Kidney Stones (Renal Calculi)

Kidney stones are made of solid or semi-solid mineral-like material that are found in the urinary tract. Your urinary tract includes your kidneys, your ureter (the tube that pee travels in from your kidneys to your bladder), your bladder and your urethra (part that pee travels from your bladder to outside your body).

Kidney stones may be found in any part of the urinary tract. Kidney stones cause pain when they block the flow of urine (pee) from one part of your urinary tract to the next.

Causes:

The exact cause is not known. There are probably several things that are involved in the making of a kidney stone. These include age, sex, and family history, diet, other medical problems you may have, your environment and infections in your urine.

The main causes that are known are:

• Your bladder is not draining properly
• Not drinking enough fluids (dehydration)
• Things that get in your urinary tract that are not supposed to be there
• Eating foods that have too much salt or calcium, too much vitamin D or not enough vitamin A.
• Urinary infections
• Other medical problems like: gout, bowel problems, and thyroid problems
• Some medications: diuretics (fluid pills) because they may increase the level of uric acid

Anyone can get a kidney stone, but they are more common in white males between 20 and 60 years old.

Home Treatment:

• Strain your pee with the strainers given to you to see if you pass any stones.
• Take your medications as directed by the doctor
• Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water every day (unless you have been told not to)

Return to the Emergency Department or see your doctor IF:

• You see blood in your pee when you go to the bathroom
• You cannot pee, but feel like you have to go
• You are having bad pain in the lower part of one side of your belly or back
• Your pain comes back and the medication you have for pain does not help