Kidney stones are hard mass deposits that form in the kidney or ureter. They are made up of tiny crystalline minerals and acid salts that settle out of the urine and stick together. They could vary in size and texture and can usually go unnoticed until they cause a blockage. This can then cause excruciating pain as they make their way into the ureter (the urine carrying tubes that connect the kidneys and the bladder). Symptoms of Kidney Stones: Generally, stones go unnoticed until they begin to move to the ureter and block the urine flow, causing severe pain. Here are a few symptoms: severe pain in the groin and/or side blood in urine vomiting and nausea white blood cells or pus in the urine reduced amount of urine excreted burning sensation during urination persistent urge to urinate fever and chills if there is an infection Causes of kidney stones: A cause of kidney stones is a lack of water in the body. Stones are more commonly found in individuals who drink less than the recommended eight to ten glasses of water a day. When there is not enough water to dilute the uric acid, a component of urine, the urine becomes more acidic. An excessively acidic environment in