While healthy kidneys work hard to remove waste and fluid from your blood to make urine, if you have too much of certain wastes and not enough fluid, these wastes can stick together in your kidneys. The clumps of waste are called kidney stones. If a kidney stone blocks the flow of urine from the kidney to the bladder, it can be painful.

Causes of Kidney Stones

Anyone can get a kidney stone, but men typically get them more than women. Also, non-Hispanic whites are more susceptible than other ethnicities. Other risk factors include:

• Diet high in protein, sodium and/or sugar
• Drinking too little water
• Family history of kidney stones
• Obesity
• Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI)
• Weight loss surgery

Symptoms of Kidney Stones

A very small kidney stone may easily pass through your urinary tract without any symptoms, and you would never know that you had a kidney stone. Larger stones, however, may come with the following symptoms:

• Blood in urine
• Nausea or vomiting
• Pain while urinating
• Sharp pain in your back or lower abdomen

Treatment for Kidney Stones

The size of your kidney stone and its location help determine the treatment. You may be asked to drink plenty of fluids to help push the stone through your urinary tract.

If a kidney stone is too large, or if it's blocking the flow of urine additional treatments may include:

• Shock wave lithotripsy—high-energy sound waves blast the stone into smaller fragments that pass easier through your urine
• Ureteroscopy—an endoscope is inserted through the ureter to retrieve or obliterate the stone
• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy—a tube is surgically inserted into your kidney to remove the stone (used in rare cases when a stone is too large for other treatments)

Preventing Kidney Stones

Drinking enough fluids each day (8 to 12 cups) is the best way to prevent most kidney stones. Most of the fluid you drink should be water. If you have kidney disease and need to limit fluids, ask your doctor how much fluid is necessary for you each day.

Limiting sodium and animal protein (meat, eggs) in your diet may also help prevent kidney stones. Talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian about a balanced diet to reduce the risk of kidney stones.

Learn More About Healthcare Services Provided Through Saint Francis

The physicians, staff and volunteers of Saint Francis Health System are dedicated to the healthcare of our communities in eastern Oklahoma. To learn more about services provided through Saint Francis, please call Saint Francis HealthLink at 918-488-6688