What Causes Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones are deposits of minerals and salts that form in the kidneys and along the urinary tract. They develop when the patient has a decrease in urinary volume or an increase in substances that form the stones. Approximately one in every twenty individuals will develop a kidney stone at some point during their lives, and risk factors for these stones include dehydration, obesity, and diet. Kidney stones can be made of calcium oxalate, uric acid, struvite, or cystine. Patients have reported nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, and blood in the urine with kidney stones.