Ureter Kidney Stone Symptoms

More than 3.5 million physician visits are logged each year by people with painful symptoms brought on by kidney stones in the ureter. Doctors say this problem is growing at a tremendous rate as modern humans indulge in richer and more highly processed food. Understanding the symptoms of this illness may lead to a quicker resolution and fewer days of misery.

Beginnings

• Most people are unaware that a kidney stone has grown in their body until it moves into the ureter, the narrow tube linking the kidney and bladder. That's usually when ureter kidney stone symptoms begin to appear and the process of expelling the stone begins. You will feel an ache in your side or back that will then move below the ribs and through the abdomen and groin.

  The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research says not to be surprised if the pain varies widely. Periods of pain will come and go, lasting between 20 and 60 minutes each. The sensation will appear to radiate outward from the side or back and shoot to the groin.

Urine

• Expect a persistent urge to urinate accompanied by more pain on top of the urination. You may seed traces of blood dotting, a cloudy appearance and an extremely foul odor. In some cases, you may be unable to urinate, or the flow may be minimal as a result of blockage. A physician will act quickly in those instances to remove the obstruction.

Toll

• Nausea and vomiting are normal reactions; fever and chills are also possible if an infection is present. Chronic urinary tract infections are one of the chief causes of kidney stones. Fortunately, the passage of stones typically does not leave any lasting damage within the body as long as proper medical care is received.

Diagnosis

• You may suffer no symptoms and discover the stones only when consulting a physician for related conditions, such as a urinary tract infection or bloody urine. If the doctor suspects kidney stones may be an issue, your blood will be analyzed for excessive calcium or uric acid in the system. Too much calcium can cause stones to develop, while an abundance of uric acid indicates excessive consumption of animal protein, causing growth of uric acid stones.

Imagery

• The doctor may order imaging tests like a CT (computerized tomography) scan. This is relatively quick to perform and is discerns which kind of stone is present. An abdominal X-ray is sometimes taken to monitor whether a stone is changing in size over time. Ultrasound tests may also be used, but these sometimes miss smaller stones, especially if they are well-hidden in the bladder or ureter.