Kidney Stones

Kidney Stones are crystalline solids found in your kidneys. Kidney Stones developed from crystals from the urine within the urinary tract. Kidney stones are formed through a chemical reaction that transpires when the urine becomes concentrated and substances combine together to create stones that are big to pass in the urine. Kidney stones are made of calcium oxalate, calcium and ammonium phosphate, uric acid, cystine and other substances that we get from certain foods that we eat.

In general, urine contains chemicals that prevent or inhibit the crystals or kidney stones from forming. These inhibitors do not seem to work for everyone, however, so some people form stones. If the crystals remain tiny enough, they will travel through the urinary tract and pass out of the body in the urine without being noticed. However, they sometimes stick to the lining of the kidney or settle in places where the urine flow fails to carry them away. Most stones start in the kidney. Some may travel to other parts of the urinary system, such as the ureter (the tube leading from the kidney to the bladder) or bladder, and grow there, ranging in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball.

The most common types of kidney stones are calcium stones, uric acid stones, struvite stones and cystine stones. Calcium stones are formed by a build-up of calcium, combining with oxalate, phosphate or carbonate. Calcium stones account for 75 to 85 percent of all stones and are more likely to occur in men.

Uric acid stones are formed by a build-up of uric acid. Uric acid stones account for 5 to 10 percent of all stones and are more likely to occur in men.

Struvite stones are formed by a build-up of calcium, magnesium and ammonium phosphate. Struvite stones account for 10 to 15 percent of all stones, are mainly found in women, and are linked to chronic infections of the urinary tract.

Cystine stones are formed by a build-up of cystine, combining with lysine, arginine and ornithine. Cystine stones account for 1 percent of all stones and are found in persons suffering from a hereditary disorder called cystinuria. Cystinuria occurs as a result of the kidney tubules not reabsorbing certain amino acids adequately. Cystine stones occur in both men and women equally.

Urolithiasis is the medical term used to describe stones occurring in the urinary tract. Other frequently used terms are urinary tract stone disease and nephrolithiasis. Doctors also use terms that describe the location of the stone in the urinary tract. For example, a ureteral stone-or ureterolithiasis-is a kidney stone found in the ureter.

Gallstones and kidney stones are not related. They form in different areas of the body. Someone with a gallstone is not necessarily more likely to develop kidney stones.

Source: http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/; http://www.medicinenet.com, http://www.healthscout.com. Photo Courtesy of: medicalook.com, curemanual.com