What are kidney stones made of?
What are some of the effects of a kidney stone?
What are some ways to treat a kidney stone problem?
Kidney stones, medically know as nephrolithoisis or renal calculi, are mineral buildups in the urinary system. They are formed when various salt or mineral crystal gradually build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney or urinary tract. The stones grow on the lining of the kidneys or urinary tract and may cause internal bleeding. Sometimes the stone will break off from the lining, often resulting in severe pain as it travel through the urinary tract.
Kidney stones consist mainly of calcium. They also consist of truvite, uric acid, calcium phosphate, crystine, and xanthine. The intense pain associated with kidney stones usually occurs during the time that the stone is moving along the ureter. Many kidney stones pass without notice, but some are too large to pass and they get imbedded in the wall of the ureter. This can be very painful because kidney stones are often jagged and sharp.
Many factors play a role in kidney stone formation but no one knows for sure what causes them to from. The most common theory is called supersaturation crystallization. In this theory, dehydration causes calcium phosphates, oxalates, urea, uric acid, and other elements to combine and crystallize. Some other related factors are age, sex, family history of stones, water consumption, climate, associated medical problems, and dietary patterns. High doses of Vitamin C supplements on a regular basis (500mg or more) increase the risk of kidney stones. Eating foods that are high in oxalate may also trigger kidney stone formation. Foods that are shown to increase oxalate levels in urine include spinach, rhubarb, beets, nuts, chocolate, wheat bran, tea, and strawberries. Usually males suffer from kidney stones more often than women and African Americans tend to have fewer stones than white people.
Some symptoms of kidney stones are sharp back pain in the lower back, the lower abdomen, or the groin, blood in the urine, nausea and vomiting, frequent urination with a burning sensation, fevers and chills, and a loss of appetite.
A kidney stone that does not pass can block the urinary tract. This will cause pain. When this pain goes away, it signifies the shut down of the kidney. If left untreated for a few days, this shut down can lead to the permanent loss of the kidney. A kidney stone can even rupture the collection system of the kidney.
What are some ways to treat a kidney stone problem?
There are several ways to treat a kidney stone problem. The stone can be passed naturally, removed surgically, or treated with drug therapy. However, a relatively new technique called lithotripsy, has many advantages over other treatments. For example, there are no lengthy hospital stays, no incisions, no surgery, and no lengthy recovery periods.
Lithotripsy is a nonsurgical technique using ultrasound or shock waves to pulverize kidney stones. Externally generated shock waves harmlessly penetrate tissue and disintegrate kidney stones into smaller granules, which are passed through the urine with ease.
The lithotripsy procedure requires a general, regional, or local anesthesia. During the procedure, and the patient's heart is monitored. Then the patient is placed on the lithotripsy stretcher and the patient is immersed in warm, purified water directly over the lithotripsy energy source. A reflector is used to focus shock waves precisely on the stone, which is located using X-rays. A lithotripsy procedure may only take one or two hours and most stones are successfully dissolved.
Cross Section of Kidney with Stone
Forrest General Lithotripsy Center
The Problem of Kidney Disease. NKF.24 Mar 1998.
(http://www.kidney.org/about disease/)
Family History of Kidney Stones? Watch Those Megadoses of Vitamin C. NKF. 24 Mar 1998.
(http://www.kidney.org/news/stones.shtml/)
The Kidney Stone Web Site. Roger Baxter. 25 Mar 1998.
(http://members.aol.com/rogerbaxtr/pages/Kidney_Stone_Page.html)
