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Date issued: December 2022 

Review date: December 2024

Ref: A-527/NB/ED/Moderate Kidney Stones

PDF:  Kidney Stones Moderate final December 2022.pdf [pdf] 119KB

What are kidney stones and what causes them?

They are stones which lie between the kidney and the outside world.  They are usually small (less than 6mm in diameter) but can be bigger.

There is a variety of causes including dehydration, the presence of excess stone-forming substances in urine, long-standing infection and anatomical abnormalities.  In 5-10% of cases no one cause can be identified.

Approximately 0.5% of the UK population attends GP surgeries or Emergency Departments every year with pain from kidney stones.  The condition is more common in men than women.

The pain associated with kidney stones is called ureteric or renal colic.  This reflects spasm of the ureter, which carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder.

The pain can be very severe and require significant amounts of painkillers.  However, often the pain either is not as bad or suddenly goes away.  This may be because the stone has moved from the ureter into the bladder or has left the body in the stream of urine.

How are kidney stones diagnosed?

You have been seen and assessed by both nursing and medical staff.  Blood and urine tests have been taken.  In addition, you have had some advanced imaging performed which has confirmed that you have a stone in your urinary system.  Most people will have had a CT scan, but others will have had an ultrasound scan.

What did the scan show?

The scan has shown a stone in your urinary system.  It is moderate in size (between 5 and 10mm in diameter) but is not blocking your kidney.  It can still cause quite a lot of pain and can take up to 6 weeks to pass.

What next?

We would expect your symptoms to disappear completely when the stone passes.  Passage of the stone is normally associated with an increase in pain just before it comes out.  There is often also a small amount of blood in the urine.  However, as the stone is moderate in size, we would like to see you in our urology outpatient clinic.  We will be in touch by letter with an appointment.

What can I do in the meantime?

There are several things you can do:

• Hydration: many stones are caused by dehydration.  Unless you have been advised otherwise, we would recommend drinking 3 litres of clear fluid daily (this excludes caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee, and some fizzy drinks).

• Painkillers: paracetamol and anti-inflammatory medication (such as ibuprofen) are very effective in stone pain.  Both can be bought in supermarkets or pharmacies and many brands are available.  Ask your GP or pharmacist for advice.

If your symptoms are not controlled by simple painkillers or you are concerned, then please return to the Emergency Department.