{"id":228,"date":"2020-02-20T17:48:32","date_gmt":"2020-02-20T17:48:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthissues24.co.za\/?p=228"},"modified":"2020-02-20T17:48:32","modified_gmt":"2020-02-20T17:48:32","slug":"what-color-is-a-kidney-stone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unionline24.co.za\/health\/what-color-is-a-kidney-stone\/","title":{"rendered":"What color is a kidney stone?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kidney stones<\/strong>\u00a0may be smooth or jagged and are usually yellow or brown. A small\u00a0kidney stone<\/strong>\u00a0may pass through your urinary tract on its own, causing little or no pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are kidney stones?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kidney stones are hard, pebble-like pieces of material that form in one or both of your\u00a0kidneys\u00a0when high levels of certain minerals are in your urine. Kidney stones rarely cause permanent damage if treated by a health care professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kidney stones vary in size and shape. They may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a pea. Rarely, some kidney stones are as big as golf balls. Kidney stones may be smooth or jagged and are usually yellow or brown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A small kidney stone may pass through your urinary tract on its own, causing little or no pain. A larger kidney stone may get stuck along the way. A kidney stone that gets stuck can block your flow of urine, causing severe pain or bleeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have\u00a0symptoms of kidney stones, including severe pain or bleeding, seek care right away. A doctor, such as a\u00a0urologist, can treat any pain and prevent further problems, such as a\u00a0urinary tract infection (UTI).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Illustration
A small kidney stone may pass through your urinary tract on its own, causing little or no pain. A larger kidney stone may get stuck along the way.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Do kidney stones have another name?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The scientific name for a kidney stone is renal calculus or nephrolith. You may hear health care professionals call this condition nephrolithiasis, urolithiasis, or urinary stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What type of kidney stones do I have?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You probably have one of four main types of kidney stones.\u00a0Treatment for kidney stones\u00a0usually depends on their size, location, and what they are made of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calcium stones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Calcium stones, including\u00a0calcium oxalate stones\u00a0and\u00a0calcium\u00a0phosphate\u00a0stones, are the most common types of kidney stones. Calcium oxalate stones are more common than calcium phosphate stones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calcium from food does not increase your chance of having calcium oxalate stones. Normally, extra calcium that isn\u2019t used by your bones and muscles goes to your kidneys and is flushed out with urine. When this doesn\u2019t happen, the calcium stays in the kidneys and joins with other waste products to form a kidney stone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uric acid stones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A uric acid stone may form when your urine contains too much acid. Eating a lot of fish, shellfish, and meat\u2014especially organ meat\u2014may increase uric acid in urine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Struvite stones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Struvite stones may form after you have a UTI. They can develop suddenly and become large quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cystine stones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cystine stones result from a disorder called\u00a0cystinuria\u00a0that is passed down through families. Cystinuria causes the amino acid cystine to leak through your kidneys and into the urine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How common are kidney stones?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kidney stones are common and are on the rise. About 11 percent of men and 6 percent of women in the United States have kidney stones at least once during their lifetime.1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is more likely to develop kidney stones?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Men are more likely to develop kidney stones than women. If you have a family history of kidney stones, you are more likely to develop them. You are also more likely to develop kidney stones again if you\u2019ve had them once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may also be more likely to develop a kidney stone if you don\u2019t drink enough liquids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People with certain conditions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You are more likely to develop kidney stones if you have certain conditions, including<\/p>\n\n\n\n