Staying Well

While your kidney stones may be small and pass unnoticed via the urinary tract, they may also cause extreme pain.Kidney stones are comprised of a compound called calcium oxalate, the result of an accumulation of dissolved minerals on the inner lining of your kidneys. These deposits can grow to the size of a golf ball while maintaining a sharp, crystalline structure.While your kidney stones may be small and pass unnoticed out of the urinary tract, they may also cause extreme pain upon exiting.According to the National Kidney Foundation, one in ten Americans will have a kidney stone during his or her lifetime. In fact, more than half a million people visit emergency rooms for kidney stone problems annually.If you have digestive problems, diabetes, other health hazards, or a family history of kidney stones, you are at a higher risk of developing kidney stones at some point in your life.How do you know if you have a kidney stone?Kidney stone pain is excruciating. If you're experiencing shooting pains in your back