Male Kidney Stone Symptoms

Although kidney stones occur in both men and women, men are more likely to have the most common types of kidney stones than women. Depending on their size, most kidney stones will pass without the help of a doctor. There are four types of kidney stones.

Facts

• Kidney stones are small crystals that form in the urinary tract. Kidney stones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. Kidney stones can break loose and travel down the urinary tract or remain in the kidney. Large kidney stones can get stuck in the urethra or bladder, blocking the flow of urine. This can cause most of the symptoms associated with kidney stones.

Symptoms

• Kidney stones can pass through the bladder without causing much pain. Larger stones, however, can get stuck, resulting in a lot of pain. The pain can be in your side or your back or move to the testicles or groin area--and not go away. Other symptoms may include blood in your urine, nausea, vomiting, chills, fever and cloudy or bad smelling urine. You also may experience a burning sensation when urinating. These symptoms can be present in all four types of kidney stones.

Types/Causes

• The most common kidney stones are calcium stones. They are formed when calcium combines with oxalate, carbonate or phosphate. People with chronic inflammation of the bowel often get calcium stones.

  Cystine stones, also known as cystinuria, can be hereditary. These stones are caused by high levels of amino acids in the urine. According to the U.S. Library of Medicine, cystine stones make up less than 3 percent of known urinary tract stones, affecting about 1 of every 10,000 people.

  Uric acid stones are formed during the breakdown of purines. These stones are common in patients with gout or those having chemotherapy treatments. Uric acid stones are more common in men.

  Struvite stones are mostly found in urinary tract infections. These stones can block the bladder, ureter or kidney because they can grow extremely large.

Treatment

• When treating kidney stones, the goal is to relieve present symptoms and prevent future symptoms. To control the pain of passing stones, pain relievers may help. If the stones are small enough, increasing your daily water intake to 6 to 8 glasses can produce enough urine for the stones to pass. More severe symptoms may require hospitalization or surgery.

Prevention

• Once you have more than one kidney stone, you are more likely to have more stones in the future. Previously passed stones require laboratory analysis to determine the best type of prevention. Medication often can prevent the return of kidney stones.