Kidney Stones

Kidney stone disease, also called urinary stone disease, occurs when an excess of certain minerals in the urine, combined with insufficient fluid intake, causes tiny crystals to aggregate into hard masses known as stones. These stones typically form in the kidney and, if small enough, can pass out of the body through the urinary tract on their own; larger stones can cause significant pain or blockage as they attempt to pass. The condition reflects an imbalance between the minerals present in urine and the amount of liquid available to keep them dissolved.