Kidney Stones Disease

Kidney stones are mineral deposits that form in the kidneys or urinary tract, according to Medicinenet.com. About 3.5 million people seek medical assistance for kidney stones each year, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Causes

• People who have a decrease in urine production and/or an increase in levels of substances such as calcium, cystine and/or uric acid are at risk for developing kidney stones, according to medicinenet.com.

Risk Factors

• People with urinary tract infections, cystic kidney disease and/or hyperparathyroidism have an increased risk for developing kidney stones, according to the NIDDK. The Mayo Clinic says that people who do not drink enough fluids, have a family history of kidney stones, are male and/or have a diet high in sodium and protein have an increased risk of developing kidney stones.

Symptoms

• People with kidney stones often have no symptoms, which can include pain in the side, back, abdomen and/or groin; bloody urine; painful sensations during urination; nausea; vomiting; a frequent need to urinate; and a fever.

Diagnosis

• Doctors often use an abdominal X-ray or computerized tomography (CT) scan to find out the size of kidney stones. Sometimes physicians will perform an intravenous pyelogram, during which they inject a patient with a dye and perform X-rays to determine where kidney stones are located, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Treatment

• Many kidney stones do not need treatment because they are passed naturally. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is a procedure in which shock waves are used to break up kidney stones, according to the Patient Education Institute.