Three locations where stones become lodged
Stones usually first develop in the kidneys. (For more information on the process of stone development, see: How do kidney stones form?) A kidney stone usually first causes symptoms when it tries to move down the ureter and out of the urinary system. As it makes its way down the ureter, it can cause blockage, which leads to the development of increased pressure in the kidney above. This pressure leads to the pain associated with passing a stone.
As a stone moves down the ureter, it tends to become lodged in three locations of natural narrowing: the ureteropelvic junction, the crossing of the ureter over the iliac vessels, and at the entrance of the ureter into the bladder. Depending on where a stone is located along this path, the pain associated with it can vary. Stone pain usually starts high up near the kidney then migrates towards the abdomen and eventually down towards the groin as the stone moves further down the ureter. As a stone is almost ready to come out, patients may feel the urge to urinate.
What about kidney stones that aren’t passing?
Most doctors feel that kidney stones only cause pain if they are blocking the ureter and trying to pass down towards the bladder. Stones that are not obstructing, such as those located in the kidney’s calyxes, are generally thought to be non-painful. This explains why some patients can have extremely large stones filling up their entire kidney with no or minimal pain.
However, it does appear that some non-obstructing kidney stones can cause pain because of either blockage of small tubular structures in the kidney itself (the collecting tubules) or for other unclear reasons. Supporting this view is a recent medical journal article suggesting that the treatment of small non-obstructing “papillary” stones may provide pain relief. (Gdor et al, Multi-institutional assessment of ureteroscopic laser papillotomy for chronic pain associated with papillary calcifications, J Urol 2011) Additionally, testimonials from many kidney stone patients (including a urologist with a personal history of kidney stones) suggest that some non-obstructing stones can cause pain.
I have kidney stones…10mm in left kidney and a small one in right ureter. They pains a lot. Bt I hv started feeling jerks in my both kidney. Can anybody tell me why?
I cry just reading these stories because I’ve passed several stones myself and they scare the hell out of me. The pain is completely unbearable. Right now i have one that has been moving around my right side for about a month or so. It seems to have dropped to my pelvis area and a new type of pain has developed. It starts with what feels like pressure in my anus, coupled with a sour stomach, then excruciating groin pain. after squirming around in pain for an hour the pain subsides. I cant imagine having to deal with this for the rest of my life. I drink water and lemon juice but i think im fooling myself. The hospital ER only provides pain management which is basically morphine or a subsidiary then they hit you with a co-pay of $3,000. Honestly, 3 shots of tequila and my own bed is a much more comfortable place to be when passing a stone, not to mention the morphing makes me violently nauseous. I hope you all get relief and never have to deal with this again.
I have been dealing with stones for 8 months now..had one removed on right side that was around 8mm in ureter and after my left side also was hurting. I am in severe pain but after having ultrasound my urologist says pain is not from stone because it is in my kidney but I am in pain I feel so confused. I am waiting for a scheduled procedure to remove this one but I’m told I have several more in both kidneys. I am a server with 5 kids. I’m 37. My everyday routines are so hard and tiring. I have 2 girls age 2 and 3 and I am just so exhausted from pain. If after procedure I still have pain I need to seek other help but is it the stone? Any input would be appreciated.
Hi, I just had the sound wave procedure to break my stones..the 11mm was in my kidney..no pain, I was completely unaware.When the stone is in your kidney, no pain,it’s when it starts to move the pain begins. Maybe one of the other stones is causing pain.
