Kidney stones are hard stone like masses that are formed out of crystals found in the urine. Most of the time these crystals pass through the urine with out ever being noticed, but they can build up inside the kidneys and form much larger stones. Kidney stones are often painless when they are in the kidney, but they can cause severe pain when they travel from the kidney to bladder. If a kidney stone becomes large enough to block the flow of urine, it can cause pressure, severe pain and infection. If a stone moves out of the kidney with the flow of urine, it normally causes severe pain as it moves through the ureters. If the stone gets stuck, a serious infection can occur. Kidney stones can cause permanent damage to the kidneys.

There are several different types of kidney stones. They include;

Calcium stones - are the most common types of kidney stones. These stones are formed when the individual has an excessive amount of vitamin D, overactive parathyroid glands, or the individual has certain diseases such as saracoidosis, cancer or certain types of kidney diseases.

Struvite stones - are most often found in women and are caused by an excess of ammonia in the urine.

Cystine stones - are caused by cystinuria a hereditary disorder found in approximately 1% of men and women

Uric acid stones - are caused by an excess of uric acid. This is caused by eating a lot of meat, gout, and sometimes chemotherapy.

The symptoms of kidney stones includes pain in one or both sides of the back, bloody and cloudy urine, nausea, vomiting, a frequent urge to urinate, burning sensation during urination, fever and chills.

Kidney stones are diagnosed through several methods including blood tests, urine analysis, x-rays, IVU, ultrasound, and sometimes by a simple examination.

Kidney stone treatments vary according to the type of stone and cause of formation. Small stones that are not causing symptoms, obstruction and/or infection do not normally need to be treated. Drinking plenty of fluids increases the urine production and helps to get rid of the stones. No other treatment is needed once a stone is passed. Stones that are larger or that do not respond to the above treatment will need to be treated medically. These procedures normally require lasers and surgery that can be expensive.

There are alternative treatments that will get rid of the stones with out surgery and other expensive treatments. One of the best alternative treatments that can be found in the report written by James McGovern. His report Kidney Stones 24 Hour Remedy will show you how to get rid of kidney stones naturally and for good. Click here to learn more about this amazing report and discover how to get rid of kidney stones naturally

About the Author

Amanda is a nursing student at UVA. After graduation in 2008 she will be working in pediatrics.