3. What are the symptoms of a kidney stone?
4. Do all kidney stones cause pain?
5. What causes a kidney stone?
6. Can I take something to dissolve my kidney stone?
8. Was it something I ate/drank?
9. Can I prevent another kidney stone?
10. What are the treatment options for my kidney stone?
11. What are the signs of a kidney stone emergency?
12. How long does it take to form a kidney stone?
13. What is my risk of forming another kidney stone?
14. Am I going to be able to pass my (insert size here) stone?
15. Which surgery should I choose?
19. Why do I have pain after my stent was removed?
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Kidney stones are the formation of crystalline structures in the urinary tract (which includes the kidneys, ureters, and bladder). These stones can cause pain, infection, and kidney damage. Stones can be small, from 1 mm to very large, filling up an entire kidney. For pictures of stones, see our stone gallery.
For patients experiencing their first stone episode, the pain can be so severe and sudden that it stops them in their tracks. Without prior knowledge of what a stone episode feels like, it can be confusing and frightening to go through this amount of discomfort, which is usually described as the worst pain someone has ever experienced. A trip to the emergency room is usually required to make the diagnosis and provide treatment for an active kidney stone. X-rays, usually a CT scan, can be used to confirm that a stone is present.
3. What are the symptoms of passing a kidney stone?
Stone pain is often described as stabbing and extremely severe. Women commonly say that it is worst than having a child. The pain can start in the upper back (flank) and then migrate to the abdomen and groin. Changing positions does not help relieve the pain. The pain of a kidney stone is primarily due to blockage of the urine drainage coming down the small tube called the “ureter” that connects a kidney to the bladder. See a diagram of the urinary system.
It is thought that the increased pressure stretches the kidney and ureter, causing the pain. This is why stone pain can come and go in waves, as the drainage tube is periodically blocked by the stone trying to make its way out. As the stone moves further down the tube, the pain experienced moves down the body. Other symptoms common during a stone episode include seeing blood in the urine, nausea & vomiting, and feeling the urge to urinate. Once a stone is passed and makes it way out of the ureter tube and into the bladder, most patients describe a sensation of instant relief as the blockage and pressure is relieved. However, stones can take from days to weeks to pass. See a diagram of locations where stones typically get obstructed.
4. Do all kidney stones cause pain?
Most doctors feel that kidney stones only cause pain if they are blocking the ureter and trying to pass down towards the bladder. Stones that are not obstructing, such as those located in the kidney’s calyxes, are generally thought to be non-painful. This explains why some patients can have extremely large stones filling up their entire kidney with no or minimal pain.
However, it does appear that some non-obstructing stones can cause pain because of either blockage of small tubular structures in the kidney itself (the collecting tubules) or for other unclear reasons. Supporting this view is a recent medical journal article suggesting that the treatment of small non-obstructing “papillary” stones may provide pain relief. (Gdor et al, Multi-institutional assessment of ureteroscopic laser papillotomy for chronic pain associated with papillary calcifications, J Urol 2011) Additionally, testimonials from many kidney stone patients (including a urologist with a personal history of kidney stones) suggest that some non-obstructing stones can cause pain.
5. What causes a kidney stone?
Kidney stones affect 1 out of 10 people during their lifetimes. They are more common than most people realize. There are many factors that determines whether someone will develop a stone with some being under a person’s control while others are out of their hands.
Common factors influencing kidney stone development:
- Gender: Men are two to three times more likely to form stones
- Race: Caucasians have the highest stone rates as compared to other races
- Age: Stones occur most commonly between the 20s to 50s
- Geography: Those living in hot dry environments are at increased risk. Additionally, those living in the Southeastern United States appear to be at particularly increased risk of forming stones.
- Seasonal climate: Stone development is more common during the summer months due to dehydration from higher summertime temperatures and possibly also from higher concentrations of calcium in urine resulting from increased sun exposure which can lead to higher levels of Vit D production.
- Occupation: Those working in jobs with exposure to climate and dehydration are more prone to stone development.