I currently have a lodged kidney stone in the ureter tube that caused septic shock. I was hospitalized and fluids and antibiotics were pumped through me quickly. I was also put on oxygen and given medication intravenously to raise dangerously low blood pressure 54/43. My heart rate was at 117/bpm. My pain one a scale of 1-10 was 20. A nephrostomy tube was inserted into my left kidney to drain the backed up fluid and infection. I was released from the hospital with the tube in place and given a prescription for antibiotics for 3 weeks with an appointment with a urologist for 3 weeks later. The stone is 10mm and lodged right outside the kidney. I will undergo surgery in about another 2 weeks and have a scope placed through the urethra, up through the bladder, and up the ureter tube which they will use to blast the stone and then collect the fragments through the tube. They will also remove the nephrostomy tube at that time. The main reason for posting this is to point out no matter how many times you have been to the doctor or the ER for the same stone if you get very sick and your heart starts racing, or you feel dizzy or light-headed, or if you cannot not keep anything down at all, or if you stop urinating you need to return to the ER; these symptoms could indicate sepsis. If your blood pressure ever drops really low while trying to pass a stone it could indicate septic shock (infection from the blockage that has entered the bloodstream). Both sepsis and septic shock are an extreme medical emergency that could result in multiple organ failure and death if not treated immediately.
I should also mention I only had pain for 2 days before going to the hospital. I also had projectile vomiting and absolutely no appetite. I did not have a fever but had some cold sweats which I thought was just from the pain.
About 2 weeks ago to the day, I woke up with the horrible stabbing can’t breathe pains that came with nausea and vomiting. I knew it was a stone. I’d had one when I was 18 that landed me in the ER as this one did. I’ve had them pop up before with the pain and then it goes away after about an hour or so and even without seeing myself physically pass them, I don’t feel the pain again.
Anyway, this one was diagnosed as a 3mm stone in my left ureter. I went to a urologist 4 days later and it was still there and hadn’t showed any signs of moving. I had a lot more pressure in my abdomen last week and would get the groin pains and had trouble urinating. He put me on tamosulin and scheduled me back on on Monday of this week.
I went in and had another KUB xray. A nurse practitioner saw me this time and the radiologist that reviewed said they didn’t see the stone this time. However, she reviewed it with another urologist and they agree it’s still there. I’m still having pains, but not the intense knock you down kind. I just have a general soreness in my left flank and lower back. I get stabby pains in my lower left flank and abdomen. They aren’t unbearable, but they aren’t pleasant.
I’m being scheduled for a cystoscopy/ureteroscopy next week and I guess, honestly, I’m just concerned if I’m just imagining things with this pain? I’ve had no signs of passing the stone and am using a strainer every time I go. I’ve not seen a stone. It just struck me as weird the stone wasn’t really visible and I’m scared that these pains aren’t a stone and I’m about to get a surgery for nothing? I don’t know. I’m just wondering if anyone else experiences these kind of pains a couple weeks in (without the intense waves) of trying to pass a stone. Like I said, it’s uncomfortable and I have trouble sleeping and sometimes urinating is okay, but sometimes I have trouble and don’t get as much as I would think.
Basically, it’s been over 2 weeks and I’m just tired and ready for this all to be over. I felt like I was insane and imagining things when I heard the radiologist didn’t see the stone. I know it’s a small suck and on that KUB there was a lot of gas blocking the view.
It’s been a stressful couple weeks and I’m just looking for confirmation that I’m not losing it and others experience pain like this and have trouble seeing stones on images.
You have probably had your surgery already it sounds alot like my innercystitial cystitis (IC) which they will be able to see when they look in your bladder they fill it up alot to see if it bleeds. If that is the case I Highly recommend Bladder Installations they have help me tremendously through unbearable pain.
Some of the major signs of kidney pain including
1. High Blood Pressure
2. Changes in the amount and number of times urine is passed.
3. Blood in your urine.
4. Tiredness
5. Difficulty sleeping
6. Headaches
7. Shortness of breath
8. Nausea and Vomiting
Before it get worst you must consult a doctor or take some necessary steps
https://www.healthmagaz.com/kidneys/kidney-pain/11-signs-may-kidney-pain/
kidney stone contains chemicals, such as calcium, which is combined with other chemicals such as phosphate or oxalate. These chemicals come from a person’s dietary intake and are required to keep muscles and bones healthy. A rarer form is called struvite; this is caused by an infection in the urinary tract.
Just passed a 12mm by 5mm stone with no pain. Is that unusual? At what size do stones cause the intense pain I hear about?
Just found a 1.2 cm (no that it not a typo CM) stone upper pole L kidney. Not scheduled for lithotripsy until 9/15/17. Idk if I should wait that long or if this thing is gonna damage my kidney. Pain is increasing gradually each day and I’m starting to get scared.
