Pain in the back, belly, or side

Kidney stone pain, also known as renal colic, is one of the most intense forms of agony that can be imagined. Some kidney stone sufferers equate the pain to childbirth or being stabbed with a knife. The agony is severe enough that more than 500,000 people visit emergency rooms each year. The discomfort usually begins when a stone slides into the small ureter. This results in a blockage, which increases pressure on the kidney. The pressure stimulates nerve fibers, which provide pain signals to the brain.

Kidney stone pain is frequently severe. The agony shifts in position and severity as the stone travels. The ureter contracts as it tries to force the stone out, causing pain to come and go in waves. Each wave may linger a few minutes before disappearing and reappearing. The discomfort is usually felt along your side and back, just behind your ribcage. As the stone passes down your urinary tract, it may radiate to your belly and groin. Large stones can be more painful than little ones, although the degree of discomfort does not always correlate with stone size. Even a little stone can cause discomfort when it shifts or causes an obstruction.