The pain can come in waves and may change in intensity as the stone moves.
Some patients also experience nausea, vomiting, blood in the urine, or a frequent urge to urinate. Others may have smaller stones that pass with relatively few symptoms.
The experience can be alarming, particularly when the pain begins suddenly and becomes difficult to tolerate.
A kidney stone does not always require surgery. Small stones may pass naturally through the urinary tract, and clinicians may recommend pain management, appropriate fluid intake, and monitoring, depending on the circumstances.
Larger stones, stones that cause persistent obstruction, or stones associated with complications may require additional treatment.
Procedures can include shock-wave lithotripsy, which uses focused shock waves to break certain stones into smaller fragments, or endoscopic procedures that allow clinicians to reach and remove or fragment stones.
The most appropriate treatment depends on the stone's size, location, composition, and the patient's overall health.
Why Multiple Stones Can Become a Medical Concern
Finding several stones does not necessarily indicate a more dangerous condition than finding one. Nevertheless, multiple deposits can complicate treatment, particularly if they obstruct the urinary tract or occur alongside other medical problems.
For example, a person may have several stones in one kidney without experiencing obvious symptoms. Another person may develop a single stone that blocks urine flow and causes severe pain.
The location of the stone is often more important than the number alone.
Obstruction can prevent urine from draining normally. If an obstruction occurs together with a urinary tract infection, the situation can become particularly serious and may require emergency treatment.
Warning signs can include fever, chills, severe pain, persistent vomiting, or feeling extremely unwell. These symptoms should not be dismissed as ordinary discomfort.
A clinician may use imaging tests, urine analysis, blood tests, and other assessments to determine whether stones are present and whether complications have developed.
Imaging methods such as ultrasound or computed tomography may help identify the size and location of urinary stones, although the appropriate test depends on the patient's circumstances.
When stones are recovered or removed, laboratory analysis may also help determine their chemical composition. This information can guide preventive strategies and help clinicians understand why the stones formed.
Gallstones: Another Possible Explanation for Stone-Like Deposits
Not all stones originate in the kidneys.
Gallstones develop in the gallbladder, a small organ beneath the liver that stores bile. Bile helps the body digest fats and contains substances that can crystallize under certain conditions.
Gallstones vary in size and number. Some people have only one, while others develop many small stones.
Many gallstones cause no symptoms and are discovered incidentally during medical imaging performed for another reason.
Problems arise when a stone blocks a duct that carries bile away from the gallbladder. This may produce pain in the upper-right abdomen or upper-middle abdomen, sometimes following a meal.
The pain may spread toward the back or right shoulder. Nausea and vomiting can also occur.
If a stone blocks a bile duct for an extended period or contributes to inflammation or infection, more serious complications may develop.
Fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes, severe persistent abdominal pain, and other concerning symptoms require prompt medical evaluation.
Treatment depends on the patient's symptoms and the location of the stones. When gallstones cause repeated symptoms or complications, surgery to remove the gallbladder is a common treatment.
However, it would be incorrect to identify the objects in the photograph as gallstones based on their appearance alone. Their origin cannot be established reliably from an image.
Salivary Stones: A Less Familiar Condition
Another possible source of stone-like deposits is the salivary glands.
These glands produce saliva, which helps moisten food, support swallowing, and protect the mouth. Small ducts carry saliva into the oral cavity.
Occasionally, mineral deposits form within these ducts, creating salivary stones. The medical term for this condition is sialolithiasis.
Salivary stones most often affect the submandibular glands, which are located beneath the jaw.
Symptoms may include swelling beneath the jaw or in the floor of the mouth, discomfort during meals, and pain that increases when saliva production rises.
Some stones are small enough to pass or can be managed with conservative measures. Others may require removal by a healthcare professional.
Treatment depends on the size and location of the stone and whether infection or significant obstruction is present.
Although salivary stones are less widely discussed than kidney stones, they illustrate an important point: the body can develop mineral deposits in several different anatomical locations.
The appearance of a stone alone is not sufficient to determine which organ produced it.
What Causes Stones to Develop?
The causes vary by condition, but several biological and lifestyle factors can influence stone formation.
For kidney stones, dehydration is an important consideration. When a person does not consume enough fluid, urine may become more concentrated, increasing the likelihood that certain substances will crystallize.
Diet can also influence risk. High sodium intake, for example, may increase urinary calcium excretion in some people. The relationship between diet and kidney stones is complex, however, and dietary advice should be tailored to the individual's stone type and medical history.
Family history and certain medical conditions can also contribute. Some people are more susceptible because of inherited factors, metabolic abnormalities, or medications that influence the concentration of substances in urine.
Gallstones have a different set of risk factors. These may include age, family history, obesity, rapid weight loss, certain metabolic conditions, and other factors affecting bile composition or gallbladder function.
Salivary stones may be associated with reduced saliva flow, dehydration, or changes in the composition of saliva, although the precise mechanisms are not always clear.
There is therefore no single explanation that accounts for every type of stone.
A person who develops stones repeatedly may benefit from a medical evaluation to identify contributing factors rather than relying on general advice alone.
Can Drinking More Water Prevent Stones?
Adequate hydration is an important part of preventing many kidney stones.
When fluid intake is sufficient, urine generally becomes less concentrated. This can reduce the likelihood that certain minerals and other substances will crystallize.
For people with recurrent kidney stones, clinicians may recommend increasing fluid intake to achieve an appropriate urine output. The exact target should be individualized, especially for people with heart failure, advanced kidney disease, or other conditions that require fluid restrictions.
Drinking water is not a guaranteed way to prevent every stone, and it cannot reliably dissolve all existing stones.
The recommended approach also depends on the stone's chemical composition. A person who forms calcium oxalate stones may receive different dietary advice from someone who forms uric acid stones.
For example, reducing excessive sodium intake can be helpful for some kidney stone formers. Maintaining an appropriate dietary calcium intake may also be important; unnecessarily eliminating calcium-rich foods can be counterproductive for certain patients.