Have you ever had a kidney stone or known someone who has? In recent years, the prevalence of kidney stones has risen. Nearly 9% of Americans have experienced kidney stones, and 50% of people with kidney stones will have another within five to seven years. 

Fortunately, kidney stones are both preventable and treatable. Learn more about the causes, types, symptoms, and treatment of kidney stones.*  

How does a kidney stone form?  

A kidney stone forms from chemicals in the urine. Your urine contains various waste chemicals that must pass through the kidneys before being excreted. If there is not enough liquid in the urine, crystals will develop. 

For many, pain may not be felt when kidney stones stay in the kidney or pass through without causing a backup. The backup of urine in the kidney, ureter, bladder, or urethra is what causes pain and leads to the need for more aggressive treatment.  

What can cause kidney stones?  

Possible causes of kidney stones include:

• Too little water
• Too little or too much exercise
• Obesity
• Weight loss surgery
• Too much high salt and/or high-sugar foods
• Family history of kidney stones

What are the different types of kidney stones? 

A doctor will typically run tests to learn more about the kidney stone. This will tell you what type of stone it is and what may have caused it. 

The four main types of kidney stones are:

1. Calcium oxalate is the most common type of kidney stone and may occur from inadequate calcium and/or fluid intake.
2. Uric acid is also common and occurs from eating foods with a high concentration of a certain chemical, called purines, such as shellfish and organ meats.
3. Struvite kidney stones are caused by infections in the upper urinary tract.
4. Cystine is a rare kidney stone and tends to be genetic. 

What are the common symptoms? 

Kidney stones vary in size. They can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. Generally, the larger the stone, the more noticeable the symptoms. 

When the stone starts to cause blockage or irritation, symptoms may include:

• Severe pain on either side of your lower back
• Stomach pain that does not go away
• Blood in the urine
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever and chills
• Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy

How are kidney stones diagnosed?  

After obtaining your medical history, the steps to diagnosis include the following:

• Physical examination
• Blood and urine tests
• Imaging test (either a CT scan, a KUB x-ray (kidney-ureter-bladder x-ray), or intravenous pyelogram x-ray)
• Stone analysis 

How are kidney stones treated? 

Depending on the size of your kidney stone and associated symptoms, treatment will likely include a big increase in your water intake and a prescribed medication to help make your urine less acidic. 

If a kidney stone is large or infected, surgery could be warranted and may include:

• Shock-wave lithotripsy
• Ureteroscopy
• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy/nephrolithotripsy

How can I reduce my risk of developing kidney stones?

• Consume enough fluid. (Pro tip: Pale yellow urine is the goal and indicates you are well hydrated.)
• Drink mostly water. Limit your intake of soda, sports and sugary drinks, and coffee/tea.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables (and fewer animal proteins/meats), which makes urine less acidic and prevents stones from forming.
• Cut back on high-sodium foods, such as salty potato chips, fast food, sandwich meats, canned soups, and packaged meals.
• If you are overweight, seek to lose weight with help of a registered dietitian who can provide dietary interventions to reduce the risk of kidney stones.
• If you have a “calcium” stone, do not avoid high-calcium foods. High calcium foods, like dairy products, help prevent stones. People with low-calcium diets may have a higher risk of kidney stones.  

Can children get kidney stones?  

Children can get kidney stones, too. The most common reasons for kidney stone development in kids are:

• Not drinking enough fluid
• Eating too much high-sodium food

*National Kidney Foundation. (2020, Oct. 2). Kidney Stones. https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/kidneystones