Kidney Stone Pain
Sharp, wavelike pain as a stone moves through the urinary tract
Quick Facts
- Type: Urinary and pain symptom
- Typical location: Side, back below the ribs, lower abdomen and groin
- Hallmark: Severe pain that comes in waves
- Seek urgent care: Pain with fever, vomiting, or inability to urinate
Overview
Kidney stone pain is the distinctive discomfort that occurs when a hard deposit of minerals and salts, formed inside a kidney, breaks loose and travels through the urinary tract. A stone sitting quietly in the kidney may cause no symptoms at all. The pain usually begins when the stone moves into the narrow tube (the ureter) that carries urine to the bladder, causing a blockage and stretching.
This pain, often called renal colic, is famously severe and comes in waves. People frequently describe it as one of the worst pains they have experienced. While most small stones eventually pass on their own with time and fluids, the symptoms can be intense, and certain warning signs mean you need prompt medical care.
Common Causes
The pain itself is caused by a stone blocking or irritating the urinary tract. Stones form when urine becomes too concentrated, letting minerals crystallize and clump together. Factors that contribute include:
- Not drinking enough fluids: The most common contributor, leaving urine concentrated.
- Diet: High intake of salt, animal protein, or certain oxalate-rich foods can promote some stones.
- Family or personal history: Having had a stone makes another more likely.
- Certain medical conditions: Such as gout, recurrent urinary infections, and some metabolic disorders.
- Obesity and certain medications: Both can raise the risk.
Once a stone has formed, movement and partial blockage of the ureter trigger the sudden, severe pain.
Associated Symptoms
Kidney stone pain typically comes with other urinary and digestive symptoms:
- Pain in the side and back, below the ribs, that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin
- Pain that comes in waves and shifts in intensity
- Pain or burning during urination
- Pink, red, brown, or cloudy urine
- A frequent or urgent need to urinate
- Nausea and vomiting
- Restlessness and inability to find a comfortable position
Fever and chills are not typical of an uncomplicated stone and suggest a urinary infection alongside the stone, which is a medical emergency.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
To confirm a kidney stone and assess its size and location, a doctor may use:
- Imaging: A CT scan is the most accurate test; ultrasound is often used, especially in pregnancy and children.
- Urine tests: To check for blood, crystals, and signs of infection.
- Blood tests: To check kidney function and levels of stone-forming substances such as calcium.
- Stone analysis: If you pass a stone, examining it helps identify its type and prevent future ones.
Treatment & Management
Treatment depends on the size of the stone and the severity of symptoms:
- Fluids: Drinking plenty of water helps flush small stones through.
- Pain relief: Over-the-counter or prescription pain medicines control the discomfort while a stone passes.
- Medications to ease passage: Certain drugs relax the ureter to help a stone move out.
- Procedures for larger stones: Shock wave therapy to break up stones, or minimally invasive procedures to remove or break stones that will not pass.
To prevent future stones, doctors usually recommend drinking more fluids, adjusting diet based on stone type, and treating any underlying condition. Most small stones pass within a few weeks.
Self-Care & Prevention
Once you have had a kidney stone, your risk of forming another is higher, so prevention matters. The most effective steps include:
- Drinking enough fluid, mostly water, to keep your urine pale throughout the day
- Reducing salt, which lowers the amount of calcium in the urine
- Moderating animal protein such as red meat, poultry, and seafood
- Eating enough calcium from food (very low calcium can actually promote some stones)
- Limiting very high-oxalate foods if you form calcium-oxalate stones, as advised
- Maintaining a healthy weight
If you have passed a stone, having it analyzed lets your doctor tailor prevention to your stone type, and sometimes medications are used to reduce recurrence. Treating conditions such as gout and recurrent urinary infections also helps prevent future stones.
When to See a Doctor
See a doctor for severe pain in your side or back that does not let up, blood in your urine, or pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
Seek emergency care right away if you have stone pain together with fever and chills, are unable to pass any urine, have uncontrollable vomiting, or the pain is so severe you cannot sit still or get relief. These can signal a blocked, infected kidney, which is a medical emergency requiring urgent treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does kidney stone pain feel like?
Kidney stone pain is typically a sharp, severe pain in the side and back below the ribs that comes in waves and may spread to the lower abdomen and groin. People often cannot find a comfortable position. It frequently comes with nausea, blood in the urine, and a frequent urge to urinate.
How long does it take to pass a kidney stone?
Small stones often pass on their own within a few days to a few weeks, helped by drinking plenty of fluids. Larger stones may take longer or may not pass at all and can require a procedure. Your doctor can estimate this based on the stone's size and location.
When is a kidney stone an emergency?
Seek emergency care if stone pain comes with fever and chills, you cannot pass any urine, or you have uncontrollable vomiting. These can mean the kidney is blocked and infected, which needs urgent treatment to prevent serious harm.
How can I relieve kidney stone pain at home?
Drinking plenty of water and using over-the-counter pain relievers can help while a small stone passes, and applying heat to the painful area may ease discomfort. However, if the pain is severe, comes with fever or vomiting, or you cannot urinate, you need medical care rather than home treatment.
How can I prevent kidney stones from coming back?
Drinking enough fluid to keep urine pale is the single most effective step. Depending on your stone type, your doctor may advise lowering salt, moderating animal protein, and adjusting certain foods. Treating conditions like gout and following up on stone analysis also help prevent recurrence.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Kidney Stones.
- Mayo Clinic. Kidney stones - Symptoms and causes.
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Kidney stones.
- American Urological Association. Kidney Stones.