Health Topics A-Z

What Are the Symptoms?

The symptoms of kidney stones include:

• Waves of sharp pain that start in the back and side, and move toward the groin or testicle.
• Unable to find a comfortable position. People with kidney stones often pace the floor.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Profuse sweating.
• Blood in urine.
• Urge to urinate.

• Fever and chills.
• Frequent urge to urinate.
• Painful or excruciating urination.
• Cloudy or foul-smelling urine.

Because many of the symptoms of kidney stones could also indicate other disorders such as an infection, a doctor must confirm the presence of a stone. An evaluation will include blood and urine tests and possibly an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) (a.k.a. intravenous urogram (IVU) ), a special X-ray technique for viewing the kidneys. An ultrasound may show stretching of the kidney or ureter. Your doctor may also order a CT scan, which will not only show the kidneys and ureters, but also the stone. This technique has the additional advantage in that it does not require the intravenous injection of the contrast material used in IVP.

Call Your Doctor If:

• You think you have kidney stones; a medical evaluation is essential to diagnosis and treatment.
• You are experiencing waves of sharp pain in your back, side, or abdomen; such pain may also be a sign of another serious condition, such as gallstones, pelvic inflammatory disease, an intestinal obstruction, and other conditions. Seek immediate medical help.
• You are experiencing any pain or difficulty with urination; this could also be a sign of a bladder infection, a sexually transmitted disease, a vaginal problem such as vaginitis, an enlargement of the prostate, or a bladder or prostate tumor. See your doctor without delay.
• You notice blood in your urine; it may also indicate kidney disease, a bladder or kidney tumor, or a urinary or prostate infection. See your doctor without delay.