UNDERSTANDING UROLOGY
Kidney & urinary stones
Kidney stones are hard deposits that form from substances in the urine. Small stones may pass without you noticing, but larger stones can cause severe pain as they move through the urinary tract.
What you may notice
- Pain in the side or lower back, which may spread to the groin
- Pain that comes and goes in waves and can be very severe
- Feeling sick or vomiting
- Needing to pass urine often, or pain when passing it
- Blood in the urine, or cloudy urine
Get help quickly if
- Severe pain that does not settle
- Pain with a high temperature, shivering or feeling hot and cold – this can mean an infection behind a stone and needs treatment the same day
- Vomiting that stops you keeping fluids down
- Passing very little or no urine
In an emergency in Kuwait, call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department.
How it is usually assessed
- Questions about your symptoms, medical history, medicines, diet and any family history of stones
- Urine and blood tests
- A scan, usually a CT scan, or an ultrasound scan in some situations such as pregnancy
Treatment options
Many small stones pass on their own within a few weeks, helped by fluids and pain relief; sometimes a medicine is used to help a stone pass. Larger stones, or stones causing infection or blockage, may need a procedure, such as shock-wave treatment to break the stone up, or a thin telescope passed into the urinary tract (or through a small cut in the back) to remove it. A urologist can explain which option suits your stone.
What you can do
- Drink enough to keep your urine pale – around 2.5 to 3 litres a day for most adults, and more in hot weather, unless a doctor has advised you to limit fluids
- Keep salt intake low
- Do not cut calcium out of your diet unless a doctor advises it
- Speak to a doctor before making big changes to your diet
Based on NHS patient information: nhs.uk/conditions/kidney-stones/
This page is general information, not a personal medical assessment. Speak with a clinician about your own situation before starting or changing any treatment.