Kidney Stones

A kidney stone is a hard object that is made from chemicals in the urine. After it is formed, the stone may stay in the kidney or travel down the urinary tract into the ureter. Sometimes, tiny stones move out of the body in the urine without causing too much pain. But stones that don't move may cause a back-up of urine in the kidney, ureter, the bladder, or the urethra. This is what causes the pain.

You might have a procedure or surgery to take out kidney stones if:

• The stone is very large and can't pass on its own.
• You're in a lot of pain.
• The stone is blocking the flow of urine out of your kidney.
• You have had many urinary tract infections because of the stone.

The symptoms could be one or more of the following:

• Severe pain on either side of your lower back
• More vague pain or stomach ache that doesn't go away
• Blood in the urine
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever and chills
• Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy