Kidney stones are a very painful urologic disorder. They are also very common, affecting 600,000 patients per year. Kidney stones usually pass from the body without any medical assistance from a doctor. There are various techniques to treat stones which do not pass out unaided.

Kidney stones are a solid mass which develops from crystals that separate from urine. The stones build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney. Urine usually contains chemicals that prevent stones from forming, but sometimes these do not work and the stones appear. If the stones are tiny enough, they will travel through the body with urine and pass undetected.

Kidney stones usually contain chemicals such as calcium, which combines with other chemicals such as phosphate or oxalate. The chemicals come from a person's dietary intake and are required to maintain healthy muscles and bones. A rarer form of kidney stone is called a struvite; this is caused by an infection in the urinary tract. The medical term used to describe stones which appear in the urinary tract is urolithiasis.

Doctors are unsure of the exact reason kidney stones appear. Although ingestion of certain foods contributes to kidney stones, it is not believed that any specific food is attributable. If there is a family history of kidney stones, you may be more likely to develop this complaint. There is also a rare hereditary disease called renal tubular acidosis. People with this disease are much more likely to develop kidney stones.

The first sign that you have developed kidney stones will be extreme pain. This occurs when a stone blocks the flow of urine. You will feel a cramping or sharp pain in the kidney area. You may also suffer from vomiting, nausea and pain in the groin area. You may feel the need to urinate more often and a burning sensation may occur when you do.

As the kidney stones move or grow larger, blood may appear in the urine. If you suffer from chills and fever along with the aforementioned symptoms, this is a sign of an infection and a doctor should be called. The doctor will take an x-ray or sonogram. He may also take a computed tomography (CT) scan of the urinary system. These tests will help the doctor make a proper diagnosis.

Drinking plenty of water should help kidney stones to pass through the body. The doctor may also prescribe medications to prevent uric acid and calcium stones from forming. Finally, for more severe cases, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy may be used. Shock waves will be passed through the body to break up the stones into small particles which can be passed easily when urinating. Your doctor can advise you on future lifestyle changes which should prevent kidney stones from reappearing.