What I Need to Know about Kidney Stones
When should I call a doctor?
You should call a doctor when you have
These may be signs of a kidney stone that needs a doctor's care. [Top] What do my kidneys do? Your kidneys are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They are located near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. The kidneys are sophisticated trash collectors. Every day, your kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The waste and extra water become urine, which flows to your bladder through tubes called ureters (YOOR-uh-turs). Your bladder (BLAD-ur) stores urine until you go to the bathroom.
The wastes in your blood come from the normal breakdown of active muscle and from the food you eat. Your body uses the food for energy and self-repair. After your body has taken what it needs from the food, waste is sent to the blood. If your kidneys did not remove these wastes, the wastes would build up in the blood and damage your body. In addition to removing wastes, your kidneys help control blood pressure. They also help to make red blood cells and keep your bones strong. [Top] What is a kidney stone? A kidney stone is a solid piece of material that forms in the kidney out of substances in the urine. A stone may stay in the kidney or break loose and travel down the urinary tract. A small stone may pass all the way out of the body without causing too much pain. A larger stone may get stuck in a ureter, the bladder, or the urethra. A problem stone can block the flow of urine and cause great pain. [Top] | |||||||
Resource Directory
United States
American Foundation for Urologic Disease
1000 Corporate Boulevard, Suite 410
Linthicum, MD 21090
Phone: 1–800–828–7866
or 410–689–3990
Fax: 410–689–3998
Email: admin@afud.org
Internet: www.afud.org
American Kidney Fund
6110 Executive Blvd., Suite 1010
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 800-638-8299
Email: helpline@kidneyfund.org
Internet: www.kidneyfund.org
American Urological Association
1000 Corporate Boulevard
Linthicum, MD 21090
Phone: 866-746-4282 or
410-689-3700
Email: aua@auanet.org
Internet: www.urologyhealth.org
Kidney & Urology Foundation of America, Inc.
1250 Broadway, Suite 2001
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212.629.9770 or
1.800.633.6628
Fax: 212.629.5652
Email: info@kidneyurology.org
Internet: www.kidneyurology.org
Kidney & Urology Foundation of America, Inc.
1250 Broadway, Suite 2001
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212.629.9770 or
1.800.633.6628
Fax 212.629.5652
Email: info@kidneyurology.org
Internet: www.kidneyurology.org
National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Disease of the National Institute of Health
Building 31, Room 9A04
31 Center Drive MSC-2560
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: 301-496-3583
Email: nkudic@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: www.niddk.nih.gov
National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
3 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892–3580
Phone: 1–800–891–5390
Fax: 703–738–4929
Email: nkudic@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: www.niddk.nih.gov/
National Kidney Foundation
30 East 33rd Street
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 1-800-622-9010
or 212-889-2210
Fax: 212-689-9261
Email: info@kidney.org
Internet: www.kidney.org
Oxalosis and Hyperoxaluria Foundation (OHF)
201 E. 19th Street, #12E
New York, NY 10003
Phone: 1–800–OHF–8699
or 212–777–0470
Fax: 212–777–0471
Email: execdirector@ohf.org
Internet: www.ohf.org
Canada
The Kidney Foundation of Canada
Northern Alberta & the Territories Branch
101 - 10642 - 178 Street
Edmonton AB Canada T5S 1H4
(780) 451-6900 or
1-800-461-9063
Fax: (780) 451-7592
Internet: www.kidney.ab.ca
United Kingdom
National Kidney Research Fund UK
Registered Office
Kings Chambers
Priestgate, Peterborough PE1 1FG
Phone: 0845 070 7601
Email: info@kidneyresearchuk.org
Internet: www.nkrf.org.uk
UK National Kidney Federation
6 Stanley Street,
Worksop,
England S81 7HX
Phone: (01909) 487795
Fax: (01909) 481723
Email: info@@kidney.org.uk
Internet: www.kidney.org.uk
Europe
Irish Kidney Association
Donor House
Block 43A
Parkwest
Dublin 12.
Phone: +353-1-668 9788 or
+353-1-668 9789
Fax: +353-1-668 3820
Internet: www.ika.ie
Australia
Kidney Health Australia
GPO Box 9993 Melbourne Vic 3001
Phone:(03) 9674 4300
Fax:(03) 9686 7289
Email: info@kidney.org.au
Internet: www.kidney.org.au
Asia
World Kidney Fund
National Kidney Foundation Singapore
81 Kim Keat Road
Singapore 328836
Telephone: +65 6251 7555
Fax: +65 6299 3164
Email: wkf@nkfs.org
Internet: www.worldkidneyfund.org
Africa
Renal Care Society of South Africa
Department of Internal Medicine
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Stellenbosch
PO Box 19063
Tygerberg 7505
Phone: +27 21 9389044
Fax: +27 21 9317810
E-mail: Internal Medicine Department