To Remember Foods and Drinks Containing Oxalate Overview Kidney stones, one of the most painful of the urologic disorders, are not a product of modern life. An estimated 10 percent of people in the United States will have a kidney stone at some point in their lives.
Men tend to be affected more frequently than women.
Most kidney stones pass out of the body without any intervention by a physician. Stones that cause lasting symptoms or other complications may be treated by various techniques, most of which do not involve major surgery. Also, research advances have led to a better understanding of the many factors that promote stone formation. The Urinary Tract. The urinary tract, or system, consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.