Kidney stones

Small kidney stones are common and unlikely to cause any symptoms. You may pass them out when you pee, without noticing.

Larger kidney stones can cause severe pain.

Kidney stone pain:

• usually starts in the side of your tummy (abdomen) or lower back
• may spread to the area at the top of your inner thigh (groin), your testicles or the area around the opening of your vagina
• may come and go – there may be periods when it's very severe, and periods when it's less painful or the pain goes away

You may also have other symptoms, such as:

• a high temperature, or feeling hot, cold or shivery
• feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
• needing to pee often
• pee that looks cloudy

Get urgent medical help if you have kidney stones that are causing symptoms.

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

A doctor can usually diagnose kidney stones based on your symptoms.

They may also ask you about any conditions you have, any medicines you take, your diet and whether you or someone in your family has had kidney stones before.

Sometimes you'll need to have urine tests or blood tests.

If you have severe pain, you may be referred to hospital for other tests such as:

• a CT scan if you're an adult
• an ultrasound scan if you're pregnant or for children under 16 years old

Most kidney stones can be treated at home with medicine. They can still be painful and may take a few weeks to pass out through your pee.

You'll be advised to drink lots of water and may be offered medicines to help with the symptoms, such as:

• painkillers
• anti-sickness medicines
• medicines to help the stones come out in your pee

You may be asked to try to collect the stone after you pass it in your pee, so it can be examined. You'll be told how to do this.

Larger kidney stones may require a procedure or surgery in hospital to break them up or remove them. This may be done by, for example:

• using shock waves on the outside of your body to break up the stone so it's easier to pass in your pee – this does not require anaesthetic so you'll be awake while it's done
• passing a long, thin tube up your urethra (the tube where pee comes out) or through a small cut in your back – this is done under general anaesthetic (where you're asleep)

Kidney stones are usually caused by a build-up of chemicals that are found in your pee. This can form hard lumps in your kidneys.

You're more likely to get kidney stones if you:

• do not drink enough water to stay hydrated
• have a medical condition that increases the amount of certain chemicals in your body, such as metabolic syndrome
• take certain medicines, including aspirin, antacids, diuretics and antibiotics

Kidney stones can come back. You're more likely to keep getting kidney stones if you:

• eat a high-protein, low-fibre diet
• are inactive or bed-bound
• often have kidney or urine infections
• have a close family member who also get kidney stones
• have had kidney stones before

There are some things you can do to help prevent kidney stones.