Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Long It TakesMedicationsHome RemediesSpecialist ProceduresDuration of Pain
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Long It Takes
Medications
Home Remedies
Specialist Procedures
Duration of Pain
How long it takes to pass a kidney stone depends largely on its size. Those under 6 millimeters (mm) generally pass within three weeks, while those larger than 6 mm can sometimes take more than a month.If akidney stoneis especially large (over 10 mm), it can take even longer and, more often than not, requires medical treatment.
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Time It Takes to Pass Kidney Stones
Generally, smaller stones pass faster than larger stones, but that’s not always the case. In addition to the size of a stone, factors such as the stone’s location within the urinary tract, its shape, and the anatomy of your urinary system can influence how long it takes for the stone to pass.
Size of a Stone
Most kidney stones do not cause symptoms until they pass from akidneyinto theureter), the tube that transfers urine to thebladder.The size of the stone influences the risk and severity ofsymptomsand offers a general timeline for how long it will take for the stone to pass.
According to current research:
According to clinical studies, the spontaneous passage rate for ureteral stones under 5 mm in diameter ranges from 71% to 98%. For stones measuring 5 to 10 mm, the passage rate ranges from 25% to 53%.
In terms of actual timing, the American Urological Association (AUA) offers the following guidance:
Once a stone is over 6 mm, the timeline increases and so, too, does the need for medical intervention. Kidney stones between 5 and 10 mm in diameter have less of a likelihood of passing spontaneously as their size increases and may require medical intervention; stones over 10 mm are unlikely to pass on their own and usually necessitate medical treatment.
Location in the Urinary Tract
Although the size of a stone is the main factor influencing passage times, the location of the stone at the onset of symptoms also factors in. A healthcare provider can determine this with imaging tests such as anultrasoundorcomputed tomography (CT)of the abdomen and pelvis.
Symptoms generally develop when a kidney stone passes into a ureter. Stones lodged farther away from the kidney, called distal stones, have a better chance of being cleared than those lodged near the kidney, called proximal stones.
Comparatively, around 75% of distal stones will pass without incident, while only 48% of proximal stones will do the same. Of those lodged mid-ureter, roughly 60% will pass spontaneously.
Once a kidney stone makes it past this initial hurdle—moving into the bladder and finally into theurethrathrough which urine exits the body—the stone will usually pass within a few days.
Other Related Factors
Other factors can influence the passage time of a kidney stone or predict the likelihood that a stone won’t pass and needs medical treatment. These include:
Effect of Medication on Symptom Duration
Kidney stones less than 5 mm in size are often monitored and allowed time to pass on their own. Stones between 5 mm and 10 mm may require medical intervention based on their size, location, and symptoms.
Two alpha-blockers are commonly prescribed for this:
Steps to Speed Up Stone Passing
In addition to alpha-blockers, things you can do to speed the passage of a calcium and uric acid stone include:
When to Seek Medical CareSeek immediate care if you have been diagnosed with a kidney stone and experience any of the following signs or symptoms:Severeflank painthat does not go awayHigh fever with chillsVomitingBlood in your urineUrine that smells bad or looks cloudyPain or burning with urination
When to Seek Medical Care
Seek immediate care if you have been diagnosed with a kidney stone and experience any of the following signs or symptoms:Severeflank painthat does not go awayHigh fever with chillsVomitingBlood in your urineUrine that smells bad or looks cloudyPain or burning with urination
Seek immediate care if you have been diagnosed with a kidney stone and experience any of the following signs or symptoms:
Surgery for Large Stones and Complications
If you have a kidney stone under 10 mm, a specialist known as aurologistwill usually monitor your condition with a routine ultrasound. If the stone has not passed after four weeks, more aggressive treatments may be recommended.
This is true even if you areasymptomatic(without symptoms), since between 10% and 25% of asymptomatic stones become symptomatic or need treatment each year.
