The short explanation
Pain that starts in the side or back, spreads towards the groin, comes in waves and causes vomiting is typical of a kidney stone moving down the tube from the kidney to the bladder. This kind of pain is often among the worst people experience. Blood in the urine is also common. But other conditions can cause similar pain, including a kidney infection, appendicitis, an ovarian cyst or twisted ovary, and an ectopic pregnancy. That is why this pain needs to be checked urgently, especially if you could be pregnant.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- Doctors usually test urine and blood, check for pregnancy, and may do an ultrasound or CT scan. Many small stones pass on their own with pain relief and fluids, while larger ones or stones causing blockage or infection may need a procedure.
- Hot weather, low water intake, a past stone, a family history and some diets increase the risk, which is why stones are common in parts of India.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This answer cannot confirm a kidney stone or rule out other serious causes. That needs examination and tests today.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- Is this a kidney stone, and how large is it?
- Is it likely to pass on its own?
- Is there any sign of infection or blockage?
- What can I do to lower the chance of another stone?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Emergency — call 112 now
- Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department if you have severe pain with fever or shivering, cannot keep fluids down, cannot pass urine, feel faint, or could be pregnant.
Get help the same day
- Get seen the same day for sudden severe side or groin pain with vomiting, even if it eases for a while.
Raise it at a routine appointment
- After the episode, book a follow-up to discuss stone prevention and any further tests.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Urinary tract infection — adults MedlinePlus (NIH)
- Kidney infection NHS
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) NHS
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
Did this answer your question?
Whatever you choose is filed against this version of the answer, never against you, and it is never shown as a count.
“Explain more simply” asks you which part was hard to follow, so the author knows what to rewrite. “My question is different” opens a private follow-up with this answer attached.
Saving, following up and reporting are all private. Nothing you do on this page is visible to other readers or to the doctor who wrote it, unless you ask a question.