Why Do Kidney Stones Form?

Kidney stones, kidney stones or nephrolithiasis are a hard mass that forms thanks to crystals present in the urine. The natural chemical compounds present in urine often prevent the formation of stones.

However, the disease can appear, so it is necessary to know the symptoms, effects, causes and possible treatments to cure it.

Furthermore, if not treated in time, it can cause irreversible damage and constantly recur.

On the other hand, it is important to know that there are different types of kidney stones, and it is necessary to analyze them to seek treatment and build a healthy life, so that the problem does not happen again.

Causes of the formation of kidney stones

About 5% of women and 10% of men suffer from kidney stones in the United States over the course of their lives. This painful disease represents a loss of $2 million dollars a year and is caused by the presence of a number of specific substances in the urine.

In this way, small crystals are formed that turn into stones and can take weeks or months to acquire consistency and solidity.

People who don’t drink enough fluids are more at risk of developing the disease, so it’s more likely to occur in people who produce less than a liter of urine a day; which equates to approximately ¼ of a liter.

Stones can be cleared from the body without causing permanent effects, are painful and have the ability to form at other times if a treatment is not established and followed.

Thus, if they relapse long after treatment, they can cause kidney damage and other adverse effects.

Dr. Glenn Preminger, director of the Duke Complete Center for Renal Calculus and professor of urologic surgery at Duke University, stated that:

“There is no doubt that kidney stones are related to obesity” . Dr. also co-authored similar results from a study published in the Journal of Urology .

Symptoms

It is very common that, in the formation of kidney stones, no symptoms appear until the stones descend through the ducts called ureters, through which urine is transported to the bladder.

That way, when stones form, they can block the area and hinder the passage of urine from the kidneys.

There are several symptoms associated with the disease. The main one is intestinal pain that starts sporadically suddenly and may disappear in the same way.

Therefore, there are two ways to suffer this pain. In the first, the pain is located on one of the lower sides of the back or in the abdominal area.

In the second, the pain has the possibility of extending to the testicles (testicular pain) or in the groin area (inguinal pain).

Other symptoms are:

• vomiting
• blood in urine
• Nausea
• abnormal urine color
• Chills
• Fever

Effects

Among the effects, there are possible complications. If the problem is left untreated, ignored, more serious complications can arise due to the fact that stones become an obstacle to the flow of urine.

Furthermore, such complications range from kidney damage to recurrent infections to countless others.

Possible complications:

• urinary tract infection
• Acute unilateral obstructive uropathy and whitening of the ureter

• Kidney damage and problems with healing
• Reappearance of calculations
• Loss of function or decreased kidney damage

Types of calculations

It is necessary to consider that there are different types of calculations, thus, it becomes easier not only to identify them, but also the most appropriate treatment:

• Cystin stones: can form in people with cystinuria disorders, which is hereditary and can affect both men and women.
• Calcium stones: These are more common and men between the ages of 20 and 30 are more likely to have them. They form when calcium is combined with different substances such as phosphate, carbonate or oxalate (the most common substance).
  The latter substance can be found in many types of foods such as spinach or vitamin C supplements.
  In addition, other diseases of the small intestine increase the appearance of calcium stones.

• Uric acid stones: These are more common in men than in women and can happen after chemotherapy or gout.
• Struvite stones: These arise in women who have urinary infections and can grow to sizes that render the bladder, kidneys and ureters totally incommunicable.

In addition, other substances can form the stones, such as the drugs indinavir, acyclovir and triamterene. 

Treatment

The treatment of kidney stones can start with a special diet. After the doctor determines the type of calculus and performs different tests to determine it, it is possible to prescribe a specific diet needed to reduce the amount of calculus or eliminate them.

A nutritionist can suggest a new menu, even if, in any diet, it is very likely to change the amount of potassium, salt, fluids, proteins, oxalate and calcium normally consumed.

One way to avoid calculi and get rid of it is to drink between 6 and 8 glasses of water a day so that the body can produce a large amount of urine. However, the pain can be very intense, which makes the consumption of narcotic analgesics necessary.

In addition, if the pain is unbearable, the patient will need to be hospitalized with the need to ingest fluids through a vein (intravenous).

In addition, the specific treatment depends on the type of stone formed and the symptoms caused. If they are small, the stones tend to come out on their own, if the body expels them, it will be necessary to collect urine to analyze the stone and avoid future inconveniences.

Thus, depending on the type of calculation, there are some medications that the doctor can prescribe in order to prevent the formation or to stimulate the decomposition, reducing the concentration of the substances that are forming it. They can be as follows:

• Diuretics (thiazide diuretics)
• Antibiotics used for struvite stones (a mineral in the phosphate class)
• Sodium citrate and sodium bicarbonate
• Allopurinol to treat uric acid stones
• Phosphate Solutions

If surgery is necessary, the calculation or symptoms must meet the following characteristics:

• The calculation has to be big enough, which makes it impossible for you to go out alone
• The stone must be obstructing the flow of urine, which causes kidney damage and infections.
• The calculation must be in continuous growth
• The pain must be extreme and unbearable.

However, treatments are great options as they are less invasive. Several of them do not cause serious complications:

• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy: is used when the stones are very large and are close to or inside the kidney. If this happens, the stone will be removed by a probe called an endoscope, introduced into the kidney through a small surgical incision.

• Ureteroscopy: is a treatment option for when stones are located in the lower urinary tract.
• Extracorporeal lithotripsy: in this treatment, shock waves are used to suppress stones smaller than half an inch. Stones must be lodged in the ureter or close to the kidney for the method to be effective. In this way, implementing shock waves or sound waves, the stones are broken and later, easily eliminated by urine.

Tips to prevent the formation of kidney stones

If you consider these specific tips, such as a simple change in diet, you can avoid the formation of kidney stones.

On the other hand, if you already suffer from kidney stones, or have already suffered, you need to take some precautions to avoid future complications or recurrences:

• Kidney stones can be hereditary. Also, if they have occurred before, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids. As mentioned before, between 6 to 8 glasses of water a day so that the body can produce enough urine. Some experts suggest drinking 12 glasses of water a day.
• With regard to liquids that should be ingested, don’t forget that some liquids have the ability to dehydrate us faster. Therefore, it is better to avoid consuming them. For example: drinks containing caffeine or alcohol.
• It is necessary to consider the type of calculus present to use the correct medication. Some, when consumed, have the power to reduce certain compounds present in the urine and which generate kidney stones; or they serve to reduce the urine’s disposition to form them.

• Dietary changes can be made to prevent ingested substances from forming kidney stones and causing them to recur. Thus, it is recommended to reduce the consumption of dairy products, such as cheese and milk.
• If you have oxalate stones, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of fizzy drinks, peanuts and chocolates.
• If they are of cystine, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of fish.
• For those who suffer from uric stones, eating meat, anchovies and chicken is not recommended.