Kidney Stones: Causes, Symptoms, and Practical Prevention

Ever felt a sudden, sharp pain in your back or side and wondered if it could be a kidney stone? Kidney stones are small, hard mineral deposits that form in the kidneys and can hurt a lot when they move. The good news: many stones pass on their own and you can take simple steps to lower your risk.

Stones form when urine becomes concentrated and minerals like calcium, oxalate, or uric acid clump together. People who don’t drink enough water, eat a lot of salty food or high animal protein, or have certain medical conditions are more likely to get them. Family history matters too—if your parent had stones, your risk goes up.

Signs, diagnosis, and when to get help

Pain is the most common sign—usually sudden, intense, and focused in the side, lower back, or groin. Other clues are blood in the urine, cloudy or bad-smelling urine, nausea, vomiting, and needing to pee more often. A fever plus pain can mean infection; that’s an emergency and needs immediate medical care.

Doctors usually confirm stones with a non-contrast CT scan or ultrasound. A urinalysis checks for blood and infection. If a stone is small (under about 5 mm), it often passes with fluids and pain control. Larger stones may need treatments like shock wave lithotripsy (breaks stones into smaller pieces), ureteroscopy (a scope removes or breaks the stone), or rarely surgery.

How to pass stones and ease the pain

Drink plenty of water—aim for enough so your urine is pale. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen or prescription options help during passage. Doctors sometimes prescribe alpha-blockers to relax the ureter and speed up passing. If you have uncontrolled pain, fever, or can't keep fluids down, go to the ER.

Long-term treatment depends on the stone type. For calcium stones, doctors may suggest thiazide diuretics to lower urine calcium. For uric acid stones, medicines like allopurinol or urine-alkalizing strategies help. Your doctor can test a passed stone or your 24-hour urine to guide targeted prevention.

Simple steps to lower your risk

1) Hydrate: Drink enough water daily to keep urine light. 2) Cut salt: High sodium raises calcium in urine. 3) Moderate animal protein: Too much meat raises stone-forming acids. 4) Don’t avoid calcium: Eat normal dietary calcium—low calcium diets can increase oxalate absorption. 5) Watch high-oxalate foods: Spinach, nuts, and beets are high in oxalate—pair them with calcium-rich foods to reduce absorption. 6) Limit excess vitamin C supplements, which can raise oxalate in some people.

If you’ve had a stone before, follow up with a doctor for testing and a prevention plan. Small changes—drinking more, cutting salt, and adjusting protein—cut recurrence risk for many people. If you’re worried about symptoms now, contact your healthcare provider; fast action can prevent complications and get you back to normal faster.