Each year, more than half a million people go to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems. It is thought that one in ten people will have a kidney stone at some time in their lives. The number of people in the United States with kidney stones has been increasing over the past 30 years. In the late 1970s, less than 4% of the population had kidney stones; by the early 1990s, more than 5%. The rates are continuing to increase. The peak age for stones is between 20 years and 50 years. White Americans are more prone to develop kidney stones than African Americans, and men are much more likely to develop stones than women. Other disease like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, chronic diarrhea, or kidney cyst might increase the risk of stones. Diabetes increases the risk of developing kidney stones, especially in younger women. Only about 25% of kidney stones occur in people with a family history of stones (Finkelstein, 2006).
A kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystal. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time. Kidney stones can form when urine contains too much of certain substances. These substances can create small crystals that become stones (Cameron, 2007).
The biggest risk factor for kidney stones is dehydration.
Kidney stone are common. A person who has had kidney stones often gets them again in the future.
Some types of stones tend to run in families. Certain kinds of stones can occur with bowel disease, ileal bypass for obesity, or renal tubule defects.
There are different types of kidney stones. The exact cause depends on the type of stone.
Calcium stones are most common. They occur more often in men than in women, and usually appear between ages 20-30 years old. They are likely to come back. Calcium can combine with other substances, such as oxalate (the most common substance),