Kidney stones
Kidney stones (also called renal stones or urinary stones) are small, hard deposits that form in one or both kidneys; the stones are made up of minerals or other compounds found in urine. Kidney stones vary in size, shape, and color. To be cleared from the body (or "passed"), the stones need to travel through ducts that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder (ureters) and be excreted. Depending on their size, kidney stones generally take days to weeks to pass out of the body.
Kidney stones can cause abdominal or back pain (known as renal colic). Renal colic usually begins sporadically but then becomes constant and can lead to nausea and vomiting. The site of pain can change as the stone moves through the urinary tract. Some small stones pass through the kidney and urinary tract with little discomfort, while larger ones can block the flow of urine and impair kidney function. Kidney stones can also result in blood in the urine (hematuria) or kidney or urinary tract infections. Unusually large stones or stones that are difficult to pass can be medically removed.
Although there are many types of kidney stones, four main types are classified by the material they are made of. Up to 75 percent of all kidney stones are composed primarily of calcium. Stones can also be made up of uric acid (a normal waste product), cystine (a protein building block), or struvite (a phosphate mineral). Stones form when there is more of the compound in the urine than can be dissolved. This imbalance can occur when there is an increased amount of the material in the urine, a reduced amount of liquid urine, or a combination of both.
People are most likely to develop kidney stones between ages 40 and 60, though the stones can appear at any age. Research shows that 35 to 50 percent of people who have one kidney stone will develop additional stones, usually within 10 years of the first stone.
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