Kidney stones are formations of crystals in the urinary tract that sometimes cause blockages in the kidneys or urinary tract, which often causes fluid buildup and with it sometimes severe pain.  Kidney stones are rarely life threatening, and the majority of them pass on their own, but the pain they cause often makes their prevention and treatment a top medical priority among those who have endured them in the past.   

Kidney Stones

Having "kidney stones" refers to a condition in which one experiences a blockage in either the kidneys or the ureter tube leading from the kidney to the bladder.  The kidney stones, or renal calculi, are generally crystallized sediments that form in the kidney, and most often pass with little trouble and sometimes painlessly. There are times, however, where the condition can be extremely painful and can jeopardize healthy kidney function.

Kidney Stones Symptoms

Kidney stones symptoms are usually defined with one word: pain.  Kidney stones are often incredibly painful, but there are number of other symptoms of kidney stones that often accompany a blocked urinary tract.  Learning to recognize kidney stone symptoms is important to understanding the severity of a kidney stone blockage, and the onset of certain symptoms may indicate that the blockage may need to be removed by a medical professional.

Kidney Stones Treatment

Kidney stones treatments can vary depending on the severity of the blockage and the manifestations of the symptoms.  Generally, when the condition is still mild and infection or sepsis has not set in, kidney stone treatment can often be done using very basic methods.  When the blockage is far more severe, specialized treatment, either through medical procedures or prescription drugs, will likely become necessary to prevent kidney damage from developing.

What Causes Kidney Stones

It is known that there are many causes of kidney stones, however, for the most part what actually are the causes of kidney stones remains unknown.  It is known, however, that kidney stones cause extreme pain, discomfort, and may be linked to more serious medical conditions, and thus understanding what factors play a part in their development becomes an important part in preventing their occurrence.

Pictures of Kidney Stones

Pictures of kidney stones, whether they are acquired through medical imaging equipment or in reference material, play an important part in diagnosing kidney stones.  Kidney stone pictures often allow doctors to identify the nature and composition of a kidney stone without testing, making their ability to treat the affliction far more proactive. 

Kidney Stone Pain

Kidney stone pain is some of the most severe and excruciating pain that can be experienced by the physical body, and once experienced is never forgotten.  Before taking measured steps such as kidney stone removal, a patient will often have to endure considerable pain as they try to pass a kidney stone through normal means, with often few means available to relieve the agony.

Passing Kidney Stones

Passing a kidney stone is the most common, and often the most medically preferred method of getting rid of a kidney stone.  Passing kidney stones means that the necessary treatment involves minimal invasive procedures, and thus often requires limited, if any medical treatment, as they can often be accomplished through fluid intake and through enduring a period of significant discomfort. 

Kidney Stone Diet

Kidney stone diets are often very much advised for those either at risk of kidney stones or have had to endure them in the past.  For the most part, a kidney stones diet consists of controlled or decreased quantities of materials such as oxalates and purines, which are substances known to compose kidney stones, and in increased and sustained intakes of important fluids, namely water. 

Kidney Stones Home Remedy

Though little is actually known about why kidney stones form, and once endured there are often minimal methods that can be employed to treat them. This has led to the emergence and popularity of certain types of kidney stones home remedy, which seek to prevent stone formation, or facilitate their passing when symptoms begin to develop. 

Uric Acid Kidney Stones

One of the least common but unique and readily preventable forms of renal calculi, uric acid kidney stones result from the presence of too much uric acid in the blood, and therefore, in the kidneys.  Often these kidney stones caused by excessive intake of purine, an amino acid that is broken down by the body to form uric acid, which then accumulates, in crystalline form, in the kidneys. 

How To Prevent Kidney Stones

It is important to know how to prevent kidney stones, as the prime treatment for kidney stones is knowing how to avoid their formation.  Taking specified measures of kidney stone prevention, including regulation of diet and maintaining the health of the kidneys and urinary tract, goes a long way in preventing signs of kidney stones from ever emerging. 

Dissolve Kidney Stones

Calcium rich kidney stones makeup the most significant concentration of reported kidney stone occurrences, and, unfortunately, when formed, they are almost impossible to dissolve.  Other forms of kidney stones, such as uric acid stones and struvite stones, can be dissolved with the proper medication or by the ingestion of certain foods or fluids.