Dear Reader

Kidney stones are solid particles made up of various chemical compositions such as calcium oxalate, uric acid, cystine and struvite. These chemical substances crystallise in the urine, forming urinary calculi or stones. Calcium stones are the most common. They can be located anywhere in the urinary tract such as the kidneys, ureters or the bladder.

Who gets kidney stones?

Kidney stones affect five out of every 100 persons at some time in their lives. It is twice as common in men as in women. It usually affects persons aged 30 to 45 years of age. Researchers have noticed an association between the occurrence of kidney stones and persons who have the metabolic syndrome (persons who are obese, have diabetes, high cholesterol or have diabetes).

What are the signs of a kidney stone?

The most noticeable sign of stones in the urinary tract is the sudden appearance of pain. The pain is said to be worst than that of child-bearing or a gunshot. The pain is also called renal colic and is usually located in the back or sides of the abdomen. It is intense and often radiates to the groin areas or to the thighs. The pain is accompanied by nausea and sometimes vomiting. If tested the urine will have microscopic quantities of blood. There is usually no fever, unless a urinary tract infection is also present.

Treatment

Investigations for kidney stone include plain abdominal X-rays, X-rays with contrast media (IVP), abdominal ultrasounds and computer tomographic (CT) scanning. These investigations tell us about the size and location of the stones.

Treatments include medications for pain relief and antibiotics if there is an infection. Increased fluid intake is thought to improve the likelihood of passing stones. Persons with kidney stones do not need to be admitted to hospital unless there is a serious infection, severe dehydration or associated serious illnesses. Lithotripsy is used to shatter stones that are not expelled from the body. Large stones may require open surgery.

Prevention

Attempts to prevent kidney stones have been made with dietary interventions, herbal supplements and possibly medication. Persons with recurrent kidney stones should collect a 24-hour urine sample and have it tested to determine the kind of stones they develop. Once the type of stone is identified, efforts can be directed at correcting the metabolic problem.

Most doctors recommend increased intake of daily fluids as a common sense method of reducing the formation of these products in the urinary tract. Dietary interventions and herbal supplements are controversial and would require consultations with an expert nutritionist.