Kidney stones are hard collections of salt and minerals often made up of calcium or uric acid. They form inside the kidney and can travel to other parts of the urinary tract.
Stones vary in size. Some are as small as the period at the end of this sentence — a fraction of an inch. Others can grow to a few inches across. Some kidney stones can become so large they take up the entire kidney.
A kidney stone forms when too much certain minerals in your body accumulate in your urine. When you aren’t well-hydrated, your urine becomes more concentrated with higher levels of certain minerals. When mineral levels are higher, it’s more likely that a kidney stone will form.
Signs and symptoms
- Pain from a kidney. A stone that is stuck in a kidney may cause pain in the side of your abdomen (loin). This pain can be very severe and cause you to feel sweaty and be sick (vomit).
- Renal colic: This is a severe pain that is caused by a stone that passes into the tube (the ureter) draining urine from the kidney. The stone becomes stuck. The ureter squeezes the stone towards the bladder, which causes intense pain in the side of your tummy (abdomen).
- Blood in your urine.
- Urine infection.
When to see a doctor?
Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any signs and symptoms that worry you.
- Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Difficulty passing urine
- Pain so severe that you can't sit still or find a comfortable position
- Pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting
- Pain accompanied by fever and chills
- Blood in your urine
https://patient.info/kidney-urinary-tract/kidney-stones
https://www.healthline.com/health/symptoms-of-kidney-stones
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-stones/symptoms-causes/syc-20355755