Stones over 10 mm are far less likely to pass on their own and may warrant immediate intervention. The same may apply if you have hydronephrosis, which can lead to kidney damage if left untreated.
In such cases, three specialist procedures are commonly used, as follows.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL)
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a noninvasive procedure that can break up stones. Focused shock waves are delivered from outside the body, directed at the stone’s location, to fragment it into smaller pieces that can be passed naturally. The best candidates are people with stones under 10 mm.
For this procedure, you will lie on a padded table on a machine called alithotripter. The shockwave generator will then be positioned over your abdomen. An X-ray or ultrasound will pinpoint the stone’s location. A series of shock waves strong enough to fragment the stone are delivered.
ESWL takes around one hour to complete. Upon completion, you can return home and pee out the broken fragments in your urine. Some recovery time may be necessary to rest and manage any discomfort. The only medication used is a mild anesthetic to help numb the abdomen.
Ureteroscopy
Utereroscopyinvolves the threading of a narrow scope through the urethra and into the bladder to access a stone in the ureter. The stone is then either manually snared and removed or broken into pieces with a laser and removed.
Performed undergeneral anesthesia, the procedure usually takes one hour to complete or three hours at the most. Most people can go home the same day and return to work the following day.Pain and blood in the urine will usually resolve in two to three days.
The AUA recommends ureteroscopy as a treatment option for distal and mid-ureter stones larger than 5 mm in diameter or when conservative management is unsuccessful.
Surgery
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy(PCNL) is a minimally invasive surgery in which a small incision is made in your back to access the kidney. Using an X-ray for guidance, a narrow scope is inserted through the incision to locate the stone, which can either be removed in one piece or broken up with a lithotripter and removed in pieces.
Performed under general anesthesia, PCNL is most commonly used for larger stones that can’t be treated with ureteroscopy or ESWL. It is also beneficial in that it can usually remove the stone in one go, whereas ESWL can often take several attempts for larger stones.
If the stone cannot be removed with PCNL, a more extensive surgical procedure called opennephrolithotomymay be performed. This involves making a larger incision to directly access and remove the stone from the kidney.
PCNL and open nephrolithotomy take around three to four hours to complete.Depending on the extent of the surgery, percutaneous nephrolithotomy typically requires a one- or two-night hospital stay, while open nephrolithotomy may necessitate a longer hospitalization.
Most people can return to light activities within one to two weeks after percutaneous nephrolithotomy but should avoid heavy lifting for at least four to six weeks.Recovery from open nephrolithotomy is longer, often requiring several weeks before returning to work and avoiding heavy lifting for a more extended period.
When to Expect Pain to Subside
Renal colic pain is often described as excruciating, coming and going in waves lasting anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes. The pain is situated in the back and side just below the ribs and can sometimes radiate to the groin and lower abdomen. Sweating, restlessness, and nausea are common.
Renal colic can also occur if a stone gets stuck in the urethra, but this is less common as the urethra is far wider than the ureters. Even less commonly, pain can sometimes be felt in the kidneys during stone formation, causing a dull, backache-like pain.
Summary
The time it takes to pass a kidney stone depends largely on its size. Stones under 6 mm in diameter can pass in eight to 22 days. Those over 6 mm may take a month or longer and often need treatment.
Drinking plenty of water can help speed up the passage of a stone. For stones over 5 mm, alpha-blockers like Flomax may be prescribed to relax the ureter and make the passage of a stone easier.
