What Are Kidney Stones and What Causes Them?
Kidney stones are one of those things that everybody hears about and nobody wants. While we’re all aware of how painful they can be, most of us probably don’t actually know that much about kidney stones.
Today, we’re going to talk about kidney stones, from their causes to their various levels of extremity, so you can be better prepared and rest easy if you ever find yourself diagnosed with them.
What Are Kidney Stones?
First, let’s simply discuss what kidney stones actually are. If you’re like most people, all you know about kidney stones is that they’re in your “bladder area” and you’ll eventually have to pass them, which can be very painful. These are almost true statements (they’re not specifically in your bladder, they start in your kidney and move to the bladder), but there’s more going on under the surface.
Kidney stones are hard deposits made from minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys. They have many causes and can affect not just your bladder but your entire urinary tract. These deposits are often formed when urine becomes concentrated, allowing minerals to crystallize and stick together.
One important note we think it’s good to include in this earlier section of this post is that, in almost all cases, kidney stones do not cause permanent damage, especially if they’re caught early enough. In many cases, you may not even need to do anything about them except take pain medication and drink plenty of water.
Symptoms of Kidney Stones
Speaking of catching it early, let’s talk about the symptoms of kidney stones. It’s difficult to tell if you have kidney stones, because when they’re in your kidney, the symptoms are basically nonexistent. It’s not until they start to move that you might notice their symptoms.
These symptoms include severe pain in your side and back below the ribs, pain that radiates around your abdomen and groin area, and especially pain in urination. As we’ve written about before, discoloration in your urine can also be a sign of something wrong, including kidney stones. Kidney stones can also cause more frequent urination than usual, or, in serious cases, a fever and chills due to infection.
The Causes of Kidney Stones
Like we said, kidney stones are caused by minerals like calcium in the urine building up in the kidneys. When it comes to the causes of those minerals and what makes them build up instead of remaining in liquid form, there is not one single answer. Sometimes, urine lacks the substances needed to prevent the buildup, and other times, they can be the result of dietary factors, like high doses of vitamin D.
There are also different kinds of kidney stones, from calcium stones – made by calcium, of course – to struvite stones, which are caused by some kind of infection like a urinary tract infection.
There are also uric acid stones, which form in people who aren’t drinking enough fluids or who eat a high protein diet. Without water or fluid in your system, there is nothing to stop the minerals from crystallizing. Finally, there are cystine stones, which form in people with a hereditary disorder that causes the kidneys to excrete too much of certain amino acids.
Risk Factors
While sometimes kidney stones are an inevitable and inadvertent part of life, there are certain factors that can obviously increase your risk. First, as with many medical conditions, if someone in your family has or has had kidney stones, you’re more likely to develop them.
Next, not drinking enough water each day can greatly increase your risk. If you live in a warmer climate, or if you simply don’t have great hydration habits, you could be at an increased risk. There are also links between certain diets, specifically those high in sodium, and kidney stones.
Obesity can also play a role, as a high body mass index, or BMI, can increase your chances of getting kidney stones, as well as gastric bypass surgery, inflammatory bowel disease and chronic diarrhea. There are other medical conditions that can increase your risks, so talk to your doctor to be sure.
When to See a Doctor
It’s time to see a doctor when any of the above symptoms become intense, because they could be the result of kidney stones but they could also be the result of a more serious issue. If you’re uncertain about any symptoms above, contact us today. Even if you’re perfectly healthy, it’s never a bad call!
