What Are Calcium Oxalate Stones and Crystals?
Calcium oxalate stones & crystals are hard, crystalline mineral formations in the kidney or urinary tract
Urine contains many dissolved minerals and salts. Calcium oxalate kidney stones can form when your urine has high levels of these minerals and salts. Calcium oxalate crystals can start small but can grow larger in size, even filling the inner hollow structures of the kidney.
Calcium Oxalate Crystals in Urine Formation – Some crystals stay in the kidney, and do not cause any problems. Sometimes calcium oxalate crystals can travel down the ureter, the tube between the kidney and the bladder. If the crystal reaches the bladder, it can be passed out of the body in urine. If the crystal becomes lodged in the ureter, it blocks the urine flow from that kidney.
Calcium Oxalate Stones Symptoms – Calcium Oxalate kidney stones usually do not cause symptoms until they move through your kidney or passes into your ureters (the tubes connecting the kidneys and the bladder).
If a calcium oxalate kidney stone becomes lodged in the ureters, it may block urine flow and cause the kidney to swell. This leads to an ureter spasm, which can be very painful.
If that occurs, the symptoms of calcium oxalate crystals in urine may be felt.
- Severe, sharp pain in the side and back, below the ribs
- Pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin
- Pain that comes in waves and fluctuates in intensity
- Pain or burning sensation while urinating
- Pink, red or brown urine
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- Persistent need to urinate
- Urinating more often than usual or urinating in small amounts
- Nausea and vomiting
Fever and chills if an infection is present - Pain caused by a kidney stone may change — for instance, shifting to a different location or increasing in intensity — as the stone moves through your urinary tract.
Click the link to view common symptoms of kidney stones