- Body weight: There are higher rates of stones in those with increased weight and body mass index.
- Genetics and medical conditions: Individuals with a history of some conditions, such as medullary sponge kidney or renal tubular acidosis are prone to forming stones. Those with a personal family history of stones may have two to three times increased risk of forming stones.
- Infections: Chronic urinary tract infections can lead to the development of infection related stones, known as struvite stones.
6. Can I take something to dissolve my kidney stone?
Patients often ask whether something can be taken to dissolve their stones. Unfortunately, the most common stone types (calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate, accounting for 80% of all stones) cannot be dissolved with medications.
However, in patients with uric acid stones, which account for 5-7% of stones, medication (potassium citrate) can be successfully given to dissolve the stones, helping them to pass and preventing them from re-developing.
Patients with the less common cystine type stones (1-3% of stone formers) can also benefit from potassium citrate and water intake to help dissolve their stones. Cystine stone formers additionally can be treated with D-penicillamine or α-mercaptopropionylglycine to help bind and dissolve their stones.
Finally, patients with struvite, or “infection”, stones were in the past more commonly treated with hemiacidrin irrigation solution which is dripped directly onto stones through a tube placed directly into the kidney. However, because of potentially serious side effects from this medication and the difficulty in giving it, this type of therapy is now uncommon.
Learn more about different types of stones.
There are many factors that lead to the development of kidney stones. For details and a visual time-line of the steps in stone formation, see: How do stones form?
8. Was it something I ate/drank?
In most patients, we find diet is not the main reason that caused a stone to form in the first place. Other important factors also play a role in determining whether someone is “prone” to forming stones. In other words, a non-stone-former can eat the exact same diet as a stone-former and never get stones.
That said, diet can play an important role in the prevention of future stones. The three most important dietary factors for most stone formers to modify in reducing their risk of future stones are to increase total fluid intake, decrease sodium intake, and and decrease protein (meat) intake.
Some commonly held beliefs of foods that promote stones including cola, tea, coffee, and calcium intake have not been shown to be true. In fact, research suggests that increasing tea, coffee, and calcium intake can actually reduce stone risk, while cola does not appear to have a significant effect (Curhan et al, Am J of Epidemiology, 1996). See more on kidney stones myths.
9. Can I prevent another kidney stone?
Yes!, there are many effective ways to help prevent another stone. Basic dietary changes can reduce your chances of forming another stone by half while more involved medical treatment can reduce that even further. While these changes may not guarantee that you will not form another stone, they can make it less likely that you will have to experience another painful stone episode. See our stone prevention center to find out more.
10. What are my treatment options for my kidney stone?
Treatment options for stones include allowing a stone to pass by itself, using medications to help pass a stone, and surgery to treat or remove a stone. Our stone treatment center has more information, including videos and diagrams of stone surgeries to help you better understand your options.
11. What are the signs of a kidney stone emergency?
If you think you are passing a stone, signs indicating that you should seek immediate medical attention include:
- Fever above 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit
- Other symptoms of a urinary tract infection with a stone, including burning during urination, cloudy urine, or bad smelling urine
- Persistent nausea and vomiting
- Intolerable pain
- Certain medical conditions can make passing a stone potentially more dangerous, including those with only one kidney, those with diabetes, or those with decreased kidney function
12. How long does it take to form a kidney stone?
It appears that stones can form in as short a period of time as three months. This is based on research of soldiers deploying to Kuwait and Iraq where the mean time to development of a symptomatic stone was 93 days in the hot desert environment. (Evans and Costabile, J Urol, 2005)
13. What is my risk of forming another kidney stone?
In general, the chances of developing another stone is about 40-50% over five years. In other words, 1 out of 2 new stone formers should expect to develop another stone within the next five years. However, there are many effective ways to reduce the chances of recurrence with simple diet changes. See our prevention center for more details.
14. Am I going to be able to pass my (insert size here) stone?
Your likelihood of passing a stone will primarily depend on its size, its location, and how long you have been trying to pass a stone. We go over this in our infographic available here: What are my chances of successfully passing passing my stone?
