Kidney stones are on the rise, affecting more women, children and African-Americans. One of the largest increases is among kids, where cases have significantly jumped. Speak with your primary care physician if you or your children are experiencing symptoms, and read on for some common questions about kidney stones.
What is a kidney stone and what causes it?
A kidney stone is a hard object formed from urine in the kidneys — it consists of insoluble calcium compounds and is pretty painful when passed. Urine contains things like calcium, phosphate and uric acid. Usually, these substances are very dilute and remain suspended in the urine. If urine becomes concentrated or something changes the level of a substance in the urine, crystals can form. The crystals can become lodged in kidney tissue and grow to become kidney stones.
Kidney stones can be caused by a number of factors, but it really depends on the patient. A few common causes include diet (more salt and higher protein intake), obesity (or patients who are more sedentary) and genetics (sometimes they just run in the family).
What are the symptoms of kidney stones?
The most common symptom is severe pain, usually in the side of the abdomen, causing a sense of nausea or even vomiting. Pain is often so extreme a patient can’t sit or find a comfortable position. Blood may be seen in the urine as a result of the kidney stone rubbing against the inside of the kidney, ureter or bladder.
How are kidney stones treated?
The first step in the treatment of kidney stones is watchful waiting. Many stones will pass spontaneously while the patient is adequately hydrated and managed with pain medication. If a stone does not pass or the event is too painful to allow the patient to be managed medically, then temporary placement of a stent may be needed to allow urine to pass from the kidney to the bladder. Stones are often removed either by using delicate instruments to look up into the bladder and ureter or by breaking the stones up with sound waves.
Can anything be done to prevent kidney stones?
Yes — get rid of that salt shaker and drink more fluids. Drinking water like it’s going out of style can help dilute urine so calcium, phosphate and uric acid easily flow out of the body, making it more difficult for kidney stones to form.
Are people who have previously had kidney stones more likely to have reoccurrences?
Unfortunately, yes. It’s particularly important for those patients to do the most they can to keep themselves healthy by avoiding salty foods and drinking plenty of fluids to aid in the prevention of more kidney stones. Patients can undergo thorough analysis of urine composition in order to guide proper dietary modifications and determine if they are a candidate for certain medications that can reduce the risk of reoccurrence.
Dr. Martin Kaefer is a pediatric urologist at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health.
