Signs You May Have Kidney Stones
Publish Date: 06/23/2020
By Kristin Baldea, MD, Urology
Kidney stones are hardened deposits of minerals, salts and other natural substances that develop inside the kidneys.
Kidney stones develop when minerals that are filtered by the kidneys become concentrated. The minerals collect inside your kidneys where urine is formed.
Over time, these minerals can form stones that be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball.
At first, kidney stones usually dont cause symptoms, especially if they arent moving inside the kidney.
However, once they pass into the ureter , you may notice several symptoms.
This happens because the stone can block the flow of urine from the kidney to the bladder.
Below are some of the most common signs of kidney stones to look out for:
Severe Pain
Pain is the number one indicator of a kidney stone. This discomfort is caused when the kidney stone is moving around the kidney or through the ureters.
Such pain may take several forms, including:
- Pain in the groin or lower abdomen
- Pain that comes and goes in severity
- Pain while urinating
- Sharp pain along your side and back, usually just below your ribs
Because pain in your abdomen is a symptom associated with many conditions, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor if you are experiencing this type of pain so they can give you a better diagnosis.
You will especially want to see your doctor if the pain prevents you from sitting down, causes vomiting or makes you feel feverish.
Prevention
Dietary Calcium And Kidney Stones
Only lower your calcium intake below that of a normal diet if instructed by your doctor. Decreased calcium intake is only necessary in some cases where absorption of calcium from the bowel is high.
A low-calcium diet has not been shown to be useful in preventing the recurrence of kidney stones and may worsen the problem of weak bones. People with calcium-containing stones may be at greater risk of developing weak bones and osteoporosis. Discuss this risk with your doctor.
Kidney Stones Are Common For Men And Women
Kidney stones are caused by a crystallization of various substances in your urine, usually calcium. They can be as small as a pebble, or as large as a walnut. Its important to recognize symptoms in order to know when to seek help for kidney stones. When stones are small and able to pass on their own, an appointment with a urologist may be all that is needed. However, if they are large and will not pass, this may require emergency assistance.
Recommended Reading: Does Aleve Hurt Your Kidneys
Kidney Pain Vs Back Pain
Its easy to confuse kidney pain for just back pain. How do you know the difference?
Location. It could be your kidney and not your back if you feel it higher on your back. Back problems usually affect your lower back.
Kidney pain is felt higher and deeper in your body than back pain. You may feel it in the upper half of your back, not the lower part. Unlike back discomfort, its felt on one or both sides, usually under your rib cage.
Its often constant. It probably wont go away when you shift your body. With your back, it might lessen when you adjust your position.
Signs that its your back
Back pain:
- Shoots down one leg
- Is more likely to be stabbing than dull and constant
- Gets worse or flares up when you do certain activities, like lifting a box or bending over
- When you rest or lie down, back pain may ease up
- Might also be muscle aches
Other symptoms to watch for
Depending on the cause of the pain, you could have other symptoms too. If you have these signs, contact your doctor. You could have a serious kidney problem:
- Fever
Cleveland Clinic: ââ¬ÅKidney Pain,ââ¬ï¿½ ââ¬ÅKidney Pain: Care and Treatment.ââ¬ï¿½Ã
Mayo Clinic: ââ¬ÅKidney Pain,ââ¬ï¿½ ââ¬ÅKidney Stones,ââ¬ï¿½ ââ¬ÅKidney Cysts,ââ¬ï¿½ ââ¬ÅPolycystic Kidney Disease,ââ¬ï¿½ ââ¬ÅBack Pain,ââ¬ï¿½ ââ¬ÅHydronephrosis.ââ¬ï¿½
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: ââ¬ÅYour Kidneys & How They Work.ââ¬ï¿½
You May Like: Seltzer Kidney Stones
What Does A Ct Scan Of The Kidneys Show
CT scans of the kidneys are useful in the examination of one or both of the kidneys to detect conditions such as tumors or other lesions, obstructive conditions, such as kidney stones, congenital anomalies, polycystic kidney disease, accumulation of fluid around the kidneys, and the location of abscesses.
Recommended Reading: Can Kidney Stones Raise Blood Sugar
Treatment For Kidney Stones
Most kidney stones can be treated without surgery. Ninety per cent of stones pass by themselves within three to six weeks. In this situation, the only treatment required is pain relief. However, pain can be so severe that hospital admission and very strong pain-relieving medication may be needed. Always seek immediate medical attention if you are suffering strong pain.
Small stones in the kidney do not usually cause problems, so there is often no need to remove them. A doctor specialising in the treatment of kidney stones is the best person to advise you on treatment.
If a stone doesnt pass and blocks urine flow or causes bleeding or an infection, then it may need to be removed. New surgical techniques have reduced hospital stay time to as little as 48 hours. Treatments include:
What Is A Kidneystone Made Of
Generally speaking,16 types of kidney stones can be created in the human body. And what they are made of can help you prevent additional kidney stones in the future.
