Urolithiasis Risk Assessment (General)

Urolithiasis is the medical term for kidney stones. These are hard mineral deposits that form inside your kidneys or urinary tract. They develop when your urine contains too much of certain substances like calcium, oxalate, or uric acid. When these minerals stick together, they create crystals that grow into stones.

Kidney stones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. Many people have stones without knowing it. Others experience severe pain when stones move through the urinary tract. The good news is that you can assess your risk before stones form. Simple lab tests can show if your urine chemistry makes you prone to developing stones.

Understanding your kidney stone risk means you can take steps to prevent them. Your urine pH level is a key marker that tells us what type of stones you might form. This helps you and your doctor create a prevention plan based on your specific chemistry.

• Severe pain in your side, back, or below the ribs
• Pain that comes in waves and changes in intensity
• Pain that spreads to your lower abdomen and groin
• Burning sensation or pain when urinating
• Pink, red, or brown urine indicating blood
• Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
• Nausea and vomiting
• Frequent need to urinate
• Urinating small amounts at a time
• Fever and chills if an infection is present

Many people have no symptoms until a stone starts moving. Small stones may pass without causing pain. Getting tested helps you identify risk before symptoms appear.

Kidney stones form when your urine has high levels of certain minerals and not enough liquid to dilute them. Not drinking enough water is the biggest risk factor. When you are dehydrated, your urine becomes concentrated. This lets crystals form and stick together. Diet plays a major role too. Eating too much salt, animal protein, or foods high in oxalate can increase your risk. Medical conditions like obesity, diabetes, gout, and digestive diseases also raise the chances of stone formation.

Family history matters because kidney stones tend to run in families. If you have had one stone, you have a 50 percent chance of developing another within 10 years. Certain medications and supplements can contribute to stone formation. Living in hot climates where you sweat more can lead to dehydration. Your individual urine chemistry determines which type of stone you are most likely to form.

Diagnosing kidney stone risk starts with urine testing. Checking your urine pH helps predict what type of stones you might develop. Acidic urine with pH below 5.5 creates an environment for uric acid stones. Alkaline urine with pH above 6.5 to 7.0 favors calcium phosphate and struvite stones. This simple test gives you valuable information about your stone risk.

Rite Aid offers urine pH testing as part of our preventive health panel. You can get screened at any Quest Diagnostics location near you. Additional tests may include urine analysis for crystals, minerals, and other stone-forming substances. If you have symptoms of an active stone, your doctor may order imaging tests like CT scans or ultrasounds to locate and measure stones.

• Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water daily to dilute your urine
• Reduce sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day
• Limit animal protein from meat, eggs, and seafood
• Eat calcium-rich foods with meals but avoid calcium supplements unless prescribed
• Reduce oxalate-rich foods like spinach, nuts, and chocolate if you form calcium oxalate stones
• Maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise
• Take medications like potassium citrate to change urine pH when needed
• Use thiazide diuretics to reduce calcium in urine for calcium stone formers
• Take allopurinol to lower uric acid levels if you form uric acid stones
• Work with a dietitian to create a personalized eating plan