Kidney Stone Pain
Lindsay Knake
| 3 min read
Lindsay Knake is a brand journalist and project plan...
Key Takeaways
- Sharp flank pain, blood in urine and other urinary symptoms may signal a kidney stone, a condition that affects about 10% of American adults.
- Common risk factors include dehydration, a high‑sodium or high‑protein diet, and certain medical conditions such as diabetes and gout.
- Prevention focuses on staying well‑hydrated, limiting sodium and animal protein, and increasing fruit and vegetable intake; treatment ranges from pain management to procedures that break or remove larger stones.
A sharp pain on the side of your abdomen and blood in your urine could mean a kidney stone.
About 10% of American adults will get a kidney stone in their lifetime, and more than 500,000 people visit the emergency room annually because of kidney stone pain and complications, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
Learn more about kidney stone symptoms, causes, treatment and prevention.
What are kidney stones?
The kidneys are a key part of your overall health; these fist-sized organs filter your blood and remove waste through your urine. When minerals in the kidneys such as calcium, oxalate and phosphorus stick together, they can form a hard piece of material called kidney stones, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These minerals are normal and not harmful in small amounts, but diet, lack of hydration and various health conditions can contribute to kidney stones. The stones can be as small as a grain of sand and as large as a pebble; the larger they are, the more pain they tend to cause.
Kidney stones may stay in the kidney, but they can cause severe pain when they move down the urinary tract into the ureter. Common symptoms of kidney stones include:
- Sharp pains in your back, side, lower abdomen or groin
- Pink, red or brown blood in your urine
- Pain while urinating
- Frequent need to urinate
- Producing small amounts of or no urine
- Bad smelling or cloudy urine
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Fever and/or chills
Call your primary care provider (PCP) or seek medical treatment immediately if you have these symptoms. Many kidney stones pass without treatment, but some kidney stones are too large to pass on their own and may require an intervention. With medical treatment, kidney stones rarely cause permanent damage, per the NIH.
Common causes of kidney stones, according to the National Kidney Foundation, include:
- A diet high in sodium, added sugar and meat
- Lack of fruits and vegetables in your diet
- Dehydration
- Chronic urinary tract infections
- Diabetes
- Gastric bypass surgery
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Gout
- Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Family history of kidney stones
How to treat and prevent kidney stones
Kidney stones can take hours or even weeks to pass. Your healthcare team can help with pain management as your body passes the stone. For severe symptoms and larger stones, healthcare providers could break the kidney stone into smaller pieces to help you pass it more easily and with less pain, per the National Kidney Foundation.
Large stones that block urine, cause infection or otherwise cause harm may require surgery.
About three-quarters of people who get a kidney stone will get another. Your PCP may prescribe medications for prevention, and they can work with you to determine the best diet plan. Here are a few other preventive measures you can do at home:
- Drink more water, aiming to provide 2.5 to 3 liters of urine daily
- Limit sodium and sugar in your diet
- Avoid excessive protein intake from animals such as beef, chicken and fish
- Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet
- Talk to your PCP about your medications and supplements that could contribute to kidney stones
Photo credit: Getty Images
