Sharp Side Pain May Signal a Kidney Stone

Often the first noticeable sign of a kidney stone is sharp side pain or midback pain, sometimes accompanied by cramping. The abdominal pain associated with a kidney stone also may migrate towards the lower abdomen and groin area.

Your lower abdominal pain is more likely to be kidney stone pain if you have any of the following risk factors:

• You or members of your family have had kidney stones in the past.
• You have been bedridden for an extended period of time.
• You are obese or have high blood pressure.
• Your diet is high in sodium and low in calcium.

Most people can pass kidney stones through their systems by drinking plenty of water; in this case no surgery is needed. But sometimes a kidney stone causes a urinary tract infection (UTI), and in this case the stone may need to be surgically removed. It’s important to check with your doctor if you experience sharp abdominal pain so you can rule out serious problems such as appendicitis or confirm the presence of a kidney stone. Your doctor may use a computerized tomography (CT) scan, an x-ray, or ultrasound to confirm and monitor a kidney stone.

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