what causes the stone to move or burst.

Prevention of kidney stones

People can reduce their risk of developing kidney stones by changing their lifestyle. These include:

diet

drinking more fluids

eating less high-protein foods

exercising more regularly

losing weight if overweight

consuming small meals, as these keep the intestines fuller for longer

people using medications containing uric acid or other compounds that cause the body to produce uric acid

People should contact their doctor if they have unexplained high levels of uric acid in the urine or have symptoms of kidney stones. These include:

inflammation of the urine gland, which may make the urine appear red

blood in the urine

abnormal urination or passing a stone

increased frequency or pain while urinating

intense burning feeling while urinating

change in bowel habits or bleeding

When should someone seek medical attention?

Not all symptoms of kidney stones need medical attention, but one that requires treatment is if they occur at the same time as fever, shortness of breath, fever and blood in the urine. This is known as a 1:1 blood to urine ratio.

The most common reason a person should see a doctor is if they have pain that radiates to the back, a stone in their bladder, or blood in their urine.

If the person is diagnosed with kidney stones, they should see their doctor within 4-6 hours.

Doctors usually only treat kidney stones when there are more than 3 stones in a person's body.

For pain in the back, pressure or frequent urination, the doctor may recommend increasing the dose of intravenous fluids, paracetamol (acetaminophen) tablets, or low-dose steroids.

It is important to carry out further tests if the doctor is not satisfied with the results of tests carried out at the time of diagnosis. These tests can include:

A CT scan or MRI scan of the abdomen and pelvis to check for blockages

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to check for blockages and make a stone smaller

A CT scan to check the whole body for blockages

Radiation therapy to kill the kidney stones