Kidney stones are small, hard deposits made up of mineral and acid salts. They form inside your kidneys when your urine becomes concentrated, allowing the minerals to crystallize and stick together. Symptoms occur when the kidney stone moves within your kidney and passes into your ureter. Such symptoms may include:
- Severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs
- Pain that spreads to the lower abdomen and groin
- Pain that comes in waves, shifts location, and fluctuates in intensity (usually as the stone moves through your urinary tract)
- Pain when urinating
- Pink, red, or brown urine
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- Nausea and vomiting
- Persistent urge to urinate
- Urinating more often than usual
- Fever and chills if an infection is present
It’s time to see a doctor if you have blood in your urine, have difficulty passing urine, or if you experience pain so severe that you can’t sit still or get comfortable, or if it’s accompanied by fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting. Before your appointment, ask your doctor if you need to do anything, such as limiting your diet. Also, be sure to have a list of your symptoms and any medications, vitamins, or supplements you’re taking.
Dr. Scolieri specializes in all modalities of lithotripsy (the breaking of a urinary calculus) including Extracopreal Shock Wave Lithotripsy as well as rigid and flexible ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy.