Causes and symptoms of kidney stones
How do you know if you have kidney stones? Very often people can be unaware, unless a stone becomes stuck in the urinary tract and causes blockage and infection. However, there are a few symptoms to look out for, plus many things that can cause a kidney stone, although often there is no obvious reason. Below we explore kidney stone symptoms and why we might get them.
Causes of kidney stones
There are various causes for developing kidney stones. One reason is that some people who do not drink enough fluids are susceptible to kidney stones. Certain medications, such as diuretics, some antibiotics and antacids can also help increase your chance of developing kidney stones.
Kidney stones do not all look the same, as they come in different sizes, colours and shapes. There are three main types of kidney stone, calcium, struvite and uric acid stones. Calcium stones are the most common, struvite stones form due to infection, and uric acid stones are created when your urine is highly acidic.
Kidney stone symptoms
If you have small kidney stones, then the odds are that you will have no pain and they will pass without you realising that you had them. However, if the stones are large then you may well notice some of these symptoms.
- High temperature.
- Pain in your groin or to the side of your abdomen.
- Sweating.
- UTI (urinary tract infection).
- Blood in urine.
- Kidney infection due to a stone being stuck in the ureter.
Why do people get recurrent kidney stones?
Some people are more prone to getting kidney stones on a regular basis. This usually because they eat a diet that is low in fibre and high in protein, have a family member who has kidney stones, or has a history of kidney infection and UTIs. Other reasons include immobility and if the previous kidney stone occurred before the age of twenty-five.
If you have concerns that you may be suffering from kidney stones and would like to seek a diagnosis from a consultant urologist in a timely manner, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for more information about kidney stone treatment.
