Chapter 4: Symptoms You Should Never Simply Ignore
Stone-related conditions can produce symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to severe pain.
One of the classic symptoms of a kidney or ureteral stone is sudden, intense pain in the side or back.
The pain may come in waves and can move toward the lower abdomen or groin as the stone travels.
Some people also experience nausea or vomiting.
Blood in the urine can occur because a moving stone irritates the urinary tract.
Changes in urination may also happen, including frequent urination, pain during urination, or difficulty passing urine.
But there is one combination of symptoms that deserves particular attention:
Severe pain accompanied by fever or chills.
This can indicate an infection occurring alongside urinary obstruction.
That situation can become serious and requires prompt medical assessment.
Gallbladder problems have their own warning signs.
A gallstone can cause significant pain in the upper right or upper central abdomen, sometimes extending toward the back or right shoulder. Symptoms may appear after meals, particularly heavier meals, although the pattern varies.
Persistent abdominal pain, fever, jaundice, repeated vomiting, or significant tenderness should not simply be dismissed as indigestion.
There are also situations where abdominal pain has nothing to do with stones.
Appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, pancreatitis, ulcers, infections, and several other conditions can produce overlapping symptoms.
This is why self-diagnosis is risky.
A person may see a photograph online and decide that their abdominal pain must be caused by kidney stones or gallstones when the real cause is completely different.
Doctors may use urine tests, blood tests, ultrasound, CT scans, or other imaging depending on the symptoms and suspected diagnosis.
These tests help determine whether a stone exists, where it is located, how large it is, and whether complications are present.
If you experience sudden severe abdominal or flank pain, especially with fever, repeated vomiting, fainting, blood in the urine, jaundice, or difficulty urinating, medical evaluation is appropriate.
Don't wait for the symptoms to become unbearable before seeking help.
The body can sometimes tolerate a surprising amount of discomfort before a serious problem becomes obvious.
And when obstruction and infection occur together, early treatment can be particularly important.