Very large stones may requireopen surgery.
Without treatment, severe cases can lead to infection or bladder damage.
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What Causes Bladder Stones?
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Bladder stones usually develop when you cannot completely empty your bladder of urine.
When this happens, minerals and other compounds in urine can start to stick together and form crystals.
Over time, the crystals can enlarge and harden into stones (calculi).
you’re able to have one or many stones of different sizes and shapes.
Examples include:
Bladder Stone Symptoms
Bladder stones don’t always cause symptoms.
The diagnosis of bladder stones starts with a review of your symptoms, medical history, and diet.
Many smaller bladder stones will pass on their own without medical intervention.
Bladder stones usually pass faster than kidney stones because they are farther down in theurinary system.
What Happens If the Stone Wont Pass?
In some cases, the bladder can become permanently damaged.
Treatment options include:
Whos Likely to Get Bladder Stones?
Certain people are at greater risk of bladder stones than others.
Common factors contributing to bladder stones include:
Can I Prevent Bladder Stones?
Causes of this include an enlarged prostate, bladder obstruction, bladder prolapse, and neurogenic bladder.
Chronic dehydration, a high-purine diet, and long-term catheter use can also contribute.
Bladder stones don’t always cause symptoms.
Bladder stones can be diagnosed with urine tests and imaging studies and may or may not require treatment.
National Health Service (UK).Bladder stones.
2015;4(3):137-152. doi:10.7762/cnr.2015.4.3.137
