A disorder of any kind is bound to cause a tremendous amount of unease to the person afflicted by it. No matter how trivial or serious your ailment is, questions are going to pop up. Kidney disorders are a wide-spread phenomenon and can affect anyone and everyone and there are plenty of questions that are raised if you are suffering from the most common kidney disorder”kidney stones.
If you are either afflicted with kidney stones or are susceptible to it, the following questions are going to pop up in your mind. In order to put your queries to rest and burst some myths about kidney stones, here’s a list of FAQs on kidney stones that would put you at ease.

1. What are kidney stones?
Kidney stones are crystallized formations of calcium compounds, mostly calcium oxalate. These stone-like formations get lodged in the urinary tract which comprises of the kidneys, uterus, and bladder. These kidney stones can be quite small, like 1mm, or can be very large as well. Kidney stones cause excruciating pain when a person pees since it poses a hurdle in the normal flow of urine.

2. How can I diagnose myself with a kidney stone?
If you experience severe pain while passing urine, then the chances are high that you might suffer from kidney stones. These stones obstruct the normal functioning of the kidney and cause great discomfort. A visit to the emergency room or the doctor, who would advise you to undergo certain scans and tests would reveal whether you have kidney stones or not.

3. Are kidney stones very painful?
It is a common belief that you experience pain only when the kidney stone is blocking the passage of your urine. However, irrespective of whether the stones are blocking your urinary tract or not, it is advisable to have them treated.

4. How to dissolve kidney stones?
Kidney stones are of different types and not every kidney stone can be dissolved. However, if your doctor confirms that your kidney stones are made up of uric acid, which forms around 5% to 7% of the kidney stone, then kidney stones can be dissolved. Potassium citrate serves as the best medication to help dissolve these kidney stones.

5. Are there any kidney stone home remedies?
Yes, there are certain home remedies to treat kidney stones. Lemon juice, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, kidney beans, pomegranate juice, etc. are believed to help reduce kidney stone symptoms effectively.

These are some of the common questions that almost everyone ponders on when they are diagnosed with kidney stones. Kidney stones, though are a serious matter, can be treated effectively.