There are many different symptoms that a person can have, which may indicate that they have a kidney stone.
Kidney stone symptoms include:
- Sharp pain in the abdomen below the ribcage on side, back, and possibly the groin area
- Frequent urination or having urge to urinate
- Burning sensation or pain while urinating
- Color change in urine; blood, darker brown, cloudy or foul-smelling
- Chills or fever
- Nausea and vomiting
One of the main factors that determines the time it takes to pass a kidney stone is its size. Generally, smaller stones have a higher likelihood of passing through the urine faster than larger stones.
- Small kidney stones are considered 1-5 millimeters (mm) taking on average 8 to 12 days to pass. Smaller stones are most likely the fastest to pass and exit through the urine.
- Large kidney stones are considered greater than 5 mm, taking on average 22 days or longer to pass. Larger stones will have less of a chance of exiting the body and will take much longer than smaller stones.
The most common kidney stone signs and symptoms are like many other conditions or diseases. As a result, these kidney stone symptoms are often misdiagnosed or mistaken as other illness.
Conditions that can be mistaken for kidney stones, sharing similar symptoms:
- Appendicitis or lower back pain
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Stomach flu or virus
Certain kidney stone symptoms and changes in symptoms may indicate the need to consult with a primary care provider or visit the emergency room.
You should go to the hospital or seek medical attention for these kidney stone symptoms:
- A sharp pain in the side, back or lower abdomen.
- Pain when urinating.
- Blood in the urine (hematuria).
- Fever or chills.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Experiencing immense pain, becoming unbearable.