1 week back i came to know there was stone of 14mm in my ureter. there was heavy pain at that time. From past 1 week im consuming huge amount of water suddenly there is no pain from 2 days but i couldnt able to urinate comfortably. means i am taking more time to than usual to urinate same amount of water, Urine pressure also very less compare to my usual urine passage. Is that calculus in bladder? Can calculus of that size pass through penis urin duct easily? Please let me know.
I am wondering if this is Ravi Kumar Bitti? A young boy from India that I sponsored thru Catholic Organization when he was in middle school thru high school. I hope if this is him that he is doing well now and I think of him very often.
Ravi Kumar is an extremely common name.
Have a Left 3mm stone in the UPJ of the kidney, weird thing is I am having pain on Right flank (not the same side as the stone per the CT scan). Anyone else ever had this? Seems the pain would be on the same side as the stone.
No, you can have pain on the opposite side that your stone is on, as well as pain in both left and right, intermittent pain. I even had chest pain, I thought I was having a heart attack.
I have 3-4 mm kidney stone in left kidney, supposedly non obstructing and have been told i will pass it on my own. It’s been a month. I’ve been dealing with pain on both sides and even at times under my ribs. Just got an appt w/ urologist but not until may 3rd. Currently taking
tamsulosin, just took 3rd dose today. This is the first time I have heard that that there can be pain in opposite side, been feeling like I’m losing my mind. Its affecting my every day life, pain comes and goes but overall I feel like crap. Any thoughts on why stone wont pass on it’s own? Can a stone that size become obstructive? Thanks in advance.
I have just been told multiple kidney stones from ultra sound done yesterday. They are in left kidney. All my back pain is on right side. I also had pain in upper chest and random pain everywhere.
I wondered if I was having heart attack symptons. Doctor says pain just travels.
Went through this once before. Pain is horrid!.
I’ve had 5 on my left side. Three in two years, until I started taking Magnesium Citrate with Potassium Citrate. Since then, no more stones. In the research that I have done says that the combination of the two blocks the calcium from binding with the oxalate. I also take cranberry gel caps for added insurance. A friend of mine had a 6 mm stone, and he started drinking a gallon of water with apple cider vinegar in it. He told me that the stone had shrunk to 3 mm before he passed it. I have never tried it myself.
Hi. I’m 43, have a 3 mm stone in upper pole of left kidney and a tiny one in right kidney. I have stabbing pains in my flank/kidney area. It can wake me up. Or just hit anytime, I saw a nurse practitioner at the urologist last week. She said you only have pain when trying to pass the stone. That can’t be true. I mean I hadon’t a stone 2 years ago that landed me in ER and did not pass until 2 weeks later which I did not feel. I’m miserable and exhausted. Is this normal? I can’t get any help with the pain. Anyone give me some help! Thanks
I have the EXACT same issue and was told no pain if stone is in kidney. That is absolutely untrue!!
I’ve had over 300 stones ,11 surgeries in just 9 years. I argue with my urologist all the time about this. You defiantly have pain. I was just in the er this morning thinking I had one stuck and found out I have a 5mm, (2) 2mm, and some gravel in my left. And a 3mm,2mm, and gravel in my right.
Is there a continuous pain in kidney?
it sure is untrue! I have had the most nightmare pain ever, and no stones will come out, still in my kidney! The pain is something you can not explain to anyone. This not only effects my side, but my bladder, my colon, my abdomen and it makes me feel very sick. I can do nothing except take pain relief for my bladder and my Hydrocodone for the initial pain and put and ice pack on my back side to get through it. Sometimes it last for days on end, then all of a sudden it stops hurting, and I may go another week no pain, or three weeks, but when it starts up I never know how bad it will be. I have been to emergency rooms, doctors and no one cared! I’m to the point of going batty if they don’t get these things out of me…not to mention I’m 62 years old, not a young person any more, greater risk of bigger problems.
Im so sorry to hear this. I have a 10mmthats is in my kidney but i was told that it bounces down into my ureter and then up again. The pain is so bad. I hope you get feeling better..
