Kidney stones are one of the most common and most painful disorders of the urinary tract, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders. Stones can develop when urine contains too much of certain substances, such as calcium or oxalate, causing hard crystals to form and sometimes block the flow of urine. While many people pass these stones and have no symptoms at all, others can experience bothersome and severe symptoms as the stones try to make their way out of the body.
Pain
According to the National Institutes of Health, the main effect caused by kidney stones is pain. Pain can be sharp and may occur suddenly and then go away. It may start in the stomach area or side of the back, or it may move to the groin area. Men may also feel pain in the testicles. In some cases, the belly or back will be tender to the touch, and the pain can be so severe that narcotics (pain killers) are needed.
Common Effects
Sometimes kidney stones can be too large to pass easily, and as they move through the body, they can cause other common symptoms. As stones travel from the kidney through a narrow tube into the bladder, they can irritate the lining of the narrow passages, causing blood to appear in the urine. The urine may also appear pink or tea-colored. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders (NIDDK), kidney stones can cause an increase in the urge to urinate or an increase in the frequency of urination as they move toward the bladder. A burning sensation while urinating is also common. Nausea or vomiting can sometimes occur.
According to the NIDDK, symptoms, such as fever or chills, suggest that there may be an infection, and you should contact your doctor right away.
Serious Effects
Kidney stones can cause a number of potentially serious effects to the body. According to the NIH, they may cause scarring or damage to the kidneys, leading to deficits in or total loss of kidney function. Urinary tract infections, recurring kidney stones and renal colic (severe pain radiating from the abdomen to the groin) may also occur.
Kidney stones can lead to a serious condition called acute unilateral obstructive uropathy in which there is a sudden blockage in a ureter (a tube through which urine drains from the kidneys). Because urine cannot drain, it backs up into the kidneys and causes them to swell (hydronephrosis). This condition leads to a number of serious symptoms, including abdominal pain on the lower right or left side, back pain, blood in the urine, foul-smelling urine, acute onset of high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, fever, urinary frequency and urgency, urinary tract infection and flank pain (pain on the side of the body) that is severe enough to require strong pain medicine, that moves to the groin, genitals or thigh, or that comes and goes with changing intensity.
