The kidneys serve many vital purposes, and we rarely think about them — until they cause us painful problems, such as kidney stones.

When healthy, our kidneys:

• Regulate the body’s fluid levels
• Filter wastes and toxins from the blood
• Release a hormone that regulates blood pressure
• Activate vitamin D to maintain healthy bones
• Release the hormone that directs production of red blood cells
• Keep blood minerals (phosphorus, potassium, sodium) in balance 

But sometimes, our kidneys will let us know that we aren’t taking the best care of them in the form of a kidney stone. A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or urinary tract, usually made up of calcium, struvite, uric acid or cystine. Kidney stones do not always present with signs until the stone moves around in the kidney or passes into the ureter. 

Some common signs of kidney stones are:

• Severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs
• Pain that spreads to the lower abdomen and groin
• Pain that comes in waves and fluctuates in intensity
• Pain with urination
• Pink, red or brown urine
• Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
• Nausea and vomiting
• Persistent need to urinate
• Urinating more often than usual
• Fever and chills if an infection is present
• Decreased urine output

Each year, more than half a million people visit emergency rooms for kidney stone problems, and it is expected that 1 in 10 people will have a kidney stone throughout their lifetime. There are several risk factors — both controllable and uncontrollable — that influence kidney stones. Risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease can be controlled with exercise and proper diet. Smoking is another controllable risk factor, which can be eliminated by kicking the habit. 

Some uncontrollable risk factors are family history and being age 60 and older. If you have a history of kidney stones or want to prevent them altogether, some ways to reduce your risk include:

• Drinking water throughout the day
• Limiting foods rich in oxalates, such as rhubarb, beets, okra, spinach, Swiss chard, sweet potatoes, nuts, tea, chocolate and soy products 
• Reducing salt intake 
• Limiting animal protein
• Limiting calcium supplement intake

While kidney stones will often pass on their own, medical attention should be sought if you have:

• Pain so severe you can't sit still or find a comfortable position
• Pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting
• Pain accompanied by fever and chills
• Blood in your urine
• Difficulty passing urine

For more information on overall kidney health and kidney stone prevention, visit the National Kidney Foundation at kidney.org. If you have a kidney stone or are in pain and need fast relief, call Tanner Health System’s 24-hour Kidney Stone Hotline at 770-812-9931. 

West Georgia Urology has practice locations in Carrollton, Villa Rica and Wedowee. For more information visit wgurology.com for call 770-834-6988.