26 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.American Urological Association.Medical student curriculum: kidney stones.Shafi H, Moazzami B, Pourghasem M, Kasaeian A.An overview of treatment options for urinary stones.Caspian J Intern Med. 2016;7(1):1–6.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (Germany).Overview: kidney stones.Sewell J, Shoshany O, Katz DJ, Love C.Urolithiasis – ten things every general practitioner should know.Austral Fam Physician.2017;46(9):648-652.Fontanelle LF, Sarti TD.Kidney stones: treatment and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(8):490-496Favus MJ, Feingold KR.Clinical recognition. In:Kidney Stone Emergencies. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2024.Cedar Sinai.What you need to know about kidney stones.Ahmed AF, Gabr AH, Emara AA, Ali M, Abdel-Aziz AS, Alshahrani S.Factors predicting the spontaneous passage of a ureteric calculus of ⩽10 mm.Arab J Urol. 2014;13(2):84–90. doi:10.1016/j.aju.2014.11.004Wang G, Tan J, Geng E, et al.Impact of body mass index on size and composition of urinary stones: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Int Braz J Urol. 2023;49(3):281–298. doi:10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2022.0587Sheth KR, White JT, Perez-Orozco AF, et al.Evaluating natural history and follow up strategies for non-obstructive urolithiasis in pediatric population.Front Pediatr.2018;6:353. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00353Pourmand A, Nadendla R, Mazer-Amirshahi M, O’Connell F.Tamsulosin for urolithiasis: a review of the recent literature and current controversies.Am J Emerg Med.2016;34(11):2217-2221. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2016.09.009Campschroer T, Zhu X, Vernooij RWM, Lock MTWT.Alpha‐blockers as medical expulsive therapy for ureteral stones.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;2018(4):CD008509. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008509.pub3Bishop K, Momah T, Ricks J, et al.Nephrolithiasis.Primary Care Clinic Office Pract.2020:47(4):661-671. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2020.08.005Harvard Health.Kidney stones - self-care.Barry KA,Citrate salts for preventing and treating calcium-containing kidney stones in adults.Am Fam Physician.2017;95(9):552-553National Kidney Foundation.Uric acid stones.University of California Irvine.How long does it take to pass a kidney stone? Does walking help pass kidney stones?Türk C, Petřík A, Sarica K, et al.EAU guidelines on diagnosis and conservative management of urolithiasis.Eur Urol,2016;69(3):468-474. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.07.040John Hopkins Medicine.Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL).John Hopkins Medicine.Uteroscopy.Alberta Health Services (Canada).Uteroscopy: what to expect at home.John Hopkins Medicine.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).University of Florida Department of Urology.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).Alelign T, Petros B.Kidney stone disease: an update on current concepts.Adv Urol.2018;2018:3068365. doi:10.1155/2018/3068365Noh TI, Pyun JH, Shim JS, et al.A comparison between asymptomatic and symptomatic ureteral stones.Sci Rep.2023;13:2757. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-29866-5MedlinePlus.Kidney stones.
26 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.American Urological Association.Medical student curriculum: kidney stones.Shafi H, Moazzami B, Pourghasem M, Kasaeian A.An overview of treatment options for urinary stones.Caspian J Intern Med. 2016;7(1):1–6.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (Germany).Overview: kidney stones.Sewell J, Shoshany O, Katz DJ, Love C.Urolithiasis – ten things every general practitioner should know.Austral Fam Physician.2017;46(9):648-652.Fontanelle LF, Sarti TD.Kidney stones: treatment and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(8):490-496Favus MJ, Feingold KR.Clinical recognition. In:Kidney Stone Emergencies. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2024.Cedar Sinai.What you need to know about kidney stones.Ahmed AF, Gabr AH, Emara AA, Ali M, Abdel-Aziz AS, Alshahrani S.Factors predicting the spontaneous passage of a ureteric calculus of ⩽10 mm.Arab J Urol. 2014;13(2):84–90. doi:10.1016/j.aju.2014.11.004Wang G, Tan J, Geng E, et al.Impact of body mass index on size and composition of urinary stones: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Int Braz J Urol. 2023;49(3):281–298. doi:10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2022.0587Sheth KR, White JT, Perez-Orozco AF, et al.Evaluating natural history and follow up strategies for non-obstructive urolithiasis in pediatric population.Front Pediatr.2018;6:353. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00353Pourmand A, Nadendla R, Mazer-Amirshahi M, O’Connell F.Tamsulosin for urolithiasis: a review of the recent literature and current controversies.Am J Emerg Med.2016;34(11):2217-2221. