What Causes Different Types of Stones in Kidney?

Each year, more than half a million people go to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems. It is estimated that one in ten people will have a kidney stone at some time in their lives.

A kidney stone is a hard object that is made from chemicals in the urine. There are four types of kidney stones: calcium oxalate, uric acid, struvite, and cystine. A kidney stone may be treated with shockwave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy or nephrolithotripsy. Common symptoms include severe pain in the lower back, blood in your urine, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills, or urine that smells bad or looks cloudy.

Urine has various wastes dissolved in it. When there is too much waste in too little liquid, crystals begin to form. The crystals attract other elements and join together to form a solid that will get larger unless it is passed out of the body with the urine.That is when you have to visit the best kidney specialist in Kolkata.

Types of Kidney Stones 

• Struvite stones. These can form from a urinary tract infection (UTI). The bacteria that cause the infection make ammonia build up in your urine. This leads to formation of the stones. The stones can get large very quickly.

• Uric acid stones. These form in people who lose too much fluid because of chronic diarrhoea or malabsorption; eating a high-purine diet; or having diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Certain genetic factors also may increase your risk of uric acid stones.

• Cystine stones. This rare type of stone forms because the kidneys leak too much of a specific amino acid called cysteine into the urine. They occur in people with a genetic disorder called cystinuria.

Causes of Kidney Stones

Possible causes include drinking too little water, exercise (too much or too little), obesity, weight loss surgery, or eating food with too much salt or sugar. Infections and family history might be important to some people. Eating too much fructose correlates with increasing risk of developing a kidney stone. Fructose can be found in table sugar and high fructose corn syrup.

Symptoms of Kidney Stones 

The kidney stone starts to hurt when it causes irritation or blockage. This builds rapidly to extreme pain. In most cases, kidney stones pass without causing damage-but usually not without causing a lot of pain. Pain relievers may be the only treatment needed for small stones.  As a general rule, the larger the stone, the more noticeable are the symptoms.

The symptoms could be one or more of the following:

• severe pain on either side of your lower back

• more vague pain or stomach ache that doesn't go away

• blood in the urine

• nausea or vomiting

• fever and chills

• urine that smells bad or looks cloudy

Other treatment may be needed, especially for those stones that cause lasting symptoms or other complications. In severe cases, however, surgery may be required.

Conclusion 

Without proper treatment, kidney stones can cause the blockage of the ureter, blood in the urine, frequent urinary tract infections, vomiting or painful urination, culminating in the permanent functional damage of the kidneys. Reach out to the best kidney specialist in Kolkata for proper treatment.