Kidney Stones

Kidney stones typically cause sudden, excruciating pain as they move through your urinary tract or when they’re stuck in the kidney or tubes. Don’t wait to seek help from double board-certified nephrologist Chadi Saad, MD, at Nephrocare MD when pain strikes. Dr. Saad specializes in comprehensive kidney care, including treating kidney stones and teaching you how to prevent future stones. Call the nearest office in Dearborn, Michigan, or book an appointment online to get care for kidney stones.

Why do I have kidney stones?

Your urine contains wastes that normally dissolve in the fluid. When certain minerals (and other substances) get too concentrated, they crystallize, hardening into a clump that turns into a kidney stone. 

Kidney stones may contain:

• Calcium (builds bones and is an electrolyte stimulating nerves and muscles)
• Phosphorous (a mineral needed for bones and DNA)
• Uric acid (a waste produced during metabolism)
• Oxalate (a compound from certain foods)
• Cystine (an amino acid)
• Struvite (a mineral associated with frequent urinary tract infections)

Calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate stones account for 80% of all kidney stones.

What symptoms do kidney stones cause? 

Kidney stones are well known for causing extreme pain; however, they may cause a range of symptoms, including:

• Sudden, severe pain in your lower back
• Pain radiating to your abdomen
• Intense pain that comes and goes
• Blood in your urine
• Cloudy urine
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever and chills
• Urinary frequency
• Burning or pain when urinating
• Urinating in small amounts

Though kidney stones cause extreme pain as they move through your urinary tract, they also cause symptoms if they get trapped inside the kidney or stuck in the ureter (the tube carrying urine from your kidneys to your bladder).

Do kidney stones cause chronic kidney disease?

Kidney stones seldom cause kidney disease because they cause such pain they’re treated before they can harm your kidney. 

However, a stone inside the kidney blocking the opening to the ureter may lead to a kidney infection. And kidney stones may raise your risk of developing chronic kidney disease.

What should I do if I have kidney stone symptoms?

You should immediately schedule an appointment with Dr. Saad. He does diagnostic imaging to identify the stone’s size and location and then recommends the best treatment.

If your stone is small and can go through your urinary tract, Dr. Saad recommends drinking plenty of fluids and prescribes medication that relaxes the ureter muscles and reduces your pain.

Dr. Saad may treat medium-sized stones with shockwave lithotripsy (SWL). SWL uses high-energy sound waves to break the stone into pieces small enough to go through your urinary tract.

If you can’t have SWL or have a large stone, he may recommend another minimally invasive procedure to remove the stone.

Don’t wait to get help for kidney stone symptoms. Call Nephrocare MD right away or use online booking to schedule an appointment.