Kidney stones are made of salts and minerals in the urine that stick
together to form small "pebbles." They are usually painless while they remain
in the kidney, but they can cause severe pain as they break loose and travel
through narrow tubes (ureters) to exit the body during urination.
Symptoms of a kidney stone include severe pain on one side of the
back, just below the rib cage (flank pain). The pain may spread to the lower
abdomen, groin, and genital area. Other symptoms include blood in the urine
(hematuria), painful or frequent urination (dysuria), and nausea and
vomiting.
