Description
An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of kidney stones.
Calcium stones; Nephrolithiasis
Overview
The kidneys filter out fluids and waste from the body, producing urine. The two kidneys are located deep behind the abdominal organs, below the ribs and toward the middle of the back.
Kidney stones are hard, solid particles that form in the urinary tract. If a stone (even a small one) blocks the flow of urine, excruciating pain may result, and prompt medical treatment may be needed.
A CT scan is usually the best way to diagnose kidney stones and to pinpoint their location, size, and number.
Treatment
Kidney stones are hard, solid particles that form in the urinary tract. In many cases, the stones are very small and can pass out of the body without any problems. However, if a stone (even a small one) blocks the flow of urine, excruciating pain may result, and prompt medical treatment may be needed.
Urine is formed in the kidneys. The kidneys filter out fluids and waste from the body, producing urine. As the urine passes through the kidneys, it becomes more concentrated. From the kidneys, urine flows through thin tubes called ureters into the bladder. The bladder's stretchy walls expand to store the incoming urine until it leaves the body through a tube called the urethra.
Read more here:
Kidney stones | University of Maryland Medical Center