What Are Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stones?
Calcium oxalate stones or crystals are hard, crystalline mineral formations in the kidney or urinary tract. Urine in humans contains many dissolved minerals, salts and other compounds. Calcium oxalate stones can form when your urine has high levels of these minerals and salts. Some calcium oxalate stones can start small but can grow larger in size, even filling the inner hollow structures of the kidney.
Some crystals and stones stay in the kidney, and do not cause any problems. Sometimes calcium oxalate crystals can travel down the ureter, the tube between the kidney and the bladder. If the crystal reaches the bladder, it can be passed out of the body in urine. If the crystal or stone becomes lodged in the ureter, it blocks the urine flow from that kidney.
