Kidney stones form when chemicals normally dissolved in the urine form crystals that accumulate into solid masses. Roughly 10 percent of men and 5 percent of women will have a kidney stone in their lifetime. Tiny stones that are small enough to pass through the urinary system without getting stuck along the way cause no symptoms. Larger kidney stones that pass begrudgingly through the urinary tract cause excruciating pain and other symptoms.
Intense Pain
The hallmark symptom of passing a kidney stone is extreme pain. It often begins gradually in the area of the back or side between the ribs and the hip. The pain typically comes in waves, building to a peak and then ebbing only to be repeated. This type of pain is frequently referred to as renal colic. The pain is typically so severe that it is difficult to control, even with the most powerful pain medications. As a kidney stone moves into the lower part of the ureter (the tube that connects the kidney to the urinary bladder), pain is often experienced in the lower abdomen and groin. Men may experience testicular and penile pain, and women may have vulvar pain.
Nausea and Vomiting
Intense pain can cause nausea and vomiting, which are frequently experienced by people passing a kidney stone. These symptoms abate when the pain subsides.
Urinary Urgency and Frequency
In the throes of trying to pass a kidney stone, most people experience a persistent urge to urinate even when there is little urine in the bladder.
Painful Urination
Passing urine may cause burning during an episode of renal colic. This most frequently occurs as the stone gets close to the urinary bladder.
Hematuria
As a kidney stone moves in stutter steps through the urinary system, it commonly scrapes the inner walls of the ureter, causing bleeding. Blood in the urine is called hematuria. The urine may appear brown, red or pink, depending on the amount of blood present, the acidity of the urine and how long it sits in the bladder before being expelled.
Fever
Kidney stones may lead to an infection of the urinary system. In this circumstance, the symptoms of a kidney stone may be accompanied by fever and possibly chills.
References
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 16th Edition"; Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Eugene Braunwald, M.D., J. Larry Jameson, M.D., Ph.D., Dennis L. Kasper, M.D., Stephen L. Hauser, M.D., Dan L. Longo, M.D., Editors; 2004
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Kidney stones in adults
- "Kidney International"; Renal stone epidemiology: a 25-year study in Rochester, Minnesota; C.M. Johnson, D.M. Wilson, W.M. O'Fallon, R.S. Malek, L.T. Kurland; November 1979
- American Journal of Epidemiology: Frequency of urolithiasis in a prepaid medical care program
- Mayo Clinic: Kidney stones, symptoms
