Is It Kidney Stone Pain, or Something Else?

Most people with a kidney stone don’t realize it until they have symptoms--most commonly, pain.

The pain usually occurs when a stone moves from the kidney and stays in the urinary tract. A lodged stone can block the kidney, putting pressure on it and causing severe pain or bleeding. Many may worry about that pain, but the long-term risks of obstruction--including damage to kidney function--are of even more concern.

Confusion About Kidney Stone Pain

There is a lot of confusion over when pain in the back area is coming from a kidney, even among physicians. The kidneys are usually located at the mid-back level, but can’t be felt directly. So if you feel tenderness in the back, it usually isn’t coming from the kidney. As internal organs, kidneys are not part of the core muscles of the body. Pain associated with bending, twisting, turning or lifting is more likely to come from back muscles or the spine.

Kidney stones have become more common than ever. The incidence in the US has reached nearly 10%, about double that of 20 or 25 years ago--and that just accounts for patients who get medical attention for a stone.

The biggest risk factor for having a stone is having one in your personal medical history. Family history may mean a higher risk. If you have had kidney stones but no recent medical scans, it is a good idea to undergo a noninvasive radiological test like a kidney ultrasound or sonogram to confirm whether any new stones have formed.

Check back for my next blog post to learn how what you eat can protect against the formation of kidney stones.

This post was written by David Mayer Hoenig, MD, urologist at the North Shore-LIJ Health System.

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