15. What surgery option should I choose?
There are three common surgeries for stones. These include ureteroscopy, shockwave lithotripsy, and percutaneous nephrolithotripsy. We go over the pros and cons of each here: How do I choose which surgery to have for my kidney stones?
A stent is a flexible hollow tube placed inside the ureter. It allows urine to drain around a stone and helps the ureter heal after surgery. It is entirely inside your body and is not visible from the outside. Stents can cause you to feel like you have to urinate often, can cause minor bleeding, and can cause pain. Find out more about stents here: All about ureteral stents.
17. How is a ureteral stent placed?
Ureteral stents are usually placed in the operating room by your doctor. A flexible wire is slid up the ureter and the stent is slid over the wire. The wire is removed and the stent remains. At each end of the stent are natural “curls” to keep it in place until it is removed or exchanged. See more about stent placement here: How is a ureteral stent placed?
Ureteral stents can be removed in two ways. Most commonly, your doctor will remove the stent by placing a camera into your bladder through your urethra (the tube where urine exits your body). The stent is grasped with an instrument and removed. The second method is used when a string is left attached to the stent. The string, which is visible exiting the urethra, is pulled until the stent comes out. See more about stent removal here: How is a ureteral stent removed?
19. Why do I have pain after my stent was removed?
Some mild amount of discomfort after stent removal is expected. However, in some patients, severe pain may occur for several hours after stent removal. This is thought to be due to spasms of the ureter or swelling and temporary blockage developing after the stent comes out. Not enough is known about this phenomenon but one recent study suggests it may occur in as many as half of patients. In the study, a single dose of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug given 15 minutes before stent removal was highly effective at preventing the severe pain from developing. You can read more about the study here: Severe pain after stent removal: How often does it occur and can anything prevent it?
I have a 2.5cm/2.2cm kidney stone does that need to be operated or shockwaved 39 year old male
I had a 2mm stone pass two years a go, at first assumed it was appendicitis. Just last night I woke up and my balls hurt(lol not really..) and I figured nothing of it. I went to the bath room and my front right side hip started hurting(stomach area). I began to sweat a lot, and then when I looked up in the mirror I realized what was happening. These were all the symptoms from last time. I immediately knew I had to go to the ER before it got worse. Right when they injected the morphine, I was passing the stone to my bladder. I stopped drinking soda a month a go, but was drinking nothing but soda for years. I am wondering if all the soda I have ingested over the years is the main culprit.
I got operation 3 month back but suddenly I got hard pain and meet with doctor he said you have 7mm stone in same place. Is it possible that stone rebuilt 7mm size with in three months…
Just had a stone removed from my ureter yesterday morning. They placed a stent in my urethra. I have not slept due to the pain and the pain medication does not even touch it. Could there be an infection this soon after surgery? Its only been 21 hours.
Hello. This is more of a question then a comment. I have my first kidney stone.. I am a 39 yr old female . Three weeks ago I went into the emergency room with right flank pain and nausea – they did a CT scan and said I had a 2 mm kidney stone in the bladder or near the bladder. The pain has come and gone in intensity, over all I’ve now had three trips to the ER just for nausea medication and pain medication. Now three weeks later I’m in the worst pain I have been in and the last time I was at the hospital the doctor was very dismissive and said because it was 2 mm I would’ve passed it in a few days. The urologist here is so overbooked that they still haven’t called me for a follow up. Is it possible with only a 2 mm stone that was in the bladder or near the bladder three weeks ago to still be here? I am in excruciating pain and don’t want to make a fourth trip to the ER as he treats it like I’m seeking pain medication almost. Any help would be appreciated thank you. three weeks later he treats it like I’m seeking pain medication almost. Any help would be appreciated thank you.
