Kidney Stones
Does that kidney stone feel more like a boulder?
Learn how kidney stones affect your body and when it’s time to get help.
Kidney stones form when urine contains high levels of minerals and salts. They can start small but grow large enough to fill the kidney. Small stones may stay in the kidney without causing symptoms, while others enter the ureter, the tube that carries urine to the bladder. If a stone gets stuck, it can block urine flow and cause significant pain. Once a stone reaches the bladder, the body can pass it naturally through the urine.
What are the symptoms?
- Sudden, sharp back pain that comes in waves
- An intense or frequent urge to urinate
- Burning feeling during urination
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dark or red urine
How is it diagnosed?
Stones may be found during a painful episode or diagnosed using a CT scan or ultrasound.
What causes kidney stones?
Not drinking enough fluids can cause concentrated urine, allowing minerals and salts to clump together. Stones may also develop based on how your body processes calcium. Being overweight can change the acid levels in your urine, increasing your risk. Certain medications, medical conditions and family history can also contribute.
How is it treated?
Treatment depends on the size and location of the stone and can include:
- Allowing the stone to pass through the urine (If it's small, safe and bearable)
- Medication
- Non-surgical shock wave lithotripsy to break the stone into pieces
- Ureteroscopy, which uses a small scope to grab the stone
- Percutaneous lithotripsy or surgery to remove larger stones