Diagnosis

Your GP will usually be able to diagnose kidney stones from your symptoms and medical history.

It'll be particularly easy if you have had kidney stones before.

You may be given tests, including:

• urine tests to check for infections and pieces of stones
• an examination of any stones that you pass in your pee
• blood tests to check that your kidneys are working properly and also check the levels of substances that could cause kidney stones, such as calcium

You may be told what equipment you'll need to collect a kidney stone. Having a kidney stone to analyse will make a diagnosis easier, and may help your GP determine which treatment method will be of most benefit to you.

If you're in severe pain

If you have severe pain that could be caused by kidney stones, your GP should refer you to hospital for an urgent scan:

• adults should be offered a CT scan
• pregnant women should be offered an ultrasound scan
• children and younge people under 16 should be offered an ultrasound – if the ultrasound does not find anything, a low-dose non-contrast CT scan may be considered