Kidney Stone Infections

Kidney stones are hard mineral deposits found in the kidneys or urinary tract. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), nearly 3 million people visit a health care provider each year due to kidney stone infections and another half million people go to the emergency room for kidney stone related complications.

Symptoms

• The most common symptom of a kidney stone infection is severe pain in the lower back, groin and/or abdomen. The pain typically comes and goes and tends to increase in severity as the stone starts to pass through the system. Many people experience nausea and vomiting due to the excruciating pain. Bloody urine is a common sign of kidney stones, and urinary tract infections often occur with kidney stones, causing fever and chills.

Causes

• Kidney stones form because of a decrease in urine accompanied by an increase in calcium with phosphate or oxalate. Dehydration, urinary flow obstruction and urinary tract infections are all common causes of kidney stones. According to the NKUDIC, Caucasians and men are more likely to develop kidney stones than African-Americans or women, and once a person has had one kidney stone his chance of developing another is likely.

Diagnosis

• Routine X-rays often detect kidney stones that do not cause obvious symptoms. X-rays are also used to locate kidney stones in patients complaining of bloody urine and back or abdominal pain when there is no other apparent cause for the symptoms. Kidney stones in pregnant women are usually detected with an ultrasound instead of an X-ray. Physicians can also scan the entire urinary system with a computerized tomography (CT) scan to locate small or difficult to find stones.

Treatment

• Most kidney stones can pass through the urinary system on their own with increased fluid intake. A doctor may prescribe pain medication to help with symptoms while the stone passes through. Larger stones and those that may cause increased bleeding or damage if they were to pass through on their own may be treated with medications, such as calcium channel blockers, to help the stones pass more quickly. A lithotripsy is often used for stones that cannot pass on their own. The procedure uses a shock wave to break a large stone into smaller pieces that can pass through the urinary system more easily. Surgical removal of kidney stones is a last resort and can be done through an incision in the skin or through a ureteroscope, an instrument inserted through the urethra and bladder to the tubes attached to the kidney.

Prevention

• Drinking plenty of water is the most important thing you can do to prevent kidney stones. The Mayo Clinic recommends at least 3.3 liters of water a day for people with a history of kidney stones. People who have had calcium oxalate stones in the past may be advised to limit their intake of oxalate-rich foods, such as beets, collards, spinach, sweet potatoes and soy products. Your doctor may prescribe medications to control urine pH levels. The type of medication will depend on what type of kidney stones you are at risk of developing.