The Painful Truth about Kidney Stones

When asked if you would prefer to be in labor or have a kidney stone I bet you would state that you would prefer childbirth over a kidney stone any day. This is an answer which I have heard many times. It’s no lie Kidney stones are one of the most painful of most urological disorders and also one of the most common problems treated in urology clinics by your urologist and emergency rooms annually.

What is a Kidney Stone?

A kidney stone is a hard mass which can develop from crystals that separate from the urine within the urinary tract. If the crystals stay small they can travel through the urinary tract and can pass out of your body in your urine without even knowing it.

Kidney stones are a combination of chemicals, the most common kidney stone is composed of calcium combined with oxalate or phosphate-chemical which is a normal part of our body composition.

Symptoms of Kidney Stones

Usually a kidney stone doesn’t cause any noticeable symptoms, but when it does it can be extremely painful, which is caused due to the stone moving into the urinary tract and blocks the flow of urine. The most common symptoms of a kidney stone is a sharp cramping pain in your back or in your lower abdomen, later the pain may spread to the groin. If the kidney stone is large and cannot pass the pain can intensify; as the wall of the ureter tries to squeeze the kidney stone into the bladder. During this time, you may see blood in your urine and have burning when you urinate. Do not try to ride this out alone, seek the help of your urologist.

If you are experiencing kidney stone symptoms and/or have a fever and chills contact us immediately to schedule an appointment with the best Urologist in New York City!