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Urinary Bladder Stones
By peace | December 20, 2006
Picture of The male urinary system
Picture of The female urinary system
The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra. Bladder stones are crystalline masses of minerals and proteins that form in the urinary bladder. These types of stones are much less common than kidney stones.
Bladder stones can form anywhere in the urinary system before depositing in the bladder. The most common types contain calcium salts. Stones are usually between 0.2cm and 2cm, but may be smaller or much larger. They begin as tiny grains(about the size of a grain of sand). These stones can block the flow of urine and cause severe pain above the groin and difficulty in urination. If they scratch the bladder wall, they may lead to bleeding or infection. Blood may be visible or in trace amounts that a test may detect.
Causes Of Bladder Stones
While the exact causes of the formation of bladder stones are not completely understood, bladder stones usually occur because of urinary tract infection (UTI), obstruction of the urinary tract, enlargement of the prostate gland in men, or the presence of foreign bodies in the urinary tract. Diet and the amount of fluid intake also appear to be important factors in the development of bladder stones. Stones seem to be more common in hot climates and during summer months. They are more common in the southeastern U.S. This may be because hot weather leads to body fluid loss. It may also be due to regional diet. Stones are more common in men, but rare in children and African Americans. People with gout can have stones made from uric acid. Bladder stones are rarely seen in children or in African Americans. People with gout may develop bladder stones composed almost entirely of uric acid.
Risk factors for bladder stones
Men are three times more likely to develop bladder stones than women. The chances of stones forming increases with age. Most people are over 45 when the stones are discovered.
- being male
- increasing age
- poor fluid intake
- incomplete emptying of the bladder
- recurrent urine infections
- medical conditions, for example, gout.
Anything that causes urine to stagnate in the bladder creates the potential for stones to form because the waste products won’t be removed as they normally would. This may arise because the bladder isn’t emptying completely, for example, because of prostate gland enlargement. People who develop recurrent urine infections are also more likely to develop bladder stones. In any medical condition where the levels of waste products are higher, for example, when someone has gout, the likelihood of stones forming is also increased.
Symptoms Of Bladder Stones
Bladder stones may not cause any symptoms at all. This is often the case when stones are small and manage to pass unhindered in the urine out of the body. However, if the stone is too large and has difficulty being passed it may cause a variety of symptoms.
The symptoms of bladder stones may become evident when the wall of the bladder is scratched or when the urinary tract becomes obstructed by the stone. These symptoms include:
- abnormally dark colored urine
- blood in the urine
- difficulty urinating
- frequent urge to urinate
- lower abdominal pain
- pain or discomfort in the penis
When irritating the bladder, a stone may also cause urge incontinence, also known as irritable bladder. And if it blocks the exit of urine from the bladder, like a bath plug, it causes the painful condition of urine retention. Some people with bladder stones also may experience an inability to control urination (urinary incontinence).
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