Sometimes the pain is not just from a stone but from infection it may have caused. Normally a stone that has made it to the bladder can pass quickly. Once it is in the bladder the pain should ease until it actually comes out. Sometimes a stone gets stuck and it sits and rotates just outside the bladder causing the pain and nausea even though it’s small. Then it will stop moving and the pain goes away. Only to come back again. So yes. It can take a while. Your ER doc should know that any stone with pain that long should be removed or they should give medicine to help you pass it. I passed 2 at home with pain meds, anti nausea med and antibiotics. My doc also used a medicine that increases urine flow to push it out. You also could ask your primary family doctor to get involved and get another Urologist opinion and X-ray with dye to see exactly where the stone is and the size. Hopefully by now it is out. You have suffered so long. I passed a few before and had a few blasted. I just had one pass at home this weekend. Not fun.
They put a stent in me about 24 hours ago. They also promised that it would be less painful than my stone was but it’s even more painful now. They also ignored that I was inpain insisting that I was just uncomfortable. When they remove it which they also claim won’t be painful…how much pain should I actually expect seeing as how I’ve already been lied to when they told me that I’d barely notice the stent and feel much better (still has yet to feel even slightly better) and there’s a lot of blood coming out too. I shouldn’t have gotten this surgery I’m in agony andnthe hospital just seems to think I’m being a drama queen.
Stents do hurt and I have had many of them after surgery. I assume the surgery was to blast the stone. They always put in a stent for 7 days to pass the stone in pieces. You do bleed while they are in. Most people don’t get past 5 – 7 days because they are painful. I laid down or stood up because sitting or bending made the pain worse. Usually they can take them out at the doctors office and it is very quick and not really painful. The relief is pretty instant. A little cramps after was nothing for me. Don’t regret the surgery. Stones and infection from them blocking urine can cause serious illness so you did the right thing. Hopefully yours is out now.
Hello,
I passed a 2.5mm stone several years ago. It was extremely painful, worse than labor! Had to go to ER twice. Then I went to urologist and gave him a stone, so they would check the consistency. They lost it!
Then I changed the doctor and after checking my kidneys with an ultrasound, I was told, that there is zero stone in my kidneys. Exactly a year later, I go to the same doctor and after checking my kidneys again, I was told, that I have a 6mm stone.
So my question is – is it possible to develop 6mm stone within a year?
Thank you.
Yes it is, I had a procedure done in January of 2016 and all stones were gone, come October of 2016 I was in pain again,go back and had a 15mm stone and had to do another procedure. So in 10 months a 15 mm stone grew. Here it is July 2017 in more pain, Debating on calling my urologist or not.
Ive had stones since I was 20 years old and found out it was the size of a quarter. Had lipotripsy done to blast it. I would choose childbirth any day. In 37 and still dealing with them. Very painful
Thanks for scaring me! I have 3 kids and last 2 were natural births. If you say you choose child birth! What hurts? The procedure? Or suffering with stone?
Thanks Mac, that was exactly the information I was looking for.
Also pain, sometimes excruciating, results from a stone with jagged edges or sea urchin-like shapes when it travels or gets stuck. They can tear and rip their way down the tract.
Hello, my daughter is 41 years old and was diagnosed about 20 years ago in South America with Kidney Stones. She sometimes has attacks several times a year and immediately goes to the Emergency room. This has been occurring for the last 20 years. They never find anything stone, and quickly dismisses as,”Oh she must of passed the stone in her urine already.” I’ve noticed a pattern, that when she under stress these kidney stones attacks occur. I literally knew exactly when it would happen which was last night; I told my youngest child, I bet she’ll have an attack; and she did. Doctors at these different Emergency rooms have informed her that she needs to watch her calcium intake her diet( I say different emergency rooms, because she is wife of a military man and they’re continuously moving around the country).
I see you recommend to be careful with the calcium intake diet. Which she has.
So my questions are: Can Kidney Stones be caused by Stress?
Should she see a primary physician doctor or a specialist once a year of more? Should she be taking medicine, or some kind of other treatment to avoid these painful attacks?
Should she seek to have MRI’s or other scan tests?
