Kidney stone pain usually starts out on one side of the lower back or around the sides of the abdomen below the ribcage, according to experts at Keck Medicine of USC. Such was the case for a man in his early 50s who went to the emergency room for pain on his right side and was diagnosed with a kidney stone (via The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association). In other words, if you’re experiencing back pain closer to your shoulder blades or the center of your spine, you can probably rule out kidney stones.
Another sign that your back pain may be related to a kidney stone is if the pain travels instead of staying isolated in one area. “Kidney stone pain typically starts high up, near the kidney, migrates toward the abdomen and then eventually moves down toward the groin as the stone moves further down the ureter,” urologist Dr. Mike Nguyen told Keck Medicine of USC. This pain may also come on intermittently and vary in terms of sensation. Whether it resembles a sharp stabbing or a dull aching, kidney stone pain is generally severe, unlike the temporary discomfort of a sore back after having slept awkwardly. With that kind of back pain, some degree of relief can often be achieved by shifting your positioning. This is not the case for kidney stones and may further exacerbate the pain.
