Kidney stones are no laughing matter. Here are the top five signs and symptoms of a kidney stone from the professionals at Peconic Bay Medical Center, your local medical care center in Suffolk County, NY.
Pain
The first and most obvious sign of a kidney stone is pain. Most people describe the pain of a kidney stone as the equivalent of giving birth. When your body is trying to pass a kidney stone, you'll probably experience a burning sensation when you urinate. Some have described this sensation as a stabbing, needlelike pain. You may also experience back, stomach, and side pain similar to muscle soreness. As the condition worsens, these aches turn into stabbing pains that become more painful when you try to urinate.
Nausea
Unexplainable nausea and vomiting also can accompany a kidney stone. For some, the pain and abdominal contractions are enough to make them sick to their stomach. However, what most people don’t realize is that your kidneys and the Gastrointestinal tract share a nerve. When this nerve is triggered, it can affect other parts of your body attached to the nerve. Like with most serious medical conditions, nausea and vomiting are just methods your body uses to communicate that something is wrong.
Fever
Fever and chills are another way your body tries to tell you that something is wrong. Fever is a natural response to a foreign object or an infection in your body. The body responds with fever in its attempts to fight the anomaly. A chill is your body’s response to a fever. Your body will sweat to counteract the rise in your internal temperature causing you to shiver from the chill. Fever is a sign that you may have a kidney infection.
Blood
Blood in your urine is a sign that your kidney stone is getting worse. If the pain and nausea haven’t urged you to seek medical help, blood is a serious cause for concern. Bleeding occurs from either the pressure on your ureters or damage incurred when the stone pushes against the walls of your kidneys. Blood can appear pink, red, or brown.
Trouble Urinating
It isn't uncommon for people with a kidney stone to also have a urinary tract infection. A UTI can make it extremely uncomfortable for you to urinate. You may feel the urge to go but nothing will come out. In some cases, patients with a kidney stone also report a strong odor and their urine will appear cloudy instead of clear. Cloudiness usually indicates pus in the GI tract and the smell usually stems from bacteria responsible for the UTI.
If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these kidney stone symptoms, don’t wait. Call your physician at Peconic Bay Medical Center, your local medical center in Suffolk County, NY, today.