A kidney stone that can pass on its own may take days to several weeks, but there is no guaranteed timeline. Some stones do not pass without treatment.
The stone’s size and location matter, as do obstruction, infection and your kidney function. Your clinician should explain whether waiting is appropriate and when you need follow-up.
Seek urgent medical assessment for fever or chills, inability to urinate, uncontrolled pain or persistent vomiting. Do not wait for an expected passage date when these symptoms occur.
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For optional reading alongside medical advice, view the Kidney Stone Removal Report. It is an information product, not a reliable way to predict when your stone will pass.
What Is a Typical Passage Time?
European Association of Urology guidance cites an average of approximately 17 days, with a reported range of 6–29 days, in studies of spontaneous ureteral stone passage.
These figures describe study groups. They are not a countdown for an individual patient or permission to wait without reassessment.
Importantly, passage estimates usually concern stones in the ureter, the tube between the kidney and bladder. A stone still sitting in the kidney may remain there and does not follow the same timeline.
What Affects Whether a Stone Will Pass?
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Size | Smaller ureteral stones generally pass more readily than larger ones |
| Location | Stones nearer the bladder generally have a greater chance of passing |
| Obstruction | Persistent blockage can make continued waiting inappropriate |
| Infection | Infection with obstruction may require emergency treatment |
| Symptoms and kidney function | Persistent pain or worsening kidney function can change the plan |
A measurement alone cannot tell you exactly how many days passage will take.
Ask your clinician to explain both the size and the location shown on your scan.
What Happens as a Stone Moves?
A stone may move from the kidney into the ureter, then into the bladder, and finally leave through the urethra during urination.
Pain can come and go during this process. It may spread from the side or back toward the groin, and urinary urgency may occur.
However, symptoms do not provide a reliable map of the stone’s position. You cannot accurately identify each “stage” from pain alone.
Some small stones pass without being noticed. Others cause repeated painful episodes and require treatment.
How Can You Tell Whether It Has Passed?
Catching the Stone
Your clinician may recommend using a urine strainer. If you collect a stone, follow the care team’s instructions for storing and submitting it for analysis.
The result can help guide prevention.
Follow-Up Assessment
If you have not seen the stone pass, contact your care team about the planned review. Imaging may be needed to establish whether it remains.
Pain stopping does not, by itself, confirm that the stone has left your body. Keep the follow-up arrangements you were given.
If you had several stones, collecting one does not necessarily mean all have cleared.
How Long Is It Safe to Wait?
There is no single waiting period that is safe for everyone.
A plan to observe a stone should include:
- A review date.
- Instructions for managing symptoms.
- Advice about collecting the stone.
- Warning signs that require earlier assessment.
- A plan if the stone has not passed.
If you reach the agreed review date without confirmed passage, contact the treating team. Do not keep extending the waiting period because the discomfort is manageable.
Tell the clinician if you have one functioning kidney, are pregnant or have significant kidney disease.
Can You Make a Stone Pass Faster?
Medicines May Help Selected Patients
A clinician may prescribe an alpha blocker, such as tamsulosin, for certain ureteral stones. It is not suitable for every situation and does not guarantee passage.
Follow the prescribed course and ask when it should be reviewed.
Forced Drinking Is Not a Proven Shortcut
A Cochrane review found insufficient reliable evidence that high-volume fluids or diuretics improve acute ureteric colic outcomes.
Maintain hydration according to your medical advice, but do not rapidly drink several litres to “push” a stone through.
Our water-intake guide explains the difference between prevention targets and drinking during an attack.
Home-Remedy Claims Cannot Predict Passage
Promises that a drink or supplement will remove a stone overnight are not a dependable basis for treatment decisions.
Passing a stone after trying something does not establish that the remedy caused it. Also, passing and dissolving are different processes; see which kidney stones can dissolve.
If you explore the Kidney Stone Removal Report, do not use a suggested remedy schedule to postpone your follow-up appointment.
What if the Stone Does Not Pass?
Your clinician may recommend continued observation or a procedure, depending on the findings.
Options include shock-wave treatment to fragment a stone or ureteroscopy to reach and remove or break it. Larger or more complex stones may require another approach.
The decision is not based only on how long you have waited. Blockage, infection, symptoms and the likelihood of passage all matter.
For symptom support while following your treatment plan, read our kidney stone pain-relief guide.
Preparing for Your Follow-Up
Keep a brief record of:
- Pain episodes and whether prescribed treatment helped.
- Fever or chills.
- Vomiting or difficulty drinking.
- Changes in urination.
- Whether you collected a stone.
Bring your medication list and any collected stone as instructed.
A record helps your clinician assess progress, but it should never delay urgent care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a kidney stone pass in one day?
Yes, some do. That does not mean everyone can expect rapid passage or safely wait at home.
Does less pain mean the stone is in the bladder?
It may reflect a change, but symptoms alone cannot establish the stone’s location. Follow-up may still be needed.
Can a small stone get stuck?
Yes. Small size improves the likelihood of passage but does not rule out obstruction or complications.
Will I definitely see the stone in the toilet?
No. Small stones may pass unnoticed. Follow the collection and follow-up instructions from your clinician.
Should I cancel follow-up if I feel normal?
Contact the care team before cancelling. They may still need to confirm passage or check kidney function.
What happens after I pass it?
Ask whether stone analysis or further testing is appropriate. Your prevention plan may depend on the results.
Read our recurrent kidney stone guide for the next steps after repeated episodes.
Optional further reading: Kidney Stone Removal Report. Purchasing a report is not necessary to receive appropriate follow-up or prevention advice.
Resources
- European Association of Urology: Urolithiasis Guidelines
- NHS: Kidney Stones
- NIDDK: Kidney Stone Treatment
- Cambridge University Hospitals: Renal and Ureteric Colic
- Cochrane: Fluids and Diuretics for Acute Ureteric Colic
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Medical disclaimer: This article provides general information and does not replace personalised medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.