A nurse is providing education to a client about renal calculi. The client asks, "What are renal calculi?" What is the nurse's best response?

A. Uric acid stones may cause pain, but they do not typically present with costovertebral angle tenderness. Uric acid stones are more likely to be associated with gout and hyperuricemia.

B. Calcium oxalate stones are common and can cause pain, but they do not typically cause costovertebral angle tenderness. They are more likely to cause localized pain in the back or side.

C. This is the correct answer. Struvite stones, also known as infection stones, can cause severe pain that radiates to the back and lower abdomen. They are often associated with urinary tract infections, and the presence of an infection can lead to costovertebral angle tenderness.

D. Cystine stones are rare and are more likely to cause chronic, dull pain rather than sudden and severe pain with tenderness.

A. Alpha-blockers do not directly reduce inflammation in the urinary tract. They primarily work by relaxing the smooth muscle of the ureters, which can help ease the passage of kidney stones through the urinary tract.

B. Alpha-blockers do not dissolve kidney stones. They assist with stone passage by relaxing the ureters.

C. This is the correct answer. Alpha-blockers are prescribed to relax the smooth muscle of the ureters, allowing the stone to pass more easily through the urinary tract.

D. Alpha-blockers do not have a direct effect on preventing bacterial growth in the urinary tract. They are not antibiotics.