Symptoms of Kidney Stones Stones may vary in size from microscopic to over an inch in size. They may stay in the kidney or may travel down the ureter (urine duct connecting the kidney to the bladder). Extremely small stones may pass without a person even knowing it. Larger stones may get stuck in the ureter and block it. Urine, unable to flow freely, may cause the part of the ureter behind the blockage to dilate. If the blockage lasts long enough (typically more than several weeks) injury to the kidney may occur. However, by kidney stone standards even a stone as small as 2-3 millimeters (1/12 th to 1/8 th inch) can cause excruciating pain as it passes down the ureter towards the bladder. Stones less than 5 millimeters in size almost always pass on their own while stones larger than 6 millimeters do not pass on their own most of the time. The pain from passing a kidney stone is typically sharp and cramping. It may begin in the back and side where the kidneys are located. As the stone moves down the ureter the location of the pain may sometimes change. It is fairly common for persons to feel pain in the groin and testes (men). Nausea, vomiting, and sweating chills are also common.

Diagnosing a Kidney Stone The diagnosis of a kidney stone is usually obvious by the symptoms present. In 85% of cases a small amount of blood is present in the urine. This blood, caused by the stone scraping against the lining of the ureter, may not be visible except under microscopic view. Your doctor will take a history and analyze your urine. A CT scan (computerized tomography) may be ordered if your pain persists despite medical treatment. Newer generation CT scan is the quickest and most sensitive way of detecting kidney stones. A CT scan can tell both the location and size of a stone. It has largely replaced intravenous dye and regular x-rays for detecting kidney stones. Ultrasound may be used but is more likely to miss small stones and is more susceptible to differences in patient size and interference from gas in the intestines.