Can they test her urine to see if indeed there was a Kidney stone after the attack? (because, the Hospitals never find a stone)
Could this be lower back pain instead or something else?
I would so appreciate your medical advise. Thank You
In the name there is complaint
can a stone that has been IN my kidney for years cause future problems? I’ve been told that I have had a stone in my kidney and I suffer from constant pain, stones, UTI’s. Can this all be from the stone that I’ve been told is in my kidney?
Yes having a stone embedded in your kidney can cause infection which can cause tissue death and subsequent lack of kidney function. My daughter is having her embedded stone surgically removed today after having several infections, lots of flank pain, and a scan showing that her kidney is dying in the area where stone is located.
I got a stone removed 3 yrs back through lithotripsy. Yesterday while bathing when I bent down I experienced sudden unbearable pain in exactly the same area where kidney is there. What are the chances that it is kidney stone pain.
My husband has a 8 mil kidney stone and was hospitalized a year ago for it.
They put in a stent and since he has been troubled with many UTI .
He was hospitalized last week because the stent had shifted and was blocking the urine.
He also has a Pacemaker.
Now they are saying they can’t see the kidney stone and think it has broken it’s self up.
They have sent him home with an antibiotic that he’s taken before that didn’t work.
They said to make an appointment to follow up with the new Urologist ( his other retired) that is a DO.
My understanding is that a stent left in longer than 3 months can definitely start causing problems. If we’re me I would get 2 opinions as to what the current state is by getting a Ct scan of kidney/ureters/bladder and get the doctor’s recommendations on what options and recommendations are. But bottom line seems like the stent needs to come out regardless.
Will there be any muscular pain after a stone passes away? If so how many days?
No pain, usually complete immediate relief. With large stones you might have a small amount of blood in the urine for a day, drink lots of water and cranberry juice. Any large amount of blood call Doctor right away.
I had 3 days of major pain and went to the ER. I have a 4mm stone. I have now been pain free for 1.5 days. I’ve been straining my urine but have not found any residue. Is this normal or can I expect the hellish pain a lot of people mention?
What is probability of stones in left kidney after having them in right kidney? Or do they just form in one kidney? My doctor just shrugged his shoulders when I asked him. The stint was horrible. I had one for an entire month that dislodged and started coming out by itself causing me to loose all bladder control.
I just had a 3.5 mm stone. It was stuck and causing unbearable pain for 5 days. In my attempt to stay busy while not being able to sleep in found a herbal remedy called Chanca piedra. I took 4 pills over the next 2 days and passed the stone as sand. Chanca Piedra is translated from Spanish as stone breaker and it lived up to its name. Why is there no mention of this miracle cure here?
What happens if you have sex
I have pain upper left pain below the rib than shifts to right could it be kidney stone s?
Yes yes yes!!! I’m dealing with a 12mm stone (staghorn) right now, and the pain is crazy bad when it starts up! And THAT’S EXACTLY where it is! Just found it by CT scan a week ago, sorting out surgeon right now. Thankfully mines not blocking outright, just hurts like mad!!
I am 35 yrs old and have had only one kidney stone before this one. I was wondering if anyone could tell me why a 10mm stone is not an issue since it is up high in the kidney as a nurse practitioner told me. Even though I am in severe pain, she told me its not a problem as of yet.
See a urologist ASAP! A stone that large could potentially be blocking the upper pole of your kidney and preventing it from draining properly. Did your CT scan or ultrasound show any hydronephrosis?? Such a blockage could easily lead to infection and which in itself runs the risk of your stone growing much larger very quickly. Your pain alone is an indicator of a problem!
