What Causes Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones are deposits of minerals and salts that form in the kidneys and along the urinary tract. They develop when the patient has a decrease in urinary volume or an increase in substances that form the stones. Approximately one in every twenty individuals will develop a kidney stone at some point during their lives, and risk factors for these stones include dehydration, obesity, and diet. Kidney stones can be made of calcium oxalate, uric acid, struvite, or cystine. Patients have reported nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and blood in the urine with kidney stones. They might feel an urge to urinate frequently, and it is common to pass very small amounts of urine when a stone is present. Although small stones might not cause pain or any noticeable symptoms, larger stones are typically associated with severe pain on one side of the back or abdomen. Doctors use blood tests and imaging studies to diagnose kidney stones, and treatments such as lithotripsy, tunnel surgery, or ureteroscopy may be suggested.