Symptoms of Kidney Stones

Small stones in the kidney may cause no symptoms. Symptoms start when a stone moves into the ureter, the tube from the kidney to the bladder.

Typical symptoms

• Sudden, severe pain in the side and back below the ribs, which may spread to the lower abdomen and groin
• Pain that comes in waves and may make it hard to sit still
• Nausea and vomiting
• Blood in the urine, which may look pink, red or brown
• Frequent urge to pass urine, burning or pain when passing urine
• Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
• Passing small gravel or a stone

Stones in the kidney only

A dull ache in the back or side, or no symptoms, and the stone may be found by chance on a scan.

Symptoms in children

Children may have abdominal pain, blood in the urine, irritability or repeated urinary infections.

See a doctor soon if

• You have flank pain with blood in the urine
• Pain does not settle with simple pain relief
• You think you have passed a stone, and want it checked

Emergency signs: go to hospital or call 112

• Fever, chills or shaking with flank pain, which can mean an infected, blocked kidney
• Not passing urine or passing very little
• Vomiting that you cannot stop, or inability to keep fluids down
• Severe pain with a single kidney, kidney disease or pregnancy
• Confusion, fainting or a very fast heartbeat

Key point

Wave-like severe flank pain with blood in urine suggests a stone. Fever with pain is an emergency.

Before your appointment

Note when the pain began, where it is, and whether you have noticed blood, fever, nausea or burning in your urine. Record how much you drink and pass urine in a day. List medicines and supplements, especially vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium and herbal products. Mention previous stones, gout, bowel surgery, urinary infections and family history. Bring earlier scans and reports. If you pass a stone, save it for analysis. Ask about tests, the stone type and a prevention plan. Call 112 for fever with pain or if you pass no urine.