What Causes Kidney Stones: Frequently Asked Questions

Kidney stones form when the urine has too many crystal-forming chemicals and/or not enough substances that protect against crystal formation. If the crystals do not rapidly pass through the urinary tract, they can grow and form stones. When the volume is too low, stone forming materials become concentrated helping to promote stone growth.

Doctors always do not know what causes a stone to form. It seems that some people are just susceptible to having stones and those who might increase their risk by eating certain foods, or by not drinking enough water. A person with a family history of kidney stones may be likely to develop stones. Urinary tract factors, kidney disorders such as cystic kidney diseases, and metabolic disorders such as hyperparathyroidism, all linked to stone formation. ...

Although there are some stones that are caused by metabolic or endocrine problems, most stones come from being chronically dehydrated. At some point, there was not enough fluid being flushed through the kidney to move out all the solids in the urine.

There are no definite answers but it appears that there is a mix of genetic factors (the risk of stones tends to run in families) and environmental factors such as a hot climate or your dietary intake. Stones tend to occur in the 20-40's age group and are three times as common in men as compared to women. Other factors include abnormalities of the urinary tract system, recurrent urinary tract infections and some metabolic disorders.

Kidney stones form when a change occurs in the normal balance of water, salts, minerals, and other things found in urine. The most common cause of kidney stones is not drinking enough water. Try to drink enough water to keep your urine clear (about 8 to 10 glasses of water a day). Some people are more likely to get kidney stones because of a medical condition or family history. Kidney stones may also be an inherited disease. If other people in your family have had them, you may have them too.

For the most part, a kidney stone does not cause pain while it is located in the kidney where it was formed. When a kidney stone becomes dislodged and falls into the ureter (the tube which drains the urine from the kidney down to the bladder) the person feels pain. The pain is due to the obstruction of urine flow caused by the kidney stone blocking off the ureter. The pain is actually due to back pressure of urine in the affected kidney.

The crystals that lead to kidney stones are likely to form when your urine contains a high concentration of certain substances — especially calcium, oxalate, uric acid and rarely, cystine — or low levels of substances that help prevent crystal formation, such as citrate and magnesium. Crystals also may form if your urine becomes too concentrated or is too acidic or too alkaline. ...

Kidney stones originate from a liquid and mineral imbalance in the urine. In order to function properly, the kidneys must balance the right fluid and material levels. When an imbalance occurs, the body is overwhelmed by excess materials that it cannot absorb or dissolve. As a result, the urine is left to deal with the extra substances that build up and eventually form the crystals that lead to the formation of kidney stones. Have More Concerns About Kidney Stones? ...