A kidney stone may not cause symptoms until it moves around within your kidney or passes into your ureter — the tube connecting the kidney and bladder. At that point, you may experience these signs and symptoms: Severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs. Pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin.
Kidney stone facts
- A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or urinary tract.
- Nephrolithiasis is the medical term for kidney stones.
- One in every 20 people develops kidney stones at some point in their life.
- Kidney stones form when there is a decrease in urine volume and/or an excess of stone-forming substances in the urine.
- Dehydration is a major risk factor for kidney stone formation.
- Symptoms of a kidney stone include flank pain (the pain can be quite severe) and blood in the urine (hematuria).
- People with certain medical conditions, such as gout, and those who take certain medications or supplements are at risk for kidney stones.
- Diet and hereditary factors are also related to stone formation.
- Diagnosis of kidney stones is best accomplished using an ultrasound, intravenous pyleography (IVP), or a CT scan.
- Most kidney stones will pass through the ureter to the bladder on their own with time.
- Treatment includes pain-control medications and, in some cases, medications to facilitate the passage of urine.
- If needed, lithotripsy or surgical techniques may be used for stones which do not pass through the ureter to the bladder on their own.
What are the early signs and symptoms of kidney stones?
While some kidney stones may not produce symptoms (known as “silent” stones), people who have kidney stones often report the sudden onset of excruciating, cramping pain in their low back and/or side, groin, or abdomen. Changes in body position do not relieve this pain. The abdominal, groin, and/or back pain typically waxes and wanes in severity, characteristic of colicky pain (the pain is sometimes referred to as renal colic). It may be so severe that it is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The pain has been described by many as the worst pain of their lives, even worse than the pain of childbirth or broken bones. Kidney stones also characteristically cause bloody urine. If infection is present in the urinary tract along with the stones, there may be fever and chills. Sometimes, symptoms such as difficulty urinating, urinary urgency, penile pain, or testicular pain may occur due to kidney stones.