What is kidney stones?
Kidney stones are crystalline lumps, most commonly calcium-based, that form in the kidney when the urine becomes too concentrated in stone-forming salts. Small stones may pass unnoticed, but a stone moving into the ureter can cause renal colic, waves of severe loin-to-groin pain widely described as among the worst pain there is, often with nausea and blood in the urine.
Stones affect roughly one in ten people during their lifetime, men somewhat more than women, most often between 30 and 60, and recurrence is common. Dehydration, diet, obesity, certain medications and metabolic conditions all contribute. Diagnosis is usually confirmed with a low-dose CT scan, the gold-standard test, alongside urine and blood tests; ultrasound is used in pregnancy and for follow-up.
Common symptoms
- Sudden severe pain in the back or side, radiating to the groin
- Pain that comes in intense waves
- Blood in the urine, visible or on testing
- Nausea and vomiting during attacks
- Needing to pass urine frequently or urgently
- Burning on passing urine
- Fever and shivering if infection develops (a medical emergency)
How long will you wait?
Emergency stone pain is treated immediately, but routine NHS treatment of non-emergency stones commonly takes several months from referral, with urology waits of four to nine months reported at many trusts.
Privately, you can typically see a consultant within 3–7 days, with CT imaging within days and stone treatment usually scheduled within 2–4 weeks.
NHS England median referral-to-treatment wait: 12.4 weeks, with 2.5 million people waiting over 18 weeks (May 2026). Individual waits vary by trust and urgency.
Treatment options
- Conservative management. Stones under about 5 mm usually pass naturally with fluids, painkillers and sometimes medication to relax the ureter.
- Shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Focused sound waves break the stone into fragments small enough to pass, without any incision.
- Ureteroscopy and laser. A fine telescope passed up the urinary tract fragments the stone with a laser and removes it, usually as a day case.
- PCNL. Keyhole surgery through the back removes large or complex kidney stones in a single procedure.
What does private treatment cost?
As a guide, private shock wave lithotripsy typically costs around £2,500–£4,000 per treatment, and ureteroscopy with laser stone fragmentation typically around £4,500–£7,000 in the UK in 2026.
Does health insurance cover kidney stones?
A first episode of kidney stones after your policy starts is a textbook acute claim: imaging, emergency care and definitive stone treatment are usually all covered by private medical insurance. If you had stones before joining, expect stone disease to be excluded as pre-existing initially, which matters because recurrence is common. Long-term preventive care, such as repeat metabolic testing and dietary management, is generally regarded as routine maintenance rather than insurable treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Will my kidney stone pass by itself?
Size is the biggest factor. Stones under 4–5 mm pass spontaneously in most people, usually within a few weeks, helped by good hydration and anti-inflammatory painkillers. Stones of 5–10 mm pass less reliably, and stones over 10 mm rarely pass and generally need treatment. Seek urgent care for uncontrolled pain, vomiting, fever or shivering, which can signal an infected, obstructed kidney.
Which treatment is best: shock waves or laser?
It depends on the stone's size, hardness and position, and on your anatomy and preferences. Shock wave lithotripsy is non-invasive and needs no anaesthetic at many centres, but may require repeat sessions and suits smaller, softer stones. Ureteroscopy with laser clears stones more reliably in a single sitting, including harder and lower-pole stones, at the cost of a general anaesthetic and usually a temporary stent.
How do I stop stones coming back?
Around half of stone-formers have another episode within ten years, so prevention is worthwhile. The single most effective step is drinking enough to produce two to two and a half litres of pale urine daily. Reducing salt, moderating meat intake and keeping normal dietary calcium (not cutting it) all help for common calcium stones. Recurrent formers should have metabolic testing to guide targeted advice.