Causes and Symptoms of Kidney Stones

 

The amount of kidney stones that patients need to cause damage to the kidney can vary. These stones are relatively small in diameter that stays in the kidney for days or weeks and can cause blood in the urine.

Or the stones that can cause damage in the kidney can be relatively large in diameter. They can be referred to as renal calcification stones.

They can come from fluid buildup in the kidney and most likely are related to either acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease (chronic kidney disease causes the deposits of stones to grow and affect the kidney).

Causes and Symptoms of Kidney Stones

The stones that can cause permanent kidney damage due to kidney failure or acute kidney injury are called calcified stones. A good indication of kidney injury can be caused by severe enough kidney stone pain.

It is important to be evaluated for kidney injury as soon as possible as long-term kidney damage may be caused by the prolonged pain caused by kidney stones.

The most common causes of kidney damage due to kidney disease are acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease due to the infections or medications given for kidney disease.

Acute kidney injury can be caused by surgery (kidney surgery), prolonged use of certain medications or an injury caused by an infectious disease. A person who gets kidney surgery will likely be monitored.

Causes of Kidney Stone:

1.  Heredity:

Many people are more sensitive to forming kidney stones, and heredity may play an important role. Maximum kidney stones are created of calcium, and hypercalciuria (high levels of calcium in the urine) is one risk factor.                     

The predisposition to high levels of calcium in the urine may be transmitted from generation to generation.

2     Geographical location: 

There may be a geographic tendency to forming kidney stones, so where a person lives may give rise to it more likely for them to form kidney stones.

There are regional stone belts, with the population residency in the the southern United States has a raised risk of stone formation.

The hot weather in this region combined with insufficient fluid intake may cause people to be dehydrated, with their urine becoming more concentrated and enabling chemicals to come in closer contact to produce a stone.

3.  Diet: 

Diet may or may not be a problem. If a person is sensitive to forming stones, then foods high in animal proteins or salt may rise the risk, however, if a person is not sensitive to forming stones, diet probably will not alter that risk.

4.    Medication: 

 People who take diuretics and those who take excess calcium-containing antacids or vitamin A and D can enhance the amount of calcium in their urine and potentially enhance their risk of forming stones.

Patients with HIV who take the medication indinavir may build indinavir stones. Other commonly prescribed medications related to stone formation include phenytoin and antibiotics like ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin.

Fluctuations in fluid and electrolyte balance, such as vomiting or drinking alcohol or water containing diet soda, usually clear the fluid and stones from the urinary system.

However, kidney stones can also form in any part of the urinary tract.

Other Symptoms Include:

• significant pain in the groin or lower back
• blood in urine
• irregularity in kidney function
• pain after passing a stone or taking a day off from drinking water
• sudden dry or uncomfortable urination

People may be diagnosed with a kidney stone when they develop any of the following symptoms:

• blood in the urine
• frequent urine infections
• bleeding from the vagina
• pain when urinating
• dizziness
• nausea
• pitting eye
• tiring easily
• blurred vision
• tingling in the face or fingers
• unusual tiredness

Blood in the urine usually indicates a urinary tract infection and often clears up within three to seven days with antibiotics. The fluid behind the kidneys can be dissolved by flushing, drinking water with salt, or eating fruits such as mangos, bananas, and apricots.

The kidney may be further irritated if eating foods like cottage cheese, soy, or potatoes, taking medications, or drinking alcohol. Eating kidney beans and foods rich in calcium, potassium, or magnesium could help with kidney stones.

Frequent urination may be a symptom of anemia, which causes low blood and oxygen levels. Anemia can also cause kidney stones to form in the kidneys. Other causes of anemia include lack of sleep, infection, or eating calcium-rich foods.