Stages of Kidney Stone Formation: A Step-by-Step Breakdown

How Long Does it Take a Kidney Stone to Form?

Have you ever wondered how those tiny yet pesky kidney stones form? Let me break it down for you. Kidney stones are hard, pebble-like pieces that form in the kidneys when certain substances in the urine, like calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, and uric acid, become too concentrated. Normally, these substances are present in urine, and they are dissolved and flushed out. When the levels of minerals like calcium, oxalate, uric acid, or cystine in the urine get too high, they can’t stay dissolved and start sticking to each other to form tiny crystals. These tiny crystals act as seeds, and they start to grow as more minerals stick to them. The tiny crystals stick together to form larger particles. Factors like urine acidity and the presence of other substances can influence how easily this happens. The growing crystals need to stay in the kidney to continue forming stones. They can stick to the kidney’s inner surface or existing deposits like calcium plaques. When urine is unable to flush them out, these crystals can grow. 

Over time, the crystals can clump together and get bigger, turning into stones. If the stone stays small, it might pass out of your body without you even knowing. But if it gets bigger, it can block the flow of urine and cause pain, especially when it tries to move through when you urinate.

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