01 · Overview
The short version
Pain often starts in the side or back
Kidney stone pain can be severe and may come in waves. It can spread toward the lower abdomen or groin, and it may make it hard to get comfortable.
Urine changes are important clues
Blood in the urine, burning with urination, cloudy urine, bad-smelling urine, or trouble passing urine can happen with a stone, especially if it is moving or blocking flow.
Fever changes the situation
A stone plus fever, chills, vomiting, or feeling very ill can mean a more serious problem such as infection or blockage. That needs urgent medical care.
Tests usually look beyond symptoms
Doctors often use urine tests, blood tests, and imaging to confirm a stone and check for complications such as blockage or kidney problems.
02 · Care guidance
When to get help
Emergency help
- Call 911 or go to the emergency department now for severe pain with fever, chills, vomiting, confusion, fainting, trouble breathing, or inability to urinate.
- Get emergency care right away if you have sudden one-sided pain with a testicle riding high, a possible pregnancy with pain or bleeding, or chest pain that could be from another emergency.
- Do not wait at home if the pain is severe and you also feel sick, cannot keep fluids down, or have stopped making urine.
Get advice promptly
- Contact a clinician promptly for flank pain, blood in the urine, burning with urination, cloudy urine, or repeated nausea and vomiting, even if the pain comes and goes.
- Seek prompt care if you have a history of stones and the symptoms feel similar but are lasting longer, getting worse, or keeping you from drinking fluids.
- Get checked soon if you think you passed a stone but still have fever, urinary symptoms, or ongoing pain.
If symptoms are mild and you are otherwise well, schedule a regular visit to review possible causes, test results, and ways to lower your risk of another stone.
03 · Kidney Stones
How a kidney stone usually feels
The pain pattern matters as much as the pain itself. A stone often causes side or back pain that can move and come in waves, but the same symptoms can overlap with other problems.
A kidney stone is a solid piece of material that forms in the kidney from substances in urine. When it stays in the kidney, you may not notice it. When it moves into the urinary tract, it can block urine flow and trigger strong pain.
People often describe pain in the side, back, lower abdomen, or groin. It can be extreme, and it may come and go instead of staying steady. Some people also feel nauseated or vomit when the pain is intense.
Pain alone does not prove a stone. Muscle strain, a urinary tract infection, kidney infection, and other abdominal problems can cause similar discomfort. That is why fever, burning with urination, blood in the urine, and trouble peeing matter when deciding what to do next.
- Pain may be severe enough to make it hard to sit still.
- The stone may be small and still cause major pain if it blocks flow.
- Symptoms may improve and then return if the stone shifts position.
04 · Kidney Stones
Urine changes, fever, and other clues that raise concern
Blood in the urine can happen with a stone, but fever, chills, cloudy urine, or bad-smelling urine raise the odds that infection or blockage is part of the problem.
Blood in the urine may be visible or only found on testing. Burning with urination, cloudy urine, and urine that smells bad can also happen with a stone. These signs deserve attention because they can point to irritation or a urinary infection along with the stone.
Fever and chills are more serious. A stone can block urine, and blocked urine can make an infection harder for the body to clear. That is one reason a kidney stone with fever is treated differently from a stone that is painful but otherwise uncomplicated.
Nausea and vomiting matter too. If you cannot keep fluids down, you may become dehydrated and may not be able to manage the pain safely at home.
- Blood in the urine should be checked, even once.
- Fever with a stone is not a wait-and-see symptom.
- Trouble urinating can mean blockage and needs prompt attention.
05 · Kidney Stones
How doctors confirm a stone and look for complications
Appointments are useful because the goal is not only to name the pain, but also to check for blockage, infection, and kidney stress.
A clinician usually starts with your symptoms: where the pain is, how it started, whether it comes in waves, and whether you have fever, nausea, or urinary symptoms. That history helps sort a likely stone from other causes.
Urine tests can look for blood and infection. Blood tests can help show how your kidneys are doing and whether dehydration or another issue is present. Imaging can show where the stone is and whether urine is backing up.
You may hear about ultrasound or CT. The point of imaging is not to label every ache as a stone. It is to see whether a stone is present, where it is, and whether it is blocking urine or causing a problem that changes treatment.
- Urine tests help check for blood and infection.
- Blood tests can show kidney function and other concerns.
- Imaging helps decide whether the stone is stuck or moving.
06 · Kidney Stones
What treatment can look like
Some stones pass on their own, but others need a procedure. The decision depends on pain, stone location, blockage, and whether infection is present.
Most kidney stones pass without help from a doctor, but not all do. If a stone will not pass, treatment may involve shock waves, a scope passed through the urethra, or surgery. The right choice depends on the stone and the situation around it.
Pain control and hydration advice are often part of care, but fluids alone do not solve every stone. If the stone is blocked, the pain is severe, you are vomiting repeatedly, or infection is present, the focus shifts from home care to urgent treatment.
This is also why pain that gets better for a while does not automatically mean the problem is gone. A stone can move, ease symptoms, and still remain in the urinary tract.
- A stone may pass, but not every stone will.
- Procedures are used when the stone is stuck or not improving.
- Blockage and infection make the situation more urgent.
07 · Kidney Stones
How to lower the chance of another stone
Prevention works best when it matches why the stone formed. A plan may include more fluid, changes in habits, or treatment for a related condition such as gout.
A person who has had one stone is more likely to get another. Low fluid intake can make urine more concentrated, which can raise stone risk. Family history and certain health conditions also matter.
Gout is one condition linked to kidney stones because uric acid can form crystals that contribute to stones in some people. That does not mean every stone is caused by gout, but it is one reason your clinician may ask about joint pain, prior gout flares, or medicines that affect uric acid.
The best prevention plan depends on the type of stone, if it was collected, and what urine or blood testing shows. There is no single diet rule that prevents every stone, so a one-size-fits-all answer is rarely enough.
- Past stones raise the chance of future stones.
- Fluid intake is part of prevention, but not the whole story.
- Testing can help tailor prevention to the cause.
08 · Kidney Stones
When stone-like symptoms turn out to be another problem
Not every urinary symptom comes from a stone. Some problems overlap, so the pattern of pain, fever, and urine changes matters.
Burning with urination, urgency, or leaking urine can happen in urinary tract problems that are not stones. A urinary infection can cause some of the same symptoms, and a stone can sometimes appear along with another urinary issue.
Pain in the flank or lower back can also come from non-urinary causes. That is one reason a clinician may ask detailed questions instead of relying on location alone.
If the symptoms are new, severe, or lasting longer than expected, getting checked helps avoid missing infection, blockage, or another cause that needs different treatment.
- Urinary symptoms do not always mean a stone.
- Fever, vomiting, and inability to urinate are the biggest warning signs.
- Persistent pain deserves evaluation even if you have had stones before.
09 · FAQ
Questions people ask
Do kidney stones always need surgery?
No. Many stones pass on their own, and others are treated with shock waves, a scope, or surgery only if they do not pass or cause trouble. The choice depends on pain, size, location, blockage, and whether infection is present.
Can drinking more water make a stone go away?
Not always. Fluids can help prevent some stones and may help with some small stones, but water alone will not fix every situation. If urine is blocked, pain is severe, or vomiting keeps you from drinking, you need medical evaluation.
Are kidney stones the same as a urinary tract infection?
No, but the symptoms can overlap. Burning with urination, cloudy urine, and fever can happen with either one. Fever with a stone is especially concerning because infection plus blockage can become serious quickly.
What should I do if I think I passed a stone?
If your clinician asked you to save a stone, put it in a clean container. Even if the pain improves, follow up if you had fever, vomiting, blood in the urine, or ongoing urinary symptoms, because the problem may not be fully resolved.
Can gout be related to kidney stones?
Yes. Gout is linked to high uric acid, and uric acid crystals can contribute to kidney stones in some people. Testing helps sort out whether gout, another condition, or a different stone type is involved.
How can doctors tell a stone from another cause of flank pain?
They use the whole pattern, not pain location alone. Questions about fever, vomiting, blood in the urine, burning, and whether you can urinate are paired with urine tests, blood tests, and sometimes imaging to see what is really going on.
10 · References
References and supporting evidence
These sources support the points identified below. Source checking is not clinical approval.
- S1: Kidney StonesMedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine
Explains that kidney stones form from substances in urine and can vary widely in size. Explains the main warning symptoms associated with kidney stones, including pain, blood in urine, fever, vomiting, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, and burning with urination. Explains that urine tests, blood tests, and imaging are used to diagnose kidney stones. Explains that treatment may involve watchful waiting or procedures such as shock waves, urethral scope treatment, or surgery.
- S2: GoutMedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine
Explains the connection between uric acid crystal formation in gout and kidney stones.
- S3: Urinary IncontinenceMedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine
Shows that kidney stones can be associated with overflow incontinence in a broader urinary symptom context.
General information, not a diagnosis. This guide is not a substitute for care from a qualified healthcare professional. For an emergency, call 911 in the US or your local emergency number. Illustrations are conceptual and are not diagnostic images.