The two major types of kidney stones are made up ofcalcium and uric acid. Calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, and uric acid, alongwith struvite and cystine stones are the major groupings. Technical names likecalcium oxalate monohydrate, hydroxyapatite, and magnesium hydrogen phosphateare a mouthful, to be sure, but knowing exactly what kind of kidney stone youhave can give you the best clues for preventing kidney stones in the future.
Start by collecting your urine to capture the stone as itcomes out. Or by using a coffee filter to catch the stone. After collecting it,take it to your physician they can send it out for tests. Once the testresults come back you two can craft a treatment plan to help prevent kidneystones in the future. In addition to your customized treatment plan, drinkingmore water, eating less meat, consuming more citrus, and reducing your saltintake are general guidelines that can help reduce the odds of kidney stones inthe future.
Also Check: Constipation Or Kidney Stone
If You Think You Have A Kidney Stone
If you have been diagnosed with a kidney stone, please call 362-8200 to schedule an appointment for evaluation and treatment we will do our best to make sure you are seen promptly. You may be directed to the emergency department if you are experiencing intractable nausea, vomiting, pain or fever so that urgent treatment can be given.
We have a very limited number of same-day appointments therefore, it is likely that you will be directed to the emergency department for rapid evaluation. There, they will obtain scans and labs that will help confirm the diagnosis of kidney stones. From that information, we can make an informed decision about your treatment.
If you have recently passed a stone, you should have close follow-up with a urologist. Our team of stone experts can accommodate you at any of our clinic locations.
Can Kidney Stone Symptoms Come And Go
The length of time a stone can hang around is the primary reason that a person may feel like kidney stone symptoms come and go.
Once you start feeling the pain of a kidney stone, it can take anywhere between one to four weeks for the stone to actually pass. In the meantime, the pain can seem sporadic. Here’s why:
“During a bout of kidney stones, the initial pain is typically caused by the stone making its way through your very narrow ureter tube. There can also be pain if the stone lodges itself there and blocks urine flow out of the kidney, which results in pressure buildup and painful swelling,” explains Dr. Kannady.
As your body tries to move the kidney stone through your ureter, some of your pain may also be from the waves of contractions used to force the kidney stone out. The pain may also move as the kidney stone moves along your urinary tract.
“Once the stone makes it to your bladder, the pain might subside to some degree and you may notice urinary symptoms in its place. The final push from your bladder to outside of your body can reignite sharp feelings of pain, as the stone is now passing through another narrow tube called your urethra,” says Dr. Kannady.
Don’t Miss: Chocolate And Kidney Stones
Pus Or Blood In Your Urine
In most cases, your doctor would only see this if they did a dipstick urine test. Its because your urethra is inflamed and it could be shedding a little bit of blood, she explains. However, it is is possible that you might actually see blood when you go to the bathroom. As for pus, that would be more common in very complicated kidney infections, and would show up as white cells on the dipstick test.
Recommended Reading: Kidney Sickness Symptoms
What Are The Symptoms Of Omicron Here’s How They Differ In Vaccinated And Unvaccinated Patients
The highly-contagious omicron variant now accounts for most new cases in the United States. And with a surge in COVID-19 cases and intense demand for scarce at-home rapid testswhich don’t differentiate between variantsAmericans experiencing COVID-like symptoms are scrambling to figure out whether they’ve contracted omicron, a previous variant, or just a seasonal cold.
Judith O’Donnell, the chief of infectious disease at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, spoke to The Inquirer about the latest surge and how omicron symptoms differ among vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What are the symptoms of Omicron?
We’re still seeing the usual list of symptoms that we would expect with COVID-19: fever, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, and then loss of smell and taste. Sometimes congestion, runny nose, sometimes nausea and vomiting and sometimes diarrhea.
I think what we are experiencing, though, is for people who are vaccinated, or vaccinated and boosted, we’re not seeing as much fever, if any, as opposed to an unvaccinated person.
There’s been some reporting in the scientific literature that when patients are vaccinated, or vaccinated and boosted, the symptoms in general are much milder. They’re more consistent with a typical cold. There’s a lot of talk in the media about getting a lot more runny noses, or congestions. That does seem to be shown in some of the early scientific studies.
Explore further
Also Check: Is Ginger Good For Kidneys
Small Amounts Of Urine
If you have a large stone it can create a blockage that makes urine hard to pass, resulting in the flow of urine slowing or stopping altogether. If your urine stops, you need medical attention immediately.
With severe cases of kidney stones, you can also experience chills, fever, nausea, and vomiting, which may also be signs of an infection.
Kidney stones may pass without pain, or they can be excruciating. However you may be dealing with this condition, were here to help. If you find yourself dealing with one or many of these symptoms, make an appointment with Drs. Herman, Kester and the Urology Center of Florida today.
You Might Also Enjoy…
What Are Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are hard collections of salt and minerals often made up of calcium or uric acid. They form inside the kidney and can travel to other parts of the urinary tract.
Stones vary in size. Some are as small as the period at the end of this sentence a fraction of an inch. Others can grow to a few inches across. Some kidney stones can become so large they take up the entire kidney.
