Urinary stones are hard crystals that form anywhere along the pee system—kidney, ureter, or bladder. When they move, they send out sharp, unmistakable signals.

The headline is sudden, severe flank pain. It feels like a knife in the back just below the ribs and shoots into the groin as the stone travels.

Nausea and vomiting often ride along. The gut shares nerves with the urinary system, so the pain triggers a sick stomach.

Blood in the urine is common. The stream may look pink or tea-colored, and the blood can appear even when pain is mild.

Urinary changes show up next. You race to the bathroom every few minutes, yet only a few drops come out, and it burns like hot sauce.

Some folks feel a constant need to push or see gravel-like grains pass in the urine once the stone starts to break apart.

If infection sets in, fever, chills, and cloudy urine join the mix—an emergency signal that the stone has become a germ trap.