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Bladder stones

The bladder is a muscular container, which stores urine. It is responsible for emptying waste products filtered from the kidneys. Waste substances such as calcium and uric acid are not readily soluble, and may crystallize if the composition of the urine changes. Problems arise when these crystals become too large to be flushed out, particularly if they are trapped in the narrow urethra (the tube linking the kidney and bladder).

A tiny stone in the urethra can cause great pain and lead to urinary retention, whilst a much larger stone in the bladder may go undetected for some time. The majority of bladder stones are formed of calcium, which comes from excess salt in the urine. Bladder stones are a common  problem in men, and are most common in people over 45.  If left untreated, bladder stones can irritate the muscles of the bladder wall and lead to incontinence.

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