Please don’t wait. I waited the pain unbearable. I finally went to er. They admitted me. They put stent in. I was in ICU went into cardiac arrest 4 times. The stone. , two very small caused sepsi which spread throughout my. Body. I had stent removed was OK. That was two weeks ago. Now I’m having severe back sides pain on left and right. Debating what to do
I think you should see another urologist and get a second opinion because That happened to me almost 3 years ago, except I have bilateral stones! I went in with right side flank pain and they and that’s when they found the stones way up in the kidneys, and said they couldn’t be what’s causing my pain and aren’t causing problems yet. My pain would come and go at first and about a year ago it never went away, So severe pain worse with movement. They’ve found blood, protien, leukocytes, and inflammation in my urine and it’s all because of this huge stone on my right side. My kidney function rate has even dropped, it’s still within normal range but the fact that it’s dropping indicates kidney damage. It’s causing issues now and has moved into my renal pelvis. There’s scheduling me for surgery. This post was a while ago, do you have an update?
hi i am sushareddy my age 21 i have a kidney stones 4.7 mm stone for 1 year back ill take madicine it will be fine but now again i have a back pain for right side but i have kidney stones in left side can u plese suggest me
Get a script for potassium citrate 10 meq tab n wit D3 also take every day.urolagest won’t tell u this. It would put them out of bussiness. If you go online to Vitacost u can get it threw them. Drink as much water as u do caffeine drinks. I was in emergency room once a year for 4 yrs. 7 yrs now n no emergency room visits. Learn to like lemon aid. Or lemon in our water. Use non dairy creamer in coffee.cut back on cheeses seafood from shells too much ice tea is bad n ice cream
My daughter has had kidney stones for about 4 to 6 yrs. She’s hospitalized @ least 10 times a yr in hospital. She has passed up to 7 stones in 3 days in hospital. My concern is her left kidney is worse then the right one can anyone tell me or give me advise what to do for my daughter. Im tired of seeing her suffer so nuch & with 4 kids & her husband at work worries me her home alone what can happen. Any advise is needed Please Thank You.
I have had stones for over 10 years, (I pass 1mm stones or sand almost daily- I use a screen to track) but have been only hospitalized once.
My solution is in the morning I drink Braggs Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar, “Mother” as it is called. Available in most health food stores. 2 ounces diluted with at least 6 ounces of water. Hard to get used to the taste, but you will after awhile. My doctor says this makes the kidneys contract, which breaks off stones (keeps them from getting bigger) and sends them to pass.
Later in the day (the effects of the vinegar can be offset by lemonade) I drink several large glasses of pure lemonade juice with pulp (not lemonade drinks!!!)
Lemonade helps pass stones.
Also drink a least a gallon of water a day minimum.
You should be drinking enough that your urine is not yellow or cloudy.
I DO NOT drink ice tea or coffee anymore, for myself I saw direct correlation with forming stones. I only drink a minimal amount of soft drinks, no energy drinks, not even a can a day. I rarely drink alcohol anymore since it does no good for my kidneys either.
You must also jog, walk or exercise – move the stones. Sitting on a couch will not move stones or keep stones from forming.
If I feel pain of a large stone in my kidney, I immediately increase everything I have mentioned, as well as jogging or walking as much as it hurts, the idea is that if the stone is blocking (thus the pain) you must work to MOVE the stone.
Hope this helps, good luck, Greg
You are right!! Is did same process to pass the stone..! When u get pain drink lot of water and walk as much u can until it pass!! I am taking potassium Citrate and citric acid oral solution USP daily 3 times.!
I really want to know why the kidney stone pain comes and completely goes, without passing the stone. What actually causes the pain. Why does it come in waves, sometimes days apart?
The pain is caused by the stone moving through your urinary tract.
Usually, yes. But not always. My stone is 5 cm ( yes cm not mm) and cannot possibly move through the ureter. Definitely still painful, however.
The pain comes when the stone gets impeded in its way out of the body. For example, I had a 2.5mm stone four years ago and I had flank pain that got better for a while but then got severely worse. I figure the pain started when the stone passed from the kidney to the ureter and in the ureter there was enough room for it to move. When I got to urgent care and they did an ultrasound when I was at peak pain level, it was because the stone was stuck where the ureter enters the bladder. Once the stone passes to the bladder, it wouldn’t hurt again until it starts to pass through the urethra to leave the body.
Thanks Mac, that was exactly the information I was hoping to confirm.