Kidney stones are small, pebble-like objects made up of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys when urine becomes highly concentrated. They can affect any part of your urinary tract, from your kidneys to your bladder, and can happen to anyone.

You may not know you have a kidney stone until it starts to move. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include:

• Severe pain in your side, back, lower stomach or groin
• Pain when you urinate, or needing to urinate more often
• Pain that comes and goes, ranging in intensity
• Urine that is pink, red, brown, cloudy or foul-smelling
• Nausea and vomiting

Several factors can raise your risk, including:

• Family or personal history of kidney stones
• Not drinking enough water
• A diet high in protein, salt or sugar 
• A higher body mass index 
• Being male
• Taking medications like diuretics and antacids
• Issues like gastric bypass surgery, inflammatory bowel disease, Type 2 diabetes or gout

To check for kidney stones, your doctor may order:

• Imaging tests, like an X-ray, CT scan or ultrasound, can find the size and location of your stone.
• Blood or urine tests can detect high levels of stone-forming minerals, like uric acid or calcium, or check for a lack of stone-preventing substances.

Your doctor may have you drink more water or take medication to help kidney stones pass on their own. For larger stones, severe pain or an infection, you may need one of these procedures:

• Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL): Your doctor uses shock waves from outside your body to break the kidney stone into pieces small enough to pass through urine. 
• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy or percutaneous nephrolithotripsy: Your surgeon makes a small cut on your side or back and uses a thin tube to remove the stone. They may also use sound waves to break it up, then remove it with a vacuum.
• Ureteroscopy: Your doctor uses a thin, flexible tube that locates the stone and breaks it into pieces small enough to pass through urine.