The pain is there only when the stone moves . I’ve been dealing with stones for 21 yrs. , I’m also 62 . I’m waiting now for a 6mm stone to pass . The extreme pain is gone now but feeling it in the groin area every now and then .
im having the same issue i have had many kidney stones in the past im having pain that comes nd goes in my right but it will last for a day or two then goes away and not the bad knock you on your butt pain just enough for me to know its a stone im so worried its going to get stuck when it decides to go down my tube I wish all of you an easy time with your stone cause I know its the worst pain Ive ever felt in my life and Ive given birth
I feel your pain– literally and figuratively. I have several 3 mm stones and was told they would only cause pain if blocking. Not true. I have severe pain at times and bleeding. Obviously, no lithotripsy is needed for stones this size. However, if the ureter is 3-4mm wide, and that’s the size of my stones, why wouldn’t there be pain when they pass? Additionally, kidney stones, as they were explained to me at the Cleveland Clinic, are not necessarily perfectly round– they can be sharp suckers that poke and jab you. Ouch. Please, Dr. Urologist, tell me again this doesn’t hurt when the pain takes my breath away.
Hello. my name is Karen, and this is my 3rd round of stones in both kidneys since 2011. I am now trying to deal with pain on right side. the pain associated with either getting them to pass, or in my case when they get stuck in the tube is brutal (at least for me). I have taken pain only helps for so long. Moving around helps for a while. I have had Lithotripsy on both kidneys in the past, and it worked for about a year, then stones returned. I do feel for anyone who has had to deal with them.
I have to go to the ER when I get one I can’t take the pain. Call me a baby but it is awful. I just had mine blasted 6 weeks ago and now two days I have passed another one from the kidney to my bladder. I am so scared to passed this one. Two yrs ago I had surgery by a robot because the stone was way to big and ureathea was blocked. Terrible terrible pain. I wish there was something I could do to prevent these. Any help out there?
Chanca piedra 500mg will help dissolve them and a shot of unfiltered apple cider vinegar with the mother keeps the kidney clean of them has to be taken every day
They thing ive learned is not to be scared until its actually passing because it can make the pain worst. I know its hard. I have passed around 40 stones. Some hurt more than others. The smooth ones dont hurt as much for me. I passed a 10 mm that was smooth with very little pain. I am trying to pass another 10 mm and this one hurts very very badly. It all depends on the sharpness. At least for me.
Hello, I’m 23 years old I was diagnosed with kidney stones on January 7. I have received medication but it all finish and i still haven’t gotten relief as yet. So I started to drink cranberry juice, lemon juice and olive oil. I have since stopped getting pains in my right side abdomen and now the pain has to the front just below my abdomen and it’s been there for a while. I am consuming water but still these stones are not passing.
Please help!!!
It’s stuck. Down around your pelvic bone your ureter gets smaller. And a regular x-Ray won’t show it you have to get a cut scan. If it’s been their for more then 3 days then chances are it ain’t going anywhere without being broke.
Hello… I’m a 16 year old and I’m currently preparing for entrance exams. I have had not many, just 4 or 5 kidney stones till now. Most of them were when I was 11 years old and i don’t remember much except the horrible pain. Now I’ve got a couple of stones again and I’m scared as hell. I went to the doctor but there’s nothing serious about the 6-8 mm stones that I have. He also said that there are no any medicines that can cure/pass/dissolve a kidney stone and he told me to come back again after 3 months. I am not sure whether it is true or not… it feels more scary as I live alone now… some one please help me
I have just had lithotripsy on my stone today.
Its where they bombard the stone wth ultra sound to try to break it up into smaller fragments so you can pass it naturally. It takes about 2 hours from entering the hospital to leaving. It was not the most comfortable procedure to have but compared to passings whole stone it was a piece of cake. I won’t know if it was a success until I pass the fragments, if I don’t pass the it’s then I will need a follow up dose.
Lemon juice will help break them down. Go see a different urologist those are large stones (4mm is roughly a 1/4 inch) and your probably not gonna pass them.