A kidney stone forms when too much of certain minerals in your body accumulate in your urine. When you arent well hydrated, your urine becomes more concentrated with higher levels of certain minerals. When mineral levels are higher, its more likely that a kidney stone will form.
About 1 out of every 11 people in the United States will get a kidney stone. Stones are more common in men, people who are obese, and those who have diabetes .
Smaller kidney stones that remain in the kidney often dont cause any symptoms. You might not notice anything is amiss until the stone moves into your ureter the tube that urine travels through to get from your kidney to your bladder.
Kidney stones are typically very painful. Most stones will pass on their own without treatment. However, you may need a procedure to break up or remove stones that dont pass.
Here are eight signs and symptoms that you may have kidney stones.
2 ). Some people whove experienced kidney stones compare the pain to childbirth or getting stabbed with a knife.
4 ). Your doctor might call this dysuria.
Also Check: Can Stress Cause Kidney Infection
Signs You May Have A Kidney Stone And When To Go To The Er
If you have ever suffered from a kidney stone, you know just how uncomfortable and frustrating these urinary tract stones truly are. In fact, many people consider passing a kidney stone to be among the most painful experiences one can go through. Because the symptoms of a kidney stone often mimic the symptoms of unrelated conditions, however, you may not always realize when you are passing a stone. The dedicated team of board-certified ER physicians and expert staff at iCare ER & Urgent Care in Frisco and Fort Worth, TX are proud to provide rapid evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for kidney stones to help patients feel comfortable again as soon as possible. Learn more about kidney stones here, including what signs and symptoms may mean an urgent visit to your nearest ER is warranted.
Urge To Urinate Or Frequent Urination
Sometimes people with kidney stones feel like they need to peea lot. This symptom depends on where the stone is located. Stones that are close to the bladder will have a lot of bladder symptoms: frequency, urgency, needing to get to the bathroom quickly, and going small amounts, Dr. Pearle notes.
The reason? Stones irritate the walls of the bladder and that manifests as the bladder contracting, she says, which makes you feel like youve gotta go.
If not a lot of pee comes out, you might think youre having trouble passing urine. But those bladder contractions can occur even if your bladder is empty, Dr. Peale explains. Unless the stone is actually in the urethra, there shouldnt really be trouble urinating, she says. You should always be making urine.
Read Also: Watermelon And Kidneys
How Other Patients Describe It
What does a kidney infection feel like? See how different patients describe it:
After having spasms on my lower right side, I have been taking medicines for bladder and kidney infection for quite some time now. I drink plenty of water but my urine is still very yellow in color. I also had a cold last year but it always come back again. I have also been experiencing pain in legs since the last couple of days and my sleep pattern is all over the place.
I do not just have a kidney infection but my doctor believes that I have kidney stones too. While I do not have any fever, I have serious pain under my chest that often radiates to my groin area. It becomes so difficult to breathe when pain becomes severe. My doctor performed certain tests but found no blood in the urine. There were white blood cells and protein in my urine samples though. It feels as if I have the flu. My body hurts and I feel nauseous as well.
I am now 40 and have suffered kidney infections thrice in my life. I am having it again. What does a kidney infection feel like? Its painful, sometimes unbearable. Now, I am experiencing horrible pain near ribs, as well as in lower left and right abdomen. As of this morning, I have fever, dizziness, nausea, and infrequent urination. There was a burning sensation at the end of urination but that subsided later, which my doctor told was not a good thing it means the infection has now moved up to my kidneys?
Recommended Reading: Pineapple Kidney Stones
Kidney Stone Pain Relief
You may be able to take steps at home to ease kidney stone pain:
- Drink plenty of fluids to try to flush out the stone. Aim for 2 to 3 quarts a day. Water is best.
- Take over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen or naproxen.
- Ask your doctor about prescription medicines like nifedipine or tamsulosin that relax your ureter to help stones pass through.
See your doctor right away if you have severe pain or signs of an infection or urinary blockage.
Show Sources
Recommended Reading: Is Wine Bad For Kidney Stones
Kidney Stones In Bladder Symptoms
Kidneys are the usual place of origin for stones since these organs actually produce and secret urine. The kidneys filter out the waste matter and mineral elements from the blood that passes through the organ. These organs also assist in maintaining a constant water balance in the bloodstream by removing excess water molecules. The resultant filtered materials are utilized to secrete the waste fluid called urine. Stones in urine are defined by their location in the urinary tract.
The urinary tract is made up of the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and finally the urethra. Mineral elements that start to crystallize in the kidneys will at some point move out and travel to other organs situated in the urinary tract system. While some may manage to get stuck in the ureters, these are usually the big-sized stones, the smaller stones will successfully pass through the ureters and settle in the urinary bladder.
Now in a situation where the bladder is not capable of emptying fully, like in the case of prostate enlargement, weakened bladder wall, damaged nerves responsible for the release of urine, or certain inflammatory conditions, etc., it will cause the crystals to grow and form large-sized stones.
Stagnant urine in an undiluted state will promote more crystal formations that can stick together to form one solid mineral mass. This can obstruct urine outflow as well as irritate the bladder walls. Find here Complete Cause of Kidney Stone formation in the Bladder.