Kidney stone pain can come on fast. You may suddenly feel sharp pain in your side, back, lower belly, or groin. Nausea, vomiting, painful urination, and blood in the urine can also occur.
Many small kidney stones can pass on their own. Larger stones, stones that block urine flow, or stones linked with infection may need medical treatment.
Find Out the Size and Location of the Stone
Treatment depends on how large the stone is and where it is sitting. A scan can show whether the stone is still in the kidney or has moved into the tube that carries urine to the bladder.
Small stones are more likely to pass without a procedure. As stones get larger, the chance of passing them naturally drops. A doctor may also check your urine and blood for infection or signs that the kidneys are under stress.
If you pass the stone, save it if your doctor asks you to. A laboratory can test what it is made of and help guide prevention.
Drink Enough Water, but Do Not Force Fluids
Staying hydrated helps your body make enough urine and may support the natural passage of a small stone. Sip water through the day unless your doctor has told you to limit fluids.
Do not force several liters of water at once during severe kidney stone pain. Research has not shown that very high fluid intake pushes an acute stone out faster. It may make you feel worse if urine flow is blocked.
For prevention, people who form kidney stones are often advised to drink enough to produce about 2.5 liters of urine each day. Your doctor can adjust that goal for your health needs.1
Control Kidney Stone Pain
Kidney stone pain can be intense as the stone moves through the narrow urinary tube.
Anti-inflammatory pain medicines are often the first choice when they are safe for you. They may not be suitable if you have kidney disease, stomach ulcers, certain heart problems, or take some blood thinners.2
If severe pain continues despite medicine, seek medical care. Ongoing pain can mean the stone needs treatment.
Home Remedies That May Help With Kidney Stones
Home care may help when a kidney stone is small, and your doctor says it is safe to let it pass naturally. These steps cannot remove every stone, but they may make the process easier and may help prevent future stones.
Add Lemon to Your Water
Lemons contain citrate, which may help stop certain calcium kidney stones from forming.
Try adding fresh lemon juice to water during the day. Avoid adding large amounts of sugar, since sugary drinks are not a good choice for kidney stone prevention.
Try Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranate juice contains plant compounds that may support kidney health. Some early research suggests pomegranate may affect substances in the urine that play a role in kidney stone formation.3
However, pomegranate juice has not been proven to dissolve or quickly remove an existing kidney stone. Choose unsweetened pomegranate juice and drink it in moderation as part of your normal fluid intake.
Use a Warm Heating Pad
A heating pad or warm compress placed on the painful side or lower back may relax tense muscles and provide temporary comfort.
Use gentle warmth for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Do not place very hot heating pads directly against your skin.
Limit Salt
Eating too much salt increases the amount of calcium released into urine, which can raise the risk of some kidney stones.
Cut back on heavily salted foods, processed meats, packaged meals, chips, and fast food. Flavor meals with herbs, garlic, lemon, or other seasonings instead.
Keep Eating Calcium-Rich Foods
Do not remove calcium from your diet unless your doctor tells you to.
Calcium from foods such as milk, yogurt, and cheese can bind with substances in the digestive tract that contribute to certain kidney stones. Very low-calcium diets may actually increase the risk of some stones.
Do Not Rely on Vinegar or Herbal “Stone-Breaking” Remedies
You may see claims that apple cider vinegar, herbal teas, or supplements can dissolve kidney stones. There is not enough good evidence that these remedies can safely break apart an existing kidney stone.
Some supplements can also interact with medicines or affect the kidneys. Talk with your doctor before trying concentrated herbal products.
Home remedies are most appropriate for mild symptoms and small stones. Fever, chills, severe pain, repeated vomiting, trouble urinating, or worsening symptoms require medical care.
Ask Whether Medicine Can Help the Stone Pass
For some stones near the bladder, a doctor may prescribe tamsulosin. This medicine relaxes the urinary tube and can help certain stones pass.
Current European guidance finds the greatest benefit in stones about 5 to 10 millimeters that are in the lower part of the tube. Tamsulosin should be used only after a doctor reviews your scan and health history.
Larger Kidney Stones May Need a Procedure
A stone that is too large to pass may need to be broken up or removed.
One treatment uses shock waves from outside the body to break the stone into smaller pieces. Another uses a thin instrument passed through the urinary tract so the doctor can remove or break the stone. Very large kidney stones may require removal through a small opening in the back.
The choice depends on the stone’s size, location, symptoms, and your health.
Know When Kidney Stones Need Urgent Care
Get medical help promptly if kidney stone symptoms come with fever, chills, severe pain, repeated vomiting, trouble passing urine, or marked weakness.
Fever or chills with a blocked urinary tract can signal an infection behind the stone. This can become dangerous and may require antibiotics and urgent drainage of the kidney.
Reduce the Chance of Another Kidney Stone
After the stone passes or is removed, focus on preventing another one.
Drink enough water, limit excess salt, and do not cut calcium from food unless your doctor tells you to. Normal amounts of calcium from food can help lower the risk of some common stones. Depending on the stone type, your doctor may also suggest eating less animal protein or reducing foods high in oxalate.
If you have had repeated kidney stones, ask about urine testing and stone analysis. Finding the cause can help your doctor choose the right diet or medicine to lower your risk.
FAQs
1. How long does it take to pass a kidney stone?
Small kidney stones may pass within a few days, but some can take several weeks. The time depends on the stone’s size and location. Larger stones are less likely to pass without medical treatment.
2. What is the fastest way to get rid of a kidney stone?
There is no safe way to make every kidney stone pass quickly. Drinking enough water, controlling pain, and using medicine prescribed by a doctor may help some small stones pass. Larger or blocked stones may need a medical procedure.
3. Can drinking lemon water help with kidney stones?
Lemon juice contains citrate, a substance that may help prevent some calcium stones from forming. Lemon water is more useful for prevention than for removing a stone that is already causing symptoms.
4. Can a kidney stone pass without you knowing?
Yes. Very small kidney stones may pass with little or no pain. Others cause severe pain when they move from the kidney into the urinary tract.
5. When should you go to the hospital for a kidney stone?
Seek urgent medical care if you have fever, chills, severe or worsening pain, repeated vomiting, trouble urinating, or signs of infection. A blocked kidney with an infection requires urgent treatment.