Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEarly SignsHow GI Tract Is AffectedComplicationsRisk of Kidney StonesOther SymptomsWhen to Seek Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Early Signs
How GI Tract Is Affected
Complications
Risk of Kidney Stones
Other Symptoms
When to Seek Care
Kidney stones can cause gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, along with “classic” urinary tract symptoms like pain with urination, reduced urination, and blood in the urine.
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Early Signs of Kidney Stones May Involve Your GI System
Kidney stones, also calledrenal calculiornephrolithiasis, are hardened clusters of minerals that form in thekidneysand often cause pain as they pass through theurinary tract.
The pain, referred to asrenal colic, occurs when a stone gets stuck in one of the two tubes that connect the kidneys to thebladder, called theureters. When this happens, the walls of the ureter will contract and spasm in an effort to force the stone out.
Renal colic typically starts with waves offlank pain(felt in the side and back) that can radiate to the groin. When this happens, it is not uncommon to experience GI symptoms like:
The nausea and vomiting are due in part to the activation of the renal branches of thevagus nervewhich send signals from the kidneys to the emetic (vomiting) center of a part of the brain called thebrainstem.
How Kidney Stones Impact Bowel Function
Kidney stones do not directly affect bowel function but can indirectly cause changes in the intestine thatcan lead to diarrheaor obstruction.
Though uncharacteristic, the obstruction of a ureter can cause the buildup of toxins in the blood (calleduremia), which can disrupt the normal balance ofbacteria in the colon. This includes increases in a bacteria calledClostridium, which can lead to watery diarrhea. Studies in animals have shown that the obstruction of only one ureter can cause an imbalance.
In situations like this, the symptoms may be relatively mild. In addition to diarrhea, there may be other “nonclassical” symptoms like dull lower back pain and reduced urination (oliguria). The stone may only be discovered during an incidental abdominal X-ray or ultrasound.
Although rare, pressure from a distended bladder can cause the complete or partial blockage of the intestine, known asbowel obstruction. Bowel obstruction is a medical emergency that can lead to intestinal rupture andperitonitis(inflammation of the abdominal lining) if left untreated.
Potential GI Complications After the Stone Passes
As a kidney stone passes through the urinary tract—which can take anywhere from eight days to three weeks depending on the size of the stone—it can sometimes cause collateral injury to nerves that regulate bowel function.
Signs and symptoms of IBS include:
Though the relationship between kidney stones and IBS is poorly understood, the nerve pathways that cause renal colic and IBS symptoms are strikingly similar. As such, it is theoretically possible for a passing stone to disrupt communications in the gut-brain axis, leading to IBS in people who previously had no signs of the disease.
GI Problems Can Also Lead to Kidney Stones
Several gastrointestinal diseases are linked to an increased risk of kidney stones. Underpinning the risk ischronic dehydration, a long-lasting condition in which you take in less water than you pee out.
Kidney stones develop because stone-forming substances in your urine are high relative to the amount of urine in your kidneys. When you aredehydrated, the loss of body fluid concentrates urine, allowing substances likecalciumoruric acidto clump together into hardened stones.
Chronicdehydration differs fromacutedehydration. While acute dehydration can occur after a single, severe bout of diarrhea or vomiting, chronic dehydration is a long-standing condition that may be due to inadequate fluid intake or the use ofdiuretics(“water pills”) that cause excessive peeing.
Chronic dehydration is also associated with several digestive disorders, including:
Calculating the Risk
Of the three conditions, IBD poses the greatest risk of kidney stones. In addition to the loss of water due to chronic diarrhea, IBD causesintestinal malabsorptionin which nutrients are poorly absorbed in the gut. This can lead to an accumulation of a substance called oxalate that binds to calcium in the urine, leading to the formation ofcalcium oxalate stones.
Symptoms of a kidney stone develop once the stone passes into a ureter. A classic episode of renal colic can last anywhere from 15 and 45 minutes and repeat several times a day, including the middle of the night.
As the stone moves toward the bladder, the flank pain will start to shift in a downward direction, radiating pain into the groin.
Accompanying the pain, nausea, and vomiting may be:
Once the stone passes into the bladder, the symptoms will almost entirely disappear. Although there may be discomfort as the stone moves into the urethra, it is usually less severe as the urethra is far wider than the ureter. Thereafter, the stone will usually leave the body very quickly.
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
If you have signs of a kidney stone, you need to see aurologist. This medical specialist can order anultrasoundto determine the size of the stone. Generally speaking, stones under 10 millimeters (mm) are left to pass on their own. Those over 5 mm may be treated with medications likeFlomax (tamsulosin)that help relax muscles of the urinary tract so a stone is easier to pass.
During this waiting period, your condition will be monitored and, if the stone doesn’t pass within four weeks, your urologist may recommend treatment to either remove or break up the stone. Stones over 10 mm in diameter usually don’t pass on their own and need treatment.
At any time during this period, seek immediate medical care if you:
Summary
It is not uncommon to have gastrointestinal symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting as you pass a kidney stone. Diarrhea is less common but may occur. In rare cases, a kidney stone can cause bladder distention which compresses the intestine, leading to bowel obstruction.
After passing a stone, some people have been known to develop symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS may increase the risk of getting kidney stones, as can inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and celiac disease.
18 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fontanella LF, Dias Sarti TD.Kidney stones: treatment and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(8):490-496.Lei WY, Chang CY, Wu JH, et al.An initial attack of urinary stone disease is associated with an increased risk of developing new-onset irritable bowel syndrome: nationwide population-based study.PLoS One.2016;11(6):e0157701. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0157701MedlinePlus.Kidney stones.Song L, Maalouf NM.Nephrolithiasis. In:Endotext.South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2020.Chen L, Chen DQ, Liu JR, et al.Unilateral ureteral obstruction causes gut microbial dysbiosis and metabolome disorders contributing to tubulointerstitial fibrosis.Exp Mol Med. 2019;51(3):38. doi:10.1038/s12276-019-0234-2Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Bladder outlet obstruction.Papes D, Altarac S, Araslani N, Rajkovic Z.Urinary retention presenting as complete bowel obstruction.Can Urol Assoc J. 2013;7(9-10):E637–E639. doi:10.5489/cuaj.347University of California Irvine Department of Urology.How long does it take to pass a kidney stone? Does walking help pass kidney stones?MedlinePlus.Dehydration.Canadian Digestive Health Foundation.When your gastrointestinal condition leaves you dehydrated.Laura B, Federica G, Barbara B, et al.Renal lithiasis and inflammatory bowel diseases, an update on pediatric population.Acta Biomed. 2018;89(Suppl 9):76–80. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i9-S.7908Abdulrhman A, Alsweed A, Alotaibi MR, et al.Urolithiasis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 13,339,065 individuals.Medicine (Baltimore). 2023;102(24):e33938. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000033938=Hidalgo D, Boonpheng B, Ginn D.Risk of urinary stones in patients with celiac disease: a meta-analysis: 1162.Am J Gastroenterol.2018;113(Suppl):S664-S665. doi:10.14309/00000434-201810001-01162Gao S, Tian R.Mendelian insights: irritable bowel syndrome as a predictor of upper urinary tract calculi.Medicine (Baltimore). 2024;103(36):e39524. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000039524.Dorofeyev AE; Kyrian OA, Derkach IA, Rudenko NN, Dorofeyev AA.Irritable bowel syndrome, urolithiasis and role of microbiota in their comorbidity.Clin Pract.2021;18(4):1678-1684.Khan SR, Pearle MS, Robertson WG, et al.Kidney stones.Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016;2:16008. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2016.8American Urological Association.Medical student curriculum: kidney stones.National Health Service (UK).Kidney stones.
18 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fontanella LF, Dias Sarti TD.Kidney stones: treatment and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(8):490-496.Lei WY, Chang CY, Wu JH, et al.An initial attack of urinary stone disease is associated with an increased risk of developing new-onset irritable bowel syndrome: nationwide population-based study.PLoS One.2016;11(6):e0157701. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0157701MedlinePlus.Kidney stones.Song L, Maalouf NM.Nephrolithiasis. In:Endotext.South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2020.Chen L, Chen DQ, Liu JR, et al.Unilateral ureteral obstruction causes gut microbial dysbiosis and metabolome disorders contributing to tubulointerstitial fibrosis.Exp Mol Med. 2019;51(3):38. doi:10.1038/s12276-019-0234-2Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Bladder outlet obstruction.Papes D, Altarac S, Araslani N, Rajkovic Z.Urinary retention presenting as complete bowel obstruction.Can Urol Assoc J. 2013;7(9-10):E637–E639. doi:10.5489/cuaj.347University of California Irvine Department of Urology.How long does it take to pass a kidney stone? Does walking help pass kidney stones?MedlinePlus.Dehydration.Canadian Digestive Health Foundation.When your gastrointestinal condition leaves you dehydrated.Laura B, Federica G, Barbara B, et al.Renal lithiasis and inflammatory bowel diseases, an update on pediatric population.Acta Biomed. 2018;89(Suppl 9):76–80. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i9-S.7908Abdulrhman A, Alsweed A, Alotaibi MR, et al.Urolithiasis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 13,339,065 individuals.Medicine (Baltimore). 2023;102(24):e33938. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000033938=Hidalgo D, Boonpheng B, Ginn D.Risk of urinary stones in patients with celiac disease: a meta-analysis: 1162.Am J Gastroenterol.2018;113(Suppl):S664-S665. doi:10.14309/00000434-201810001-01162Gao S, Tian R.Mendelian insights: irritable bowel syndrome as a predictor of upper urinary tract calculi.Medicine (Baltimore). 2024;103(36):e39524. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000039524.Dorofeyev AE; Kyrian OA, Derkach IA, Rudenko NN, Dorofeyev AA.Irritable bowel syndrome, urolithiasis and role of microbiota in their comorbidity.Clin Pract.2021;18(4):1678-1684.Khan SR, Pearle MS, Robertson WG, et al.Kidney stones.Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016;2:16008. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2016.8American Urological Association.Medical student curriculum: kidney stones.National Health Service (UK).Kidney stones.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Fontanella LF, Dias Sarti TD.Kidney stones: treatment and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(8):490-496.Lei WY, Chang CY, Wu JH, et al.An initial attack of urinary stone disease is associated with an increased risk of developing new-onset irritable bowel syndrome: nationwide population-based study.PLoS One.2016;11(6):e0157701. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0157701MedlinePlus.Kidney stones.Song L, Maalouf NM.Nephrolithiasis. In:Endotext.South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2020.Chen L, Chen DQ, Liu JR, et al.Unilateral ureteral obstruction causes gut microbial dysbiosis and metabolome disorders contributing to tubulointerstitial fibrosis.Exp Mol Med. 2019;51(3):38. doi:10.1038/s12276-019-0234-2Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Bladder outlet obstruction.Papes D, Altarac S, Araslani N, Rajkovic Z.Urinary retention presenting as complete bowel obstruction.Can Urol Assoc J. 2013;7(9-10):E637–E639. doi:10.5489/cuaj.347University of California Irvine Department of Urology.How long does it take to pass a kidney stone? Does walking help pass kidney stones?MedlinePlus.Dehydration.Canadian Digestive Health Foundation.When your gastrointestinal condition leaves you dehydrated.Laura B, Federica G, Barbara B, et al.Renal lithiasis and inflammatory bowel diseases, an update on pediatric population.Acta Biomed. 2018;89(Suppl 9):76–80. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i9-S.7908Abdulrhman A, Alsweed A, Alotaibi MR, et al.Urolithiasis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 13,339,065 individuals.Medicine (Baltimore). 2023;102(24):e33938. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000033938=Hidalgo D, Boonpheng B, Ginn D.Risk of urinary stones in patients with celiac disease: a meta-analysis: 1162.Am J Gastroenterol.2018;113(Suppl):S664-S665. doi:10.14309/00000434-201810001-01162Gao S, Tian R.Mendelian insights: irritable bowel syndrome as a predictor of upper urinary tract calculi.Medicine (Baltimore). 2024;103(36):e39524. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000039524.Dorofeyev AE; Kyrian OA, Derkach IA, Rudenko NN, Dorofeyev AA.Irritable bowel syndrome, urolithiasis and role of microbiota in their comorbidity.Clin Pract.2021;18(4):1678-1684.Khan SR, Pearle MS, Robertson WG, et al.Kidney stones.Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016;2:16008. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2016.8American Urological Association.Medical student curriculum: kidney stones.National Health Service (UK).Kidney stones.
Fontanella LF, Dias Sarti TD.Kidney stones: treatment and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(8):490-496.
Lei WY, Chang CY, Wu JH, et al.An initial attack of urinary stone disease is associated with an increased risk of developing new-onset irritable bowel syndrome: nationwide population-based study.PLoS One.2016;11(6):e0157701. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0157701
MedlinePlus.Kidney stones.
Song L, Maalouf NM.Nephrolithiasis. In:Endotext.South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2020.
Chen L, Chen DQ, Liu JR, et al.Unilateral ureteral obstruction causes gut microbial dysbiosis and metabolome disorders contributing to tubulointerstitial fibrosis.Exp Mol Med. 2019;51(3):38. doi:10.1038/s12276-019-0234-2
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Bladder outlet obstruction.
Papes D, Altarac S, Araslani N, Rajkovic Z.Urinary retention presenting as complete bowel obstruction.Can Urol Assoc J. 2013;7(9-10):E637–E639. doi:10.5489/cuaj.347
University of California Irvine Department of Urology.How long does it take to pass a kidney stone? Does walking help pass kidney stones?
MedlinePlus.Dehydration.
Canadian Digestive Health Foundation.When your gastrointestinal condition leaves you dehydrated.
Laura B, Federica G, Barbara B, et al.Renal lithiasis and inflammatory bowel diseases, an update on pediatric population.Acta Biomed. 2018;89(Suppl 9):76–80. doi:10.23750/abm.v89i9-S.7908
Abdulrhman A, Alsweed A, Alotaibi MR, et al.Urolithiasis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 13,339,065 individuals.Medicine (Baltimore). 2023;102(24):e33938. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000033938=
Hidalgo D, Boonpheng B, Ginn D.Risk of urinary stones in patients with celiac disease: a meta-analysis: 1162.Am J Gastroenterol.2018;113(Suppl):S664-S665. doi:10.14309/00000434-201810001-01162
Gao S, Tian R.Mendelian insights: irritable bowel syndrome as a predictor of upper urinary tract calculi.Medicine (Baltimore). 2024;103(36):e39524. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000039524.
Dorofeyev AE; Kyrian OA, Derkach IA, Rudenko NN, Dorofeyev AA.Irritable bowel syndrome, urolithiasis and role of microbiota in their comorbidity.Clin Pract.2021;18(4):1678-1684.
Khan SR, Pearle MS, Robertson WG, et al.Kidney stones.Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016;2:16008. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2016.8
American Urological Association.Medical student curriculum: kidney stones.
National Health Service (UK).Kidney stones.
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