Kidney stone symptoms can include sharp pain in the side or back, blood in the urine, nausea and painful urination. Some stones cause no noticeable symptoms, while others trigger sudden, severe pain.
Seek urgent medical assessment if suspected stone symptoms occur with fever or chills, inability to urinate, uncontrolled pain or persistent vomiting. Do not wait for a home remedy to work.
Symptoms alone cannot confirm a kidney stone. An infection or another condition may cause similar problems.
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For optional reading after medical assessment, you can view the Kidney Stone Removal Report. It is an information product, not a tool for diagnosing symptoms or deciding whether urgent care is needed.
What Are the Common Symptoms?
| Symptom | What you may notice |
|---|---|
| Side or back pain | Sharp pain, often on one side, which may spread toward the lower abdomen or groin |
| Pain that comes in waves | Episodes of intense pain separated by periods of improvement |
| Blood in urine | Pink, red or brown urine |
| Urinary urgency | Feeling that you need to urinate repeatedly |
| Painful urination | Burning or discomfort when passing urine |
| Nausea or vomiting | Feeling sick, sometimes alongside the pain |
| Cloudy or unpleasant-smelling urine | A change that can also occur with infection |
Contact a healthcare professional promptly for new symptoms. Do not assume that blood or urinary discomfort is harmless because you have had stones before.
Where Does Kidney Stone Pain Occur?
Pain often starts in the side of the abdomen or lower back. It may spread toward the groin, testicles or the area around the vaginal opening.
The pain can fluctuate considerably. A temporary reduction in pain does not provide a reliable measurement of where the stone is or whether it has passed.
You may hear severe stone-related pain described as renal colic.
For symptom management after assessment, see our kidney stone pain-relief guide.
Are There Always Early Warning Signs?
No. Some small stones cause no symptoms and may pass unnoticed. Others are discovered during imaging performed for another reason.
There is no dependable sequence in which everyone first develops mild discomfort, then urinary changes, then severe pain.
Avoid using an online “stage checklist” to decide that it is safe to wait. The appropriate next step depends on your symptoms and clinical assessment.
When Is It an Emergency?
Fever or Chills With Suspected Stone Pain
A blocked urinary tract with infection is a urological emergency. Treatment may require urgent drainage as well as antibiotics.
Do not treat fever as a normal part of passing a stone.
Inability to Urinate
Seek urgent assessment if you cannot urinate or are producing only a very small amount, especially with pain or feeling unwell.
Do not try to solve the problem by repeatedly forcing more water.
Pain or Vomiting You Cannot Control
Severe pain despite treatment, or repeated vomiting that prevents you from keeping fluids down, requires reassessment.
If you have one functioning kidney, are pregnant or have significant kidney disease, tell the assessing clinician immediately. These circumstances affect investigation and treatment decisions.
Kidney Stone or Urinary Tract Infection?
Symptoms can overlap.
Bladder infections can cause burning during urination, frequent urges, lower abdominal discomfort, cloudy urine and blood in the urine. Kidney stones can produce several of the same symptoms.
Fever, chills, back or side pain, and nausea or vomiting may indicate a kidney infection. A stone and an infection can also occur together.
Urine appearance or smell cannot reliably distinguish these conditions. Urine testing and, when appropriate, imaging help establish the cause.
Do not use leftover antibiotics or an herbal preparation to treat presumed infection without medical advice.
Are Symptoms Different in Men and Women?
The main symptoms—pain, urinary changes, nausea and vomiting—can occur in both.
Referred pain may be felt in different genital areas, but that does not create a reliable “male stone” or “female stone” symptom pattern.
Pelvic or abdominal pain can have other causes. If pregnancy is possible, tell the clinician rather than assuming the pain is from a stone.
Can Children Have Kidney Stone Symptoms?
Yes. Children may have abdominal pain, blood in the urine or urinary symptoms. Younger children may show less specific signs, such as vomiting or unexplained distress.
A child with suspected stone symptoms needs medical assessment. Adult home-treatment routines are not appropriate substitutes.
Read our kidney stones in children guide for more information.
If you choose to explore the Kidney Stone Removal Report, use it only as optional reading alongside professional advice—not to interpret a child’s symptoms or delay assessment.
How Are Kidney Stones Confirmed?
A clinician will ask about your symptoms, previous stones, medicines and medical history, and perform an examination.
Tests may include:
- Urine testing: looking for blood, signs of infection and other findings.
- Blood tests: checking kidney function or relevant mineral levels.
- Imaging: identifying a stone’s size, location and possible obstruction.
CT is commonly used in adults when indicated. Ultrasound is generally the initial imaging approach during pregnancy and in children.
If a stone is collected after passage or removal, laboratory analysis can help identify its composition.
Symptoms cannot reliably tell you whether a stone is calcium oxalate, uric acid or another type. See our guide to identifying stone type and the limits of home clues.
What Information Should You Bring?
Before an appointment, note:
- When the symptoms started.
- Where the pain occurs and whether it moves.
- Whether you have measured a fever.
- Changes in urination or visible blood.
- Vomiting or difficulty drinking.
- Previous stones, kidney problems and current medicines.
These details help the clinician assess you. Do not delay urgent care to complete the list.
For older adults managing several medicines or health conditions, our kidney stones after 50 guide provides additional context.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a kidney stone without pain?
Yes. Some stones cause no symptoms. Whether a known stone needs observation or treatment depends on its clinical findings.
Does blood in the urine always mean a stone?
No. Infection and other conditions can also cause it. Visible blood should be assessed rather than attributed to a stone without evaluation.
Can symptoms reveal the stone’s size?
No. Pain intensity is not a reliable way to measure a stone. Imaging provides that information.
Can a stone and a UTI happen together?
Yes. Fever or chills with suspected stone symptoms needs urgent assessment because infection with obstruction can be dangerous.
Should I wait until the pain becomes severe?
No. Seek prompt advice for new suspected stone symptoms. Severe pain, fever, inability to urinate or persistent vomiting requires urgent care.
Optional further reading: Kidney Stone Removal Report. Purchasing a report is not necessary to obtain diagnosis or treatment.
Resources
- NIDDK: Symptoms and Causes of Kidney Stones
- NHS: Kidney Stones
- NIDDK: Diagnosis of Kidney Stones
- NIDDK: Symptoms of Bladder Infection
- European Association of Urology: Urolithiasis Guidelines
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Medical disclaimer: This article provides general information and does not replace personalised medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Seek urgent care for the warning signs described above.