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2016.09.009Campschroer T, Zhu X, Vernooij RWM, Lock MTWT.Alpha‐blockers as medical expulsive therapy for ureteral stones.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;2018(4):CD008509. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008509.pub3Bishop K, Momah T, Ricks J, et al.Nephrolithiasis.Primary Care Clinic Office Pract.2020:47(4):661-671. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2020.08.005Harvard Health.Kidney stones - self-care.Barry KA,Citrate salts for preventing and treating calcium-containing kidney stones in adults.Am Fam Physician.2017;95(9):552-553National Kidney Foundation.Uric acid stones.University of California Irvine.How long does it take to pass a kidney stone? Does walking help pass kidney stones?Türk C, Petřík A, Sarica K, et al.EAU guidelines on diagnosis and conservative management of urolithiasis.Eur Urol,2016;69(3):468-474. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.07.040John Hopkins Medicine.Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL).John Hopkins Medicine.Uteroscopy.Alberta Health Services (Canada).Uteroscopy: what to expect at home.John Hopkins Medicine.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).University of Florida Department of Urology.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).Alelign T, Petros B.Kidney stone disease: an update on current concepts.Adv Urol.2018;2018:3068365. doi:10.1155/2018/3068365Noh TI, Pyun JH, Shim JS, et al.A comparison between asymptomatic and symptomatic ureteral stones.Sci Rep.2023;13:2757. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-29866-5MedlinePlus.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.
American Urological Association.Medical student curriculum: kidney stones.Shafi H, Moazzami B, Pourghasem M, Kasaeian A.An overview of treatment options for urinary stones.Caspian J Intern Med. 2016;7(1):1–6.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (Germany).Overview: kidney stones.Sewell J, Shoshany O, Katz DJ, Love C.Urolithiasis – ten things every general practitioner should know.Austral Fam Physician.2017;46(9):648-652.Fontanelle LF, Sarti TD.Kidney stones: treatment and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(8):490-496Favus MJ, Feingold KR.Clinical recognition. In:Kidney Stone Emergencies. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2024.Cedar Sinai.What you need to know about kidney stones.Ahmed AF, Gabr AH, Emara AA, Ali M, Abdel-Aziz AS, Alshahrani S.Factors predicting the spontaneous passage of a ureteric calculus of ⩽10 mm.Arab J Urol. 2014;13(2):84–90. doi:10.1016/j.aju.2014.11.004Wang G, Tan J, Geng E, et al.Impact of body mass index on size and composition of urinary stones: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Int Braz J Urol. 2023;49(3):281–298. doi:10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2022.0587Sheth KR, White JT, Perez-Orozco AF, et al.Evaluating natural history and follow up strategies for non-obstructive urolithiasis in pediatric population.Front Pediatr.2018;6:353. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00353Pourmand A, Nadendla R, Mazer-Amirshahi M, O’Connell F.Tamsulosin for urolithiasis: a review of the recent literature and current controversies.Am J Emerg Med.2016;34(11):2217-2221. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2016.09.009Campschroer T, Zhu X, Vernooij RWM, Lock MTWT.Alpha‐blockers as medical expulsive therapy for ureteral stones.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;2018(4):CD008509. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008509.pub3Bishop K, Momah T, Ricks J, et al.Nephrolithiasis.Primary Care Clinic Office Pract.2020:47(4):661-671. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2020.08.005Harvard Health.Kidney stones - self-care.Barry KA,Citrate salts for preventing and treating calcium-containing kidney stones in adults.Am Fam Physician.2017;95(9):552-553National Kidney Foundation.Uric acid stones.University of California Irvine.How long does it take to pass a kidney stone? Does walking help pass kidney stones?Türk C, Petřík A, Sarica K, et al.EAU guidelines on diagnosis and conservative management of urolithiasis.Eur Urol,2016;69(3):468-474. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.07.040John Hopkins Medicine.Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL).John Hopkins Medicine.Uteroscopy.Alberta Health Services (Canada).Uteroscopy: what to expect at home.John Hopkins Medicine.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).University of Florida Department of Urology.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).Alelign T, Petros B.Kidney stone disease: an update on current concepts.Adv Urol.2018;2018:3068365. doi:10.1155/2018/3068365Noh TI, Pyun JH, Shim JS, et al.A comparison between asymptomatic and symptomatic ureteral stones.Sci Rep.2023;13:2757. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-29866-5MedlinePlus.Kidney stones.
