What are Kidney Stones?

Urine contains many dissolved minerals and salts. When your urine has high levels of these minerals and salts, you can form stones. Kidney Stone Treatment can start small but can grow larger in size, even filling the inner hollow structures of the kidney. Some stones stay in the kidney, and do not cause any problems. Sometimes, the kidney stone can travel down the ureter, the tube between the kidney and the bladder. If the stone reaches the bladder, it can be passed out of the body in urine. If the stone becomes lodged in the ureter, it blocks the urine flow from that kidney and causes pain.

About Kidney Stone Treatment

The kidneys are fist-size organs that handle the body’s fluid and chemical levels. Most people have two kidneys, one on each side of the spine behind the liver, stomach, pancreas and intestines. Healthy kidneys clean waste from the blood and remove it in the urine. They control the levels of sodium, potassium and calcium in the blood.

The kidneys, ureters and bladder are part of your urinary tract. The urinary tract makes, transports, and stores urine in the body. The kidneys make urine from water and your body’s waste. The urine then travels down the ureters into the bladder, where it is stored. Urine leaves your body through the urethra.

Symptoms of Kidney Stone

Kidney stones usually cause severe pain at the sides and back. The symptoms start to appear when the stone is present in the ureters.

What are Kidney Stones Made of?

Kidney Stone Treatment come in many different types and colors. How you treat them and stop new stones from forming depends on what type of stone you have.

Calcium stones (80 percent of stones)

Calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stone. There are two types of calcium stones: calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate. Calcium oxalate is by far the most common type of calcium stone. Some people have too much calcium in their urine, raising their risk of calcium stones. Even with normal amounts of calcium in the urine, calcium stones may form for other reasons.

Uric acid stones (5-10 percent of stones)

Uric acid is a waste product that comes from chemical changes in the body. Uric acid crystals do not dissolve well in acidic urine and instead will form a uric acid stone. Having acidic urine may come from:

Being overweight
Chronic diarrhea
Type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar)
Gout
A diet that is high in animal protein and low in fruits and vegetables

Struvite/infection stones (10 percent of stones)

Struvite stones are not a common type of stone. These stones are related to chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs). Some bacteria make the urine less acidic and more basic or alkaline. Magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) stones form in alkaline urine. These stones are often large, with branches, and they often grow very fast.

People who get chronic UTIs, such as those with long-term tubes in their kidneys or bladders, or people with poor bladder emptying due to neurologic disorders (paralysis, multiple sclerosis, and spina bifida) are at the highest risk for developing these stones.

Cystine stones (less than 1 percent of stones)

Cystine is an amino acid that is in certain foods; it is one of the building blocks of protein. Cystinuria (too much cystine in the urine) is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder. It is when the kidneys do not reabsorb cystine from the urine. When high amounts of cystine are in the urine, it causes stones to form. Cystine stones often start to form in childhood.

Types of kidney stones

There are four main types of stones:

Calcium oxalate: The most common type of kidney stone which is created when calcium combines with oxalate in the urine. Inadequate calcium and fluid intake, as well other conditions, may contribute to their formation.
Uric acid: This is another common type of kidney stone. Foods such as organ meats and shellfish have high concentrations of a natural chemical compound known as purines. High purine intake leads to a higher production of monosodium urate, which, under the right conditions, may form stones in the kidneys. The formation of these types of stones tends to run in families.
Struvite: These stones are less common and are caused by infections in the upper urinary tract.
Cystine: These stones are rare and tend to run in families. What are Cystine Stones?

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Dr. Neel Patel – Kidney Stone Specialist in Surat

Dr. Neel Patel finished his Mch in Urology with flying colors from MGM Institute, Aurangabad, a multispecialty Kidney institute and Transplant Center. After that he joined as an Assistant Professor in Department of Urology at JJ hospital, Mumbai and cleared DNB in Genitourinary Surgery in very first attempt.. He is working in Surat as Consultant Urologist and Andrologist at Maitreya Multi Super speciality hospital and Love n Care hospital.

Education

MS, Mch (Urology), DNB (Genitourinary Surgery) B J Medical College & Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad.

Experienced Urology

5 Years of work experience in Urologist and Andrologist.

Dr.Neel Patel, has done MS (GEN SUR) from prestigious B J Medical College & Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad.