The kidney is an important organ in the human body. It filters waste and toxic matter from the blood and converts that into the urine. The gallbladder is an organ that is closely related to the liver’s functioning. It acts as a reservoir and stores the bile secreted by the liver which is then sent to the small intestine to help digestion of the food. A kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals from the minerals calcium, oxalate, and uric acid. Gallstones are hard, pebble-like cholesterol or pigment deposits that form inside the gallbladder. They can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. There can be one or more stones in the kidney or gallbladder at the same time.

Kidney stones form in the urinary tract. They travel through the ureters and block the flow of urine. Gallstones form in the gallbladder and block the flow of bile into the digestive tract. Kidney stones are made of crystals of calcium, phosphate, oxalate, and uric acid. Gall stones are made up of cholesterol, bile salts, and bilirubin. With kidney stones, sharp or intense pain is felt in the sides and lower half of the backside as well as radiating pain in the lower abdomen or groin area. With gallstones, sharp or intense pain is felt in the upper right and center of the abdomen.

Pain due to kidney stones comes in waves, instead of being present all the time. Further, there can be hematuria or blood in the urine. Gallstones can cause jaundice which manifests as yellowish skin and whites of the eyes. Kidney stones are more prevalent in men over 40, than in women. A person with one stone has a 50 percent chance of developing another over the next 10 years. Hispanic or Native American women over the age of 40 with diabetes, obesity or rapid weight loss are most likely to have gallstones.