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Kidney stones refer to the condition in which stones are formed in your kidneys. Stones are complex substances made up of minerals and salts. A kidney stone is also called renal calculus, and this condition is also referred to as nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis. Since the function of the kidneys is the filtration of the blood and production of urine, sometimes, during the process, large amounts of minerals like calcium, uric acid, oxalates get accumulated in the urine resulting in the formation of stones. These stones start as small but can grow larger and travel down the ureters up to the bladder and urethra. These stones obstruct the flow of urine, and so cause damage to the urinary tract and pain. They are treated with medications that cause the expulsion of the stone. If the stone doesn’t make its way out of the urethra, surgery or lithotripsy may be needed.
The urinary tract includes a pair of kidneys and ureters (tubes that carry urine from kidneys to the bladder), a urinary bladder, and a urethra (a small box that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body).