American Urological Association.Medical student curriculum: kidney stones.
Shafi H, Moazzami B, Pourghasem M, Kasaeian A.An overview of treatment options for urinary stones.Caspian J Intern Med. 2016;7(1):1–6.
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (Germany).Overview: kidney stones.
Sewell J, Shoshany O, Katz DJ, Love C.Urolithiasis – ten things every general practitioner should know.Austral Fam Physician.2017;46(9):648-652.
Fontanelle LF, Sarti TD.Kidney stones: treatment and prevention.Am Fam Physician.2019;99(8):490-496
Favus MJ, Feingold KR.Clinical recognition. In:Kidney Stone Emergencies. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2024.
Cedar Sinai.What you need to know about kidney stones.
Ahmed AF, Gabr AH, Emara AA, Ali M, Abdel-Aziz AS, Alshahrani S.Factors predicting the spontaneous passage of a ureteric calculus of ⩽10 mm.Arab J Urol. 2014;13(2):84–90. doi:10.1016/j.aju.2014.11.004
Wang G, Tan J, Geng E, et al.Impact of body mass index on size and composition of urinary stones: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Int Braz J Urol. 2023;49(3):281–298. doi:10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2022.0587
Sheth KR, White JT, Perez-Orozco AF, et al.Evaluating natural history and follow up strategies for non-obstructive urolithiasis in pediatric population.Front Pediatr.2018;6:353. doi:10.3389/fped.2018.00353
Pourmand A, Nadendla R, Mazer-Amirshahi M, O’Connell F.Tamsulosin for urolithiasis: a review of the recent literature and current controversies.Am J Emerg Med.2016;34(11):2217-2221. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2016.09.009
Campschroer T, Zhu X, Vernooij RWM, Lock MTWT.Alpha‐blockers as medical expulsive therapy for ureteral stones.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;2018(4):CD008509. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008509.pub3
Bishop K, Momah T, Ricks J, et al.Nephrolithiasis.Primary Care Clinic Office Pract.2020:47(4):661-671. doi:10.1016/j.pop.2020.08.005
Harvard Health.Kidney stones - self-care.
Barry KA,Citrate salts for preventing and treating calcium-containing kidney stones in adults.Am Fam Physician.2017;95(9):552-553
National Kidney Foundation.Uric acid stones.
University of California Irvine.How long does it take to pass a kidney stone? Does walking help pass kidney stones?
Türk C, Petřík A, Sarica K, et al.EAU guidelines on diagnosis and conservative management of urolithiasis.Eur Urol,2016;69(3):468-474. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.07.040
John Hopkins Medicine.Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL).
John Hopkins Medicine.Uteroscopy.
Alberta Health Services (Canada).Uteroscopy: what to expect at home.
John Hopkins Medicine.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).
University of Florida Department of Urology.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).
Alelign T, Petros B.Kidney stone disease: an update on current concepts.Adv Urol.2018;2018:3068365. doi:10.1155/2018/3068365
Noh TI, Pyun JH, Shim JS, et al.A comparison between asymptomatic and symptomatic ureteral stones.Sci Rep.2023;13:2757. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-29866-5
MedlinePlus.Kidney stones.
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