Kidney stone complications
Untreated, kidney stones can hazardous to the kidneys and urinary system. Ureters are delicate structures and a blockage can cause irritation and spasms, as well as bleeding and blocked flow of urine.
Some of the main complications which can arise as a result include pyelonephritis (an infection of the kidneys) or other organ tissue damage (this can lead to a reduction in kidney function altogether if left untreated for a prolonged period of time).
Other adverse effects include infection caused by an obstructing kidney stone. Urine that becomes infected is unable to drain and can then lead to an abscess. If this spreads it can lead to sepsis.
Lowering the risk of complications
Kidney stones are not all that uncommon and can be effectively treated without too many serious complications. Risk can also be considerably reduced with careful dietary and medication considerations, especially if a person has other pre-existing health conditions which raise susceptibility (like obesity, inflammatory bowel disease or chronic urinary tract infections).
Lowering risk is a person’s best defense when it comes to keeping the formation of stones at bay. Knowing which compounds a kidney stone that has been passed or removed consisted of, can also go a long way in taking targeted preventative steps, ensuring that new formations do not have much of a chance to develop in future.