Kidney Stones
People who have had kidney stones say there is nothing more painful. Kidney stones can develop in one or both kidneys. Some people get one kidney stone in their lifetime, others can get them more often.
People who have had kidney stones say there is nothing more painful. Kidney stones can develop in one or both kidneys. Some people get one kidney stone in their lifetime; others can get them more often.
Urine has no solids, but there are times when the crystals in urine join together to form a stone. Although several substances can form stones, the four most common are made of:
Your kidneys are the beginning or top part of your urinary system. Urine is filtered in the kidneys and comes down through the ureters into your bladder, one from each kidney. The urine is held in the urinary bladder until it is emptied when the urine passes through the urethra and out the urethral opening.
A risk with kidney stones is a kidney infection, which can lead to sepsis. Sepsis, which was often called blood poisoning, is the body’s life-threatening response to infection. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment.
Sepsis and septic shock can result from an infection anywhere in the body, such as pneumonia, influenza, or urinary tract infections. Worldwide, one-third of people who develop sepsis die. Many who do survive are left with life-changing effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain and fatigue, organ dysfunction (organs don’t work properly), and/or amputations.
While we don’t know what causes stones to form, we do know that some stones form more easily than others. Dehydration and not consuming enough fluids can contribute to stone formation, as there may not be enough urine to wash out microscopic crystals.
Calcium stones, the most common kidney stones, seem to affect more men than women, and they are most often in the twenties when it happens.
Risks include:
Although food doesn’t cause stone formation, some people may be told to avoid high calcium foods if they are prone to developing stones.
Cystine stones are caused by a disorder that runs in families.
Struvite stones are virtually always caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI) due to an enzyme secreted by certain types of bacteria. Because people with shorter urethras have more UTIs, they also tend to develop more struvite stones. These stones can grow very large and block the kidney, ureter, or bladder.
Uric acid stones affect more men than women, and they can also occur in people who already get calcium stones. People who have high uric acid levels may have or develop gout.
Some people don’t feel kidney stones until they move and try to exit the kidney. Some symptoms include:
Because of the intense pain often caused by kidney stones, many people need pain relief. Many describe it as the worst pain they’ve ever felt.
If you have a kidney stone, you will be encouraged to drink a lot of water if you don’t have a medical condition that limits the amount you may have. The extra fluid is to help wash the stone through your urinary system.
If the stone doesn’t pass within a reasonable amount of time, your doctor may recommend extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Shock waves are sent through to the stone to break them down into smaller pieces that can be passed. Sometimes, surgery may be needed.
The stone should be removed because of the high risk of infection, which could – in turn – lead to sepsis.
While not all kidney stones can be prevented, there are ways to lower your risk of developing one or developing another one. The first and foremost way would be to drink enough fluids to ensure your urinary system gets flushed out well.
Your doctor could recommend avoiding certain types of foods, but that is an individual call. For certain types of stones, sometimes medications are prescribed to help reduce the risk.
If you suspect sepsis, call 9-1-1 or go to a hospital and tell your medical professional, “I AM CONCERNED ABOUT SEPSIS.”
The information here is also available as a Sepsis Information Guide, which is a downloadable format for easier printing.
Would you like to share your story about sepsis or read about others who have had sepsis? Please visit Faces of Sepsis, where you will find hundreds of stories from survivors and tributes to those who died from sepsis.
Suggested Citation: Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis and Kidney Stones. 2023. https://www.sepsis.org/sepsisand/kidney-stones/
Updated February 7, 2023.
Hello, my name is Dawn I was 50 years old when it happened. On September 19, 2020 at around 10:00 pm I felt a terrible pain. This time I knew what the pain was a kidney stone. (Sepsis and Kidney Stones) I waited but after a few hours I was in the ED. After pain meds and a few tests, they sent me home. Late Monday the pain stopped which normally would mean that the kidney stone reach the bladder. By Wednesday night the stone had not appeared, and I was in bad shape. Not enough blankets to warm me ... Read Full Story
Submit Your StoryView More StoriesFriday August 3rd 2018, I awoke with horrendous back pain, which escalated throughout the day, including during a 3 hour drive, returning home from being on holiday. By the time I got home (I had been driving), I couldn’t stand, sit or lie down for more than a few seconds as my pain was excruciating. I couldn’t breathe very well. My partner called an ambulance, by which time I’d removed all my clothes, such was my fever. I got blue-lighted to A&E; was given maximum morphine in the ambulance and for the next 5 hours in A&E, I was on ... Read Full Story
Submit Your StoryView More StoriesMy story as best as I remember and have been told: This was me at the beginning of January after day surgery for kidney stones gone wrong. (Sepsis and Kidney Stones, Sepsis and Surgery) I was in a coma on life support with organ failure and given very little chance to survive. But my husband told everyone “you obviously don’t know her”. I’m a very determined person and have a wonderful God who has plans for me ?. After a month in the hospital and then in rehab learning to walk again. I’ve lost all my hair, but thankfully it’s ... Read Full Story
Submit Your StoryView More StoriesIt still amazes me that you can be absolutely fine one day and in intensive care the next day. My husband, Paul, went to work on a Thursday and started to feel ill. He came home early which was very uncharacteristic of him. We thought he had the flu. The next day he ended up in the emergency room and ultimately the ICU. Thankfully the doctor in the emergency department recognized the Paul was showing all the signs of sepsis and started treatment immediately. Paul was running a fever and was incoherent at times. He felt better after some fluids, ... Read Full Story
Submit Your StoryView More StoriesWell, a year ago, I was having lower side/back pain and could hardly walk. I called doctor that asked me the level of pain out of 10. My reply was 15+. His answer was go to the clinic so I did., The doctor on duty asked me a few questions and said I had a kidney stone on the move. (Sepsis and Kidney Stones) Sent me to the hospital with a note. Upon arriving at hospital, I was immediately met and assessed and put on a bed. Off to the ultra sound and an x-ray. 20 minute later was told ... Read Full Story
Submit Your StoryView More StoriesPeople who have had kidney stones say there is nothing more painful. Kidney stones can develop in one or both kidneys. Some people get one kidney stone in their lifetime, others can get them more often.