Kidney Stone Disease Symptoms

Kidney stones are one of the most common conditions that we manage at Melbourne Urology Centre. Understanding the most common kidney stone disease symptoms may assist with earlier recognition of whether there is an underlying urological problem that needs prompt medical attention.

What are kidney stones and how do kidney stone disease symptoms feel?

Kidney stones are sometimes also referred to as renal calculi or nephroliths. They tend to occur when the urine becomes concentrated, causing the mineral salts that are normally found in the urine clump together to form hard deposits that often look like stones. Kidney stone disease can affect any part of the urinary tract, from the kidneys, down to the bladder.

Kidney stones don’t usually cause any symptoms initially; kidney stone disease symptoms tend occur when a kidney stone moves down the urinary tract or becomes lodged in some part of it, sometimes causing a blockage. Very small stones tend to flush through naturally with the urine, however larger stones may become stuck, causing kidney stone disease symptoms. If a kidney stone passes into the ureter (one of the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder), it can block the flow of urine, causing the kidney to swell, and the ureter to spasm. This can be one of the more common and very painful causes of kidney stone disease symptoms.  There is also always a risk of urinary tract infection and if a blocked kidney has infection this becomes a urological emergency.

Common painful kidney stone disease symptoms

If a kidney stone becomes stuck in the ureter, it can cause a blockage, leading to kidney stone disease symptoms. These can include:

• Very severe and sharp pain in the flank and lower back, usually just below the ribs on the affected side
• Pain that feels like it’s radiating down into the lower abdomen and into the groin
• Pain that feels as though it’s coming in waves and often fluctuates in intensity
• Intense pain or burning sensations when trying to urinate.
• The location and type of kidney stone pain often varies depending where the blockage is along the renal tract.

Other kidney stone disease symptoms

Other, less painful kidney stone disease symptoms may include:

• Urine that is pinkish, brown, or red
• Urine that is cloudy or smells foul due to possible urinary tract infection
• The need to urinate more often, urinating in small amounts, or feeling the persistent need to urinate
• Feeling nauseous or vomiting
• There may also be a fever and chills if the kidney stones are related to an infection. This is a urological emergency.

I have no kidney stone disease symptoms, but I have been diagnosed with kidney stones. How is this possible?

Kidney stones can be present without causing any kidney stone disease symptoms. Kidney stones can vary considerably in size; some can be as small as a grain of sand or a tiny pebble, but commonly they are much larger.

Whilst most people are diagnosed with kidney stones following a sudden experience of sharp and very severe pain, in some people, kidney stones are ‘accidentally’ discovered when a doctor is looking for other conditions on an x-ray, ultra-sound, cat scan or other type of medical scan. These types of ‘painless’ kidney stones can still cause problems such as recurring urinary tract infections or blood in the urine, despite not causing any of the typical severe kidney stone disease symptoms.

These kidney stones could be present without any symptoms as they may not be causing any blockage.  Sometimes however if a kidney has been blocked completely with a stone it will stop producing urine and hence no pressure to cause pain.  This however may lead to progressive kidney damage and possible eventual complete loss of function in that kidney.

If you are experiencing kidney stone disease symptoms, seek medical attention promptly

If at any point you experience kidney stone disease symptoms, or any urinary symptoms that concern you, make an appointment to see your doctor or urologist promptly.

You should see immediate medical attention if you experience pain that is:

• So severe that you cannot get comfortable or sit still
• Accompanied by nausea or vomiting
• Accompanied by fever and chills

Or if you have difficulty passing urine, or there is blood in your urine.

Please be mindful that the blog article above regarding kidney stone disease symptoms is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as general medical advice. If you are experiencing any urinary symptoms or you are concerned that you may have kidney stones, please contact us promptly to make an appointment with one of our specialist urologists for an accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plan. If you are in severe pain or having difficulty urinating, contact your local emergency department.

Written by Dr. Shekib Shahbaz and Dr. Tony de Sousa