What are Kidney Stones?

Kidney Stones FAQs

Over five hundred thousand patients visit the emergency room for problems related to kidney stones annually. Kidney stones are tiny, pebble-like crystals formed in your kidneys.

When kidneys are not functioning correctly and removing the waste from your blood to create urine, debris builds up and forms clumps, which create kidney stones.

What Are the Main Symptoms of Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones can create various problems and pain points within the body. The most common sign your body may be passing kidney stones is intense pain on the back and side. Sharp pain may come and go as the body attempts to rid itself of kidney stones.

Additional symptoms include:

1. Vomiting and nausea
2. Dark-colored urine or blood in the urine
3. The constant feeling to urinate or urinating more often than normal
4. A burning sensation during urination
5. Fever and chills

What Are the Causes of Kidney Stones?

Causes of kidney stones are dehydration, low urine volume, obesity, diet, family history, underlying medical conditions (such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease), family history, and medication side effects.

What Are the Types of Kidney Stones?

Knowing what type of kidney stones you have and what causes each, you can better understand how to reduce your risk.

Most kidney stones are calcium stones.

Calcium Oxalate Stones

Calcium oxalate stones are the most common types of kidney stones. Typically caused by a diet too high in protein, salt, or high fructose corn syrup, calcium oxalate stones form when oxalate and calcium combine, while urine forms in the kidneys.

Calcium Phosphate Stones

Calcium phosphate stones form within bodies with underlying conditions like renal tubular acidosis, hyperparathyroidism, or urinary tract infections (UTI).

These kidney stones can grow faster and more extensive than calcium oxalate stones and can be more damaging to the body.

Other Types of Kidney Stones:

• Struvite stones: these kidney stones are often caused by UTIs and form when too much alkaline is present in urine.
• Uric acid stones: often hereditary, these kidney stones have a high amount of purines.
• Cystine stones: these kidney stones occur when too much cystine, an oxidized amino acid, is present in urine.

Preventing and Treating Kidney Stones with Full Spectrum Emergency Room and Urgent Care

Keeping your kidneys healthy is the first step to kidney stone prevention.

If you are struggling with kidney stones, the health professionals at Full Spectrum Emergency Room and Urgent Care are here to help. Treatments may include supportive care (IV fluids), medications, or procedures such as ureteroscopic stone removal.

To learn more about the services we offer for abdominal care, call us today at (210) 429-8313 or visit us online.