Kidney Stones – Symptoms and Causes

Overview

Kidney stones are hard deposits of minerals and salts that develop inside the kidneys. These formations can travel through the urinary tract, from the kidneys to the bladder.

Stones typically form when urine becomes too concentrated, allowing minerals to crystallize and combine.

Several factors contribute to kidney stone formation:

• Diet Choices
• Excess Body Weight
• Certain Medical Conditions
• Some Supplements and Medications

The pain of passing kidney stones can be severe, though they generally don’t cause lasting damage when identified early.

Treatment approaches vary based on individual circumstances:

Treatment Approach	When It’s Used
Conservative management	For smaller stones (water intake and pain medication)
Surgical intervention	When stones get stuck, cause infection, or lead to complications

For people who experience kidney stones repeatedly, doctors may suggest preventive strategies to reduce future occurrences. This is especially important for those with higher-risk factors for stone formation.

Signs and Symptoms

Kidney stones can cause significant pain when they move in the kidney or enter the ureter, the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder. A stone that blocks urine flow may cause the kidney to swell and the ureter to spasm, resulting in pain.

You might experience:

• Sharp, severe pain in your side and back, below your ribs
• Pain that moves to your lower belly and groin area
• Pain that comes in waves, changing in strength
• Burning or pain when you urinate

Other symptoms you might notice include:

• Urine that looks pink, red, or brown
• Cloudy urine or urine with a bad odor
• Frequent urge to urinate, going more often, or passing small amounts
• Feeling sick to your stomach and throwing up
• Fever and chills (if you have an infection)

The pain may change location or get worse as the stone moves through your urinary system.

When Medical Help Is Needed

Get emergency medical care right away if you have:

• Pain so bad you can’t sit still or get comfortable
• Pain with nausea and vomiting
• Pain with fever and chills
• Blood in your urine
• Trouble passing urine

Causes

Kidney stones develop when substances in urine form crystals. This happens when crystal-forming chemicals like calcium, oxalate, and uric acid become too concentrated in urine.

At the same time, the urine might not have enough substances that stop crystals from sticking together. This creates perfect conditions for kidney stones to form.

Types of Kidney Stones

Identifying your specific type of kidney stone helps doctors understand why it formed.

Calcium Stones

• Most common type of kidney stone
• Usually forms as calcium oxalate
• Can also form as calcium phosphate
• Risk factors include:
  • High-oxalate foods (nuts, chocolate, some fruits and vegetables)
  • Excessive vitamin D
  • Intestinal bypass surgery
  • Certain metabolic disorders
  • Some medications for migraines or seizures

Struvite Stones

• Develop after urinary tract infections
• Can grow quickly and become large
• Often cause few symptoms until they are quite large
• May form with little warning

Uric Acid Stones

• More common in people who:
  • Experiencing chronic diarrhea
  • Have malabsorption issues
  • Follow high-protein diets
  • Live with diabetes or metabolic syndrome
• Genetic factors may increase risk

Cystine Stones

• Caused by a hereditary disorder called cystinuria
• This genetic condition makes kidneys release too much of a specific amino acid
• Less common than other types of kidney stones

Risk Factors

Several factors can raise your chances of developing kidney stones:

Personal and Family History

• If you’ve had kidney stones before, you’re more likely to get them again.
• Having family members with kidney stones increases your risk.

Fluid Intake and Environment

• Not drinking enough water daily makes stone formation more likely.
• People in hot, dry areas or those who sweat heavily face higher risks.

Diet Choices

Foods high in certain nutrients can increase stone risk:

• Too much protein
• Excessive sodium (salt)
• High sugar consumption

Salt intake is particularly concerning as it forces kidneys to filter more calcium, significantly raising stone risk.

Weight Issues

Body composition affects kidney stone formation:

• High body mass index (BMI)
• Large waist measurements
• Recent weight gain

Digestive Conditions

Some digestive issues change how your body processes nutrients:

• Gastric bypass surgery
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Chronic diarrhea

These conditions can alter calcium and water absorption, leading to more stone-forming substances in urine.

Medical Conditions

Other health problems linked to increased kidney stone risk include:

• Renal tubular acidosis
• Cystinuria
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Recurring urinary tract infections

Medications and Supplements

Some products may increase stone risk.

• Vitamin C supplements (in high doses)
• Certain dietary supplements
• Overused laxatives
• Calcium-based antacids
• Some migraine medications
• Specific treatments for depression