I think you should get a new urologist. I had an old urologist that basically told me that. I got a new urologist and he is going yo test my blood, test my urine and test the stone. It has to do with diet and other factors. There may be medications that can help as well. Im not a doctor so dont quote me on this. But, i would get a second opinion.
I feel kidney stone by cold weather
I have 8 veg tiny..as described by urologist..in my right and 4 small in left
My right is agonising !! They haven’t budged and are stuck to kidney..pain is unreal
Started out just when walking. Standing moving full stop..and could control either pain relief
Now it’s as soon as I wake up.. lying down!
Have laser treatment to break them down on Monday by worried it’s not going to work!! I’ve been on sick for 4mitbhs …I’m hca on very busy ward…and now very fed up pain relief not working!!
Advice? I’m in agony
Can’t even pick little girl up and moving is agony
I had mines done in March 29 2015 I have not went to take it out .whats happens .i haven’t went couse am afraid what they might say .
I had to call 911 on 9/16/16 for severe pain in right side of my back. The pain was excruciating and they couldn’t pump pain meds fast enough to ease the pain. once at the hospital they found 2 golf ball size stones in right kidney and put in a tube that goes from my kidney and right out my back and drains into a bag which I have to empty out every so often. My stone removal surgery is scheduled for 10/3/16 which I can’t wait for. I still have pain when I take deep breaths and also when I move, sit, stand, pretty much anything I do. I had to take off of work for almost a month cause my job consists of lots of lifting, twisting, bending, which I can’t do. I’m afraid that the severe pain will return before my surgery day so I’m taking precautions. I’ve never experienced anything like this before and I hope that I never do again.
Laurie,
I am a chronic kidney stone producer, over the last 28 years I have passed 100’s of kidney stones and have also had 23 ESWL (Shockwave Lithotripsy) procedures done, last one was yesterday.
I would not wish a single kidney stone on ANYONE and I am very sorry to hear that you not only have them but you are also experiencing the associated pain. It is truly horrible. I assume your pain was caused by a blockage of the kidney itself from draining. That causes nephritis making the kidney swell with fluid, as it can not drain, and the pain is usually an 11 on a scale of 1-10. It is absolutely brutal.
I wanted to share with you some information for the future based on my 28 years of experience and research resulting from my own condition. Mine are a result of my kidneys being tilted into an abnormal position which does not allow them to drain properly, so for me their is no cure just drink as much water as possible to try and keep fluid going through them.
As to your specific condition I have assumed that due to the size one of them blocked your kidney from draining. As terrible as this sounds, due to your other kidney, your blocked kidney is not in danger of immediate failing or future injury just because it is blocked, however painful it is. It takes upwards of 20-30 days for a blocked kidney to become damaged. But, yes, the pain is horrible.
Since they already have placed the drainage tube and bag this is for future reference.
I have had to go to the ER many times when my own kidneys have become blocked and the only relief is ER meds until the blockage moves back into your kidney or moves and allows drainage. As a result of that I have never let them place a drainage tube into my kidney through my back. Instead I insist on them having a Urologist place a J-Stent in between my bladder and kidney. Essentially this is a tube with drainage holes on either end that when put in place keeps your kidney from being blocked by keeping the stone from blocking and allowing the fluid to drain through the stent.
The Stent placed between your bladder and kidney is done through a cystoscope and is very invasive while punching a hole through your back, between your ribs and into your kidney is much, much more invasive. It results in scar tissue internally and is much more prone to infection.
There has been quite a few times where a ER recommended, due to expediency, to place the external stent and bag but in every case I have refused it. And in every case they have been able to keep me medicated so that the stone moves and my kidney drains naturally allowing me time to have the procedure to place an internal stent done a day or so later or, in extreme cases where it would not move, wait overnight for the on-call urologist to be able to place the stent internally without any “cutting” there in the hospital. I have been at an ER due to a blocked kidney upwards of 25+ times minimum.
I wish I could let everyone know this. It is much, much better to remain medicated in the ER and wait on a urologist to place a stent than have them do what they did to you. I am really sorry that happened and hope in the future if you ever need this info or anyone else reads this that immediate surgery to place an external drain is not the only option. I especially believe in this day and age it should be a very, very rare option and only in remote areas where a Urologist is not available.
Best of luck to you, prayers Laurie
I just had my first one this week, passing it at the ER sometime after midnight last night.
So I appreciate so much all of your insights. It was so perplexing and it’s nice to revisit it with more knowledge.
Thank you!
I’ve had over 300 stones and 11, about to be 12 surgeries. 90% of my stones are on my left side and the urologist I’ve seen (6) can’t figure it out. I wonder if mine is tilted also. Thanks for sharing maybe I can get some answers as to why!
Dr sb.
i have kidney stone in lower ureter 8mm size what is the solution for this kind of kidney stone please help me.
thanks
HI my name is Ashley an i am a chronic kidney stone sufferer. I saw your post an i wanted to personally answer (hope that is ok). An 8mm stone is a very large stone, that actually requires surgery. I had an 7mm stone an doctors wouldn’t believe me until I passed it and they sent it to lab. Always do your own research, doctors can be very non informative about kidney stones. If doctors claim that your stone is non obstructive that is false because that stone will eventually move and also it can cause damage to the kidney if not treated . I hope this helps, both my kidneys are damaged duè to hundreds of stones I have passed. God Bless You.
Here is my advice, hope it helps.
If it is in your lower ureter than, while quite large, it may be passable. I have passed hundreds of kidney stones but only two as large as that from my kidneys all the way out. Anything larger has required ESWL, basically soundwaves used to break them up into smaller more passable sizes.
Anyway, as to your specific case, if the pain is in your lower front abdomen then it is close to your bladder and, if you can get it into your bladder, an 8mm stone can pass out from there as your urethra is larger then your ureter. My recommendation is to drink as much water as possible while also doing jumping jacks and other movements to try and jar it lose and get it to move to your bladder. But, Be Aware if it moves into a position that blocks your kidney it will cause a massive amount of pain in your back flank as your kidney swells since it can not drain. If this occurs and you cannot get it to move, allowing your kidney to drain or get it to move into your bladder, you MUST be prepared to have someone take you to the emergency room.
The only other options is wait and hope it moves to your bladder on its’ own, go to see a urologist to schedule a procedure to have it removed or wait until it blocks the ureter which will cause massve pain in your back due to your kidney swelling. If the latter occurs and you cannot get it to move to allow your kidney to drain then a visit to the ER will be required as the pain will become unbearable. At that point, stop drinking fluids as it can just keep the pain going by adding more fluid than you can drain. Additionally the cramping of the uruter from the pain can actually cuase it to become even more stuck and sometimes actually push it further up your ureter rather than down. In some cases I have been able to stop drinking, wait through the pain until it slowly drains and then wait further until my ureter finally relaxes than start with the jumping jacks and then fluid sgain for round two.
If you do end up in the emergency room, sometimes the pain medications they will inject into you will allow your uruter to relax enough to pass the stone into your bladder as well. If they get the pain under control, I recommend that you try drinking fluids slowly and then more and more, if the pain remains controlled in the ER to see if you can pass it while medicated before allowing to do something drastic like insert an external drainage tube into your kidney. If it getsvto that point try to insist on a Urologist placing a stent internally. Cutting a whole into your kidney through your back should be the absolute last case in my opinion.
This is basically my account of what happened to me. After having the shot at the ER things got better. I am still experiencing pain in my lower abdomen but at least it is bearable. The pain from this was the worst thing I have ever experienced. Thank you for your input.
Crystal
after reading this….I’m going to quietly lay down and die instead….I can’t even imagine a stone that large getting stuck and the pain in your back and the kidney swelling up, oh my gosh!
it was so helpful
it was helpful but not so long
Ayurveda medicine obviously doesn’t work at this point. 12 & 13 mm stones are completely unpassable and MUST be removed surgically. when the pain starts, and it will hit harder than any pain you’ve ever experienced, get to the ER immediately !
I have two stone in my rt. Kidney puj is about 12 mm and 13 mm what I do I have used many Ayurveda medicine