Passing a Kidney Stone

If you ever experience severe pain in your belly

or on one side of your back that comes

and goes, you may be passing a kidney stone.

The passage of a kidney stone typically begins when it

dislodges from its original position in the kidney

and starts to move down the ureter, which is the tube

that connects the kidney to the bladder

and then it makes its way down towards the

bladder as the stone moves.

This can trigger various sensations which can lead

to the symptoms that you may be noticing

as you are passing a kidney stone.

These are pain,

which is the discomfort you may notice in the flank

or your back area, which is where the kidneys are located.

And this can move towards the groin area

as the stone moves down the ureter.

Nausea and vomiting, you may notice blood in the urine.

Some people also notice some symptoms in the urine, such

as increased frequency or urgency to pee.

As the stone travels down the ureter,

it may encounter points of narrowing that can lead

to temporary obstruction of the urinary flow,

and this can cause a buildup of pressure in the kidney

and the ureter, which can cause a very intense pain,

which is what we describe as renal colic.

The severity of this pain can vary depending upon the size

and location of the stone.

When you go to seek medical attention for this,

your provider is likely to perform a physical examination,

checks some urine and blood tests,

and may order an imaging test like a CT scan

to diagnose what is going on.

Several factors can actually influence the ease

or difficulty of a kidney stone in its passage,

the size and shape of the stone.

So smaller stones less than five millimeters are much more

likely to pass on their own than the larger ones.

Stones with irregular shapes may also have a harder time

passing down the urinary tracts.

The location of the stone stones that are located nearer

to the bladder generally have a much higher chance

of passing than those which are situated higher up in the

kidney or in the upper parts of the ureter.

And also there are sort of individual anatomical uh,

considerations which can affect the passage such as those

who have narrow ureters.

If you and your provider decide

to plan on allowing the stone to pass on its own,

the various supportive measures that we can try to do

to help alleviate some of these symptoms

and also help with stone passage.

This can include good hydration, so we always recommend

that you drink plenty of water to try

to flush the stone out.

Pain management. So over the counter pain medications such

as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories

and sometimes we need to prescribe stronger pain medications

to help alleviate the discomfort.

And then there are medications such as Tamsin

or Flomax that can help relax the

ureter and help with stone passage.

Heat therapy can sometimes be helpful

as some patients have found that applying heat

to the affected flank area can actually help relax the

muscles and provide some relief and pain.

This process of stone passage can take several weeks

and it is important that you follow up

with your provider if you do not pee out the stone within

four to six weeks of being diagnosed

as you may need surgery to treat it.

While most of the kidney stones that we expect

to pass on the uh, their own will eventually pass.

There are situations

where we do recommend you seek an urgent medical attention

if they were to occur, such as persistent

or worsening pain despite taking pain medications,

developing a fever

and chills, which may suggest

that there may be an underlying infection, inability

or difficulty in passing urine

and persistent nausea, vomiting